Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-10
A Little Fool.

A Little Fool.
al am astonished, Eloise after all my
instructions as to what society and respecta-
biity demand of you. If you must marry
and make a fool of yourself, why not marry
Colonel Powell 7"
Because | do not like Colonel Powell,
and because Like some one else, Aunt
Ethel" -
"I never heard of such thing. Do you
know what you are saying, miss Such
talk, can tell you, is highly improper; and
as for not liking Colonel Powell, that is
nonsense. Colonel Powell has everything
necessary to win any woman's appreciation
very old family, very fine -anners, ele-
giant residence, servants, carriage, money,
and member of congress besides. Don't
you know that you would spend the winters
in Washington p
al declare it does not tempt me bit"
"And don't believe that he is day
more than fifty"
4" He is seventy-fve IL he is an hour, and
he hobbies and coughs, and is altogether
dreadful. | never, never, never will marry
him."
"May | ask who, them is to have the
honor of becoming my nephew ?" and Miss
Ethel sat stiflly down, and began TO care
fully re-arrange the pink satin bows on her
T-white morning dress
Eloise sat down opposite to her, and fin
gered nervously the rose-buds and ivy leaves
that trimmed her garden hat. The two
women were strangely alike, only one face
was forty years old, white, and proud and
the other only twenty, flushing aud paling
and answering every feeling of the heart.
For some moments Eoise did not speak,
Miss Ethel Bruce did not urge her. She sat
patiently looking in her niece's face, until
that young lady, finding courage in her des
peration, said, with bland defiance, "The
gentleman who is to have that honor, dear
aunt, is Mr.. Henry Torrens."
"lmpossible You would not do such a
foolish thing ?"
"Oh yes, would"
DO you know who he is p
"He is-Harry."
" Ridiculous DO you know who his
father is p
"No, don't want to know him particularly
DO you know him, Aunt Ethel ?"
"No. dare say it would be very i'm
proper for me to know such a person. When
we first met him last summer in the North
| don't remember that he ever named hi,
family"
"Nor l."
"That looks very bad, Eloise. If mar
has respectable relations, of course he talks
about them"
81 don't see that il makes any great diff
ference to me. do not intend to marry
liarrys relations. | do not care much abou
them, anyway. Once he told me that hi,
mother was dead, and said mine was too
and OF course we felt sorry for each other
aud all that. But am afraid am LITTLE
jealous about Harry | would Just as lief b.
the only person in the world who had any
right to love him as not
You make me feel hopeless about you
Pray what do you intend to live upon :"
Harry has two thousand dollars a year.
1.-Two thousand dollars a year WHAT {
magnificent income !"
"Don't make fun of us, aunt can no
,llow that; indeed | can not. We love eaci
other, and shall be very happy"
doubtless. May ask where Mr. Tor
rens is employed 2"
In West & Green's law Office"
al thought he lived in New York. VIVA
brought him here ?"
How should know 2" said Eose, blush
ing, and Involuntary dropping her voice.
Her aunt watched her curiously, and shool
her head Cor answer "Where have vol
|
bring him within the precincts of Bruc
Place"
He has never touched paling of it.
met him at Aunt Keaia'S, and 1 am eur
she would have let Cousin Lizzie marry hin
very willingly. She thinks a great deal o
Harry"
"Lizzie Bruce is different. She has fiv
little sisters, and my brother Jake Away
+ spends twenty out of an income of nineteen
{ You have exceptions--or at least had. | a
: ways intended, if you remained unmarried
TO leave you the Bruce Place"
Dear aunt, thank you for the intention
nut would rather have Harry. have
! little bit of money of my own, have not 2
Z "About four thousand dollars Just enoug
o buy your wedding things and marry 20
lecently."
Miss Ethel rose with proud air but
: pitifuliy sad face, and attempted to leave tn
: Dom, but Eloise, with gentle force and man
r. -ender kisses, made her sit down again.
Auntie," she said, coaxingly, ago
have asked me a good many questions, an
= have answered them truly; now | am &c
ing to ask you some, and know you will b
fair with me about them. First, were 20
yer in love2"
Half-smiling and thanksgiving, Miss Etht
sat thinking over the bold question. A
ength she answered. slowly, aud with a grea
leal of pathos in her voice, "Yes, Eloise
once loved as do not think you have tn
lower to love. 1t is twenty-five years ago.
"Will you tell me about it ?"
81 cannot. Yes--I will try; perhaps
nay show you what waste of life it il
Wait here few moments"
She then left the room, but soon returue
With little tortoise-shell box in her hant
1t opened with spring, and showed fe'
yellow letters, a bunch of withered violet
md the half of plain gold ring. She LITE
the latter and said
"This is part of his dead mothers wee
ling ring we broke it in two, and swor
,olemnly over it to be faithful to the prom
ises we had made each other. Then /
sailed away from me, and | never hear
from him again. For two years | suffere
all the agonies of hope deferred and slighte
= love, and at length | had fever that lie
me the colorless little ghost have been ev'
since"
! "Perhaps he was dead
"No."
"Then he was a miserable creature, an
!, should have put him out of my heart al
memory"
ayes, think you would, Eloise. thin
y too, that it is likely you would have |
-. some other man make a fool of you secor
time. | have a different nature. | did n
re. cease to suffer for James Early for fl
:, years, but having conquered that weakness
" | never permitted myself to care for al
=. other man."
a. "But you were rich and handsome. ID
'e no one else care for you ?"
v Miss Ethel smiled queerly, and after
Y. slight hesitation said, eyes"
n. "Who was it, auntie p
in "Colonel Powell"
"Oh, aunt So you wanted me TO do
thing you would not do yourself"
"Yes, dear. You wanted to marry I;
did not When was twenty years of az
if | had wanted TO marry at all, should ha
G married for wealth and position. Colon