The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1878-11-07
Maude's Secret

II have told you there is a secret
in my life | can share with no one Let
me 90 my way, and You yours, for we
could never be happy with cloud OF
mystery between us.
lin other words You refuse me y
There was a quick resentment IN Don
aid Curtm's tone, for the refusal Of the
woman he loved, to he his wife: was a
blow at once to his heart and his vanity
| tie was not a c0nceted man, but when
he offered his hand to his sisters govern
css, he certainly did not expect a refusal
| There had been many meetings before he
spoke his love, and in some of them he
had thought Maudc Dcnnin's face be-
traEed love for him, in spite of the cold
manner that was habtual to her.
Scarcely man to measure his own
merits 10y the length OF his purse, Donald
Curtin could not quite totget that he was
owner Of one Of the finest estates on the
lludson whole rows Of houses in New
\ ork, and an income of some fifty thou
sand year, while Maude DENIM was his
sisters gOYerness. She had come to Mrs.
llursey from a female seminary, with let
tcrs of Introduction: had proved herself
trustworthy with the children: and no
one had any desire to pry into her pri-
vate affairs during the whole of the first
two years.
Mrs. Ilursey had considered her a
treasure, and the children We're fond Of
her and progressed rapidly.
Then Donald came home from Europe
and his sister, offering him the hospitali-
+ OF her home, suddenly. made several
discoveries. First, She found out that al
though the family had thought and spok-
en- Of her brother as an old bachelor. that
after all. at forty, he looked Younger than
some under thirty Next. that Maude
DENIM, though She was pale and resery-
ed, was wonderfully fair, and could con-
verse with Donald long after topics We're
beyond her comprehension.
The old, old story progressed, day al
ter day, under her eyes, and She could
lind no good reason for sending Maude
away, and surely Donald was not to be
turned from her root. Mrs. lIursev was
constantly deyising schemes for shutting
Maude in the school room, for sending
her long erTands, and employing her time
in useful sewing. But if Donald would
lounge into the school room and insist
upon hearing his nephews and neices re-
cite long poems. while he made pencil
sketches OF Maude's profile if he would
join her lust as she started on the .ong
erands, and was seized with a desire to
read in the very room where the sewing
was in progress, what could prudent
sister do more
1t was some comfort that the 'Infatua-
ton" as Mrs. Hursey mentally termed it,
was all Oh one side that Maude acQui-
eSced in every plan that promised to keep
her lover from her side; that the pale face
never flushed at bis coming, or the soft,
dark eyes wooed him to her side
But Mrs. IIuIscY could not believe it
possible for Donald 10 offer his hand and
fortune to any woman and be rejected.
So She trettcd secretly, while Donald
wooed patiently. till on a summer morn
ing when he found Maude in the garden,
for a. wonder without the attendance of
a juvenile lIursey, and made his dcclara-
ton in explicit terms
And without one flash on her white
checks, if possible even paler than usual,
Miss DENIM had told him there was a
secret her life that kept her outside
the ranks Of happy married women. Still
he pleaded till She owned it was no crime
or fault Of her own thai separated them /;
and again he urged his suit, only to meet
the repetition Of her declaration.
"in other words YOU refuse me = he
said With angry emphasis
The color flushed then over Maudc S
face, for there was a keen pain as well as
resentment in DonaId's tone For the
first time she touched his arm, lifting her
soft dark eyes to his own. There was a
thrill in her voice as she said in low
tone:
"Becausc love YOU, Donald. i'll had
no love for you | might put my hand in
yours, and share your wealth, for my life
/ of drudgery is a weary burden to me. But
! love you and 50 bid you 90 from me,
and seek to forget me in some happier
love"
Something in her tone and voice awed
pleasure at her frank confession. He
prisoned the little white hand she had
placed upon his arm and said
"Confide in me then. Tell me your Sc
cret, or if you will, keep it, and rest as
sured | Will never try to surprise it,"
Il cannot. Nothing but death can free
me, and your life is too useful, too noble
to be spent in waiting for me. Forget
me, Donald. May God bless and keel
you"
She was gone before he could say more
and he knew her decision was final. Mrs
1 Hursey's delight at her brothers escape
was certainly tempered by indignation
4 that Maude had dared to refuse him
! What on earth did she expect to mar
/ ry? thought the matron.
| But Maude p0ndering over it ALL ac
cepted the pain as one more sorrow il
her shadowcd life, and made no moan
| looked for no sympathy. 1t was hard tC
see the face that had been ever full o
sympathy and tenderness turned coldly
away; hard to hear the children wonder
'Why Uncle Donald came to see them NJ
more = but the routine of duty filled eacl
day, and there was a certainty soon 0
release from the monotony of teaching.
October was midway on her colder
tinted journey across the earth when Mrs
IIursey was called upon to get new gov
erness. Ia vain she scolded, and eve.
wept Maude gave no reason, but sh'
must go.
1t was not to spy on her movement
that Donald, finding the governess leav
ing the house, followed her in the train
that took her to New York. 1t was onl,
his deep, mistaken love, the fear for he
future, the anxiety to be sure all was t
be well with her new life. She did no
dream she was watched as she took
hack and, followed still, drove to small
house on the outskirts of Brooklyn, wher
a woman met her at the door and led he
in weeping bitterly. That was all Don
aid saw, but the face of the weeping WON
an was <Maude's face, should years Of sor
row ana tears set their seal upon it.
Restless and curious in spite of him
self, Donald lounged into cheap restau
rant near the little house, and called fo
something to eat Close beside him tw
rough looking men were discussing SOM
oyster steWs, and Donald heard one say
$50 Dennin's time is up. He cam
out of Sing Sing yesterday "
"Cording to my guess" was the reply