The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-09-04

1ne latner came, and with club
Entieed him out the door.
THROUGH THE FLOOD.
BY JULIUS COMBE. =
She was not beautiful fasinating is the
word which, perhaps, best describes her.
A widow, too and as she sits there In
dolently playing with her colored silks,
while the bright sunshine rests upon her
dark brown hair and delicate hands, there
is something dangerously subtle about
her. ~,-
Her reverie is broken by the entrance
of gentleman; fair, tall and handsome.
"Good morning, my dear Mrs, Layton;
hope you are well. Still engaged on
that pretty embroidery2 Pardon me, /
was told Alice was here. All! there she
is in the garden. I will go to herr and
he left the room.
The relation of the parties are simple
enough: George Ashbury, who is both
personable and wealthy, is engaged to be
married to Alice, the youngest daughter
OF Colonel Pentwell; while Mrs. Layton,
the elder Of the two, has returned, a
widow, to the paternal roof, since the
engagement of her sister and George
Ashbury.
A change comes over the pretty
widows face as she watches Alice and
Georgia. change by no means adding to
its beauty, so full is it of jealousy
George stays but few minutes, how
ever; and when he has gone, Alice enters
the room where her sister is seated. There
is family likeness between them, though
Alice is calm, but proud, lacking the
winning softness Of manner and express
sion which is her sisters greatest charm.
"Mc. Ashbury paid short visit" said
Mrs. Dayton. .-z'...
eyes; he called to say that he could
not soto Bentley's with us this afternoon
as he was obliged to visit Wentham on
business"
HE goes to Wentham rather often.
doesn't he?'' she asked, putting sight
emphasis on the word "rather.''
eyes,"
"He has relations near there-cousins,
hasn't he?:'
II believe so.''' IS. 1885,. IS. s.
| Il think remember one of them
Edith she was called;a pretty, fairy-ike
creature, with golden curls and laughing
blue eyes, who seemed to introduce sun
shine wherever she went. Were I en-.
gagged I should scarcely care for my suit
or to see too much of such nymph."
Alice made no reply, but her cheek
flushed, and for an instant her proud lip
quivered; then she was cold and placid
again.
Her sister had marked the change and
had instantly dropped the subject, for she
saw that the arrow shot at venture bad
struck home.
That afternoon the Bentleys, friends of
the Pentwells, gave croquet party, and
a large number of guests assembled on
the lawn, when the Colonel's daughter
daughter arrived.
Alice was soon deep in the mysteries
of croquet, with young lieutenant as
her partner, and had just won the first
game, when George Ashbury, accompan-
panied by his pretty cousin, of whom
Mrs. Layton had spoken, appeared among
them.
Perhaps, at any other time, Allen
would have accepted her lovers explana-
ton as quite satisfactory, when he stated
that on reaching Wentham, some five
miles off, he found the business on which
he went had been postponed for a week,
and as his cousin and uncle were coming
to Bentleys, he decided upon accompany
ing them.
But the hints of the morning had not
been thrown away, and resenting the
fancietl Aslight to herself, Alice received
IS excuses with polite Indifference.
The thin end of the edge Of distrust
and jealousy had been inserted, and the
breach, Slight as it was, increased rapidly.
: While apparently the most sincere and
disinterested friend of both, Mrs. Layton
daily helped to widen the breach she had
caused. George Ashbury was her dupe.
Mentally he drew comparisons between
the sisters, always to Alice's disadvantage.
, His visits were as frequent as ever, but
, though he asked for Miss Pentwell, most
| Of his time was spent in the company of
Mrs. Layton. E.
One evening Alice was sitting in an
r arbor, engaged in reading, when her at
tention was attracted by the sound of
, familiar voices
, 'But you loved Alice2"
) 1t was her sister VINO spoke.
"That was before knew you. Be-
) sides, Alice has ceased to care for me.
j You have told me so yourself; and if
proofs were wanting, does she not avoid
me as much as possible9 You need have
no false delicacy on account of your
7 sister; only say you will be my wife.
Alice lost the answer. A faint giddi-
! ness she could not control overcame her
! the sense of hearing was, for the moment
gone, ana, when she recovered, the
voices were no longer near.
She could not in the present frame Of
mind meet the sister who had stolen
away her priceless treasure, for in ,he1
) bitterest moments, Alice exonerated hs1
) lover from blame. Her own pride and
. her sisters schcming had, she was sure,
done all the mischief.
r. Marlpits, where Colonel Pentwell and
his dal1uhfer resided u 90 q town of COM