Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-27


promise me that you will not take a
second wife.
'Ch, I promise promise / said l
half dead with terror.
Woe be unto you, if you deceive
me + answered the ghost solemnly,
and | heard no more.
1t was some time however, before
| ventured to cast a tmid glance
around the room. The ghost had dis
appeared. The storm. too, was begin
ming to subsidc; but could not 90
to sleep again, for found it impossi'
bic to forget that phantom and It's
deadly clutch upon my throat. re-
solved to say nothing about it. OF
course, people would ridicule the idea
of ghost. Never the less, ] dared not
to we'd Kate Nelson yet how coald
| explain this sudden change Of pur-
pase? | Gervently hoped that she
would not die of broken heart, the
poor child What should | say to
her?
After considerable reflection, ! re
solved to trust this delicate affair to
John. The proposed marriage was
so odious in his eyes that | knew he
would justify my apparent trcachery
to her If possible.
Morning came, and | arose in II fe-
verlsi state of mind, How | dreaded
to meet Katie at the breakfast table ;
but, fortunately, she did not max e
her appearance. John looked so
troubled that ! almost fanced he too,
had seen the ghost. After break fast,
i said to him with an embarrass ..ent
that | strove to hide; My dear boy,
do you remember what we were talk
ing about last evening? | have been
thinking over the matter seriously,
and am afraid that marriage be
tween Kate aud |, will result in un-
happiness; but | have not :he cour
age to brave her reproaches. Now,
John, will you act as Il mediator, and
make known this change i'll my
view,
why uncle he answered, and ]
was almost sure | saw a CLEAN OF mis-
chief IN his eyes, something eXtraord-
nary must have happened. You are
not usually 50 Gclie'
Ne won. t discuss the matter sad
|, III an irritated tone. will you, or
will You not, grant my request
OF course | will, he replied but
it is Il difficult tas k. The poor child
will be 50 disappointed
! detected Il )oyOus ring IN his voice
and looked a, him rather suspicious.
".
His diplomatic mission was success
! full, however. Late in the afternoon
Katie came down inlo the library
here | was sitting. | had never
seen her look prptticr.
! oh, Mr.. Raymond :. size said, ca.
gcrlv, 4 am 50 glad that YOU have
changed your mind 1t was so uneX-
pected Yesterday never dreamed
that you loved Inc in any other way
than rs a daughter.
Was this acting? Was She irving
to deceive me iu her sweet un&elhsh
ness
Then YOU never loved me? I asked
Dear Mr.. Raymond, Won know bet
ter, she answered only it WAS not
the kind of love one ought to feel to-
ward husband You are az dear to
me as if vou were NY own father :;
but You are SO much Older than I,
| lhat-that'
She hesitate,l and did not finish her
sentence. remembered my gray
hairs with a pang of mortified vaaity.
Was not the gho4tlv visit enough =?
Mnst | be tortured in this manner af-
| terwarl ?
The veil was torn away from the
delnsion had cherished. Alas.
had misinterpreted her childish af-
fec,ion. 1t might be That she loved
anoyher. | looked down into the face
where vivid scarlet giowed, and read
her secret.
NV dear child,' | exclaimed, at
tempting to control my agitation, tell
me everythina.'