Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-02-21

A WOMAN'S SACRIFICE.

Crest assured / shall not cross your
path again, if l can avoid it. / will go
out of my way at any time rather than
annoy you with sight of me, ana the
only regret l fell is that our paths ever
met"
The speaker, Annie Gray, had been
left an orphan at an early age. With
out property, she was thrown on her own
resources for support. Through the
kindness of an uncle she managed to keep
soul and body together by teaching.
For two years she had swayed the
"birchen sceptre,' in the little, brown
school house at the end of the shady lane
that formed the principal street of the
village of Weston. Here she met Ethel
Wynne, the pride and boast Of the vii
lage circles. Thrown much in each
others society, and of congenial natures
a warm friendship soon sprang up be-
tween them, ripening on Armies part
into strong attachment, which ,unhappi-
ly, was not reciprocated by Ethel. When
she first loved him, or how long since,
she knew not; sometimes she thought
it must be an inherent passion existing
always in her bosom for him, for she
recollec:ed the very first time she ever
beheld him how jealousy she had watch
ed his attention to lady acquaintance.
Ethel, perhaps, realized the true state
of her feelings sooner than she did her.
self, and at the time Of the opening of
our story he told her candidly that he
did not love her, and suggested that it
would be better if they were less to-
getber.
Il respect you," he said, every much,
and it affords me great deal of pleas
ure to be in your society; but 1 do not
love you as | think should wife, and
| think it wrong to offer you my hand
without my heart in it. / have always
been your friend, but my bosom never
thrilled for you with warmer feeling
than that of friendship"
For the first time Annie realized how
dear he was to her; each word pierced
her soul like dagger, while morti6ca-
tion and chagrin that her preference was
known to him elected the afore-mention-
ed retort.
II hope you are not crying" said
Ethel in reply.
'Oh, no; you must not think that,
but you said we had better not meet SO
often, and | was merely assuring you
that our meetings ia the future shall be
studiously avoided by me. / shall
neither thrust myself into any ones way,
nor solicit friendship not freely given
as for love, my life has not been replete
with it and can live without it,"
"My friendship you have without
"You said but just now that you had
been my friend, which means that which
has been and shall be no more"
"Imeant no such thing. You tor
ture my words into meaning never in
tended"
One evening shortly after the CONVEX
'ation referred TO above, Annie, as was
sometimes her wont, remained in the
school room after the children were gone
'or the purpose Of writing a letter. Be- |
ng buslly engaged she did not notice the |
approach Of any one until she was start |
ed by the opening Of the door, when.
glancing up, the tall form of Ethel |
Nynne met her eye.
What has brought you here p in |
sprang to her lips az she laid |
Ter pen aside and rose 10 her feet, bat
he checked the exclamation, and bid |
ling bin good evening waited 10 be in
ormed Of bis errand.
For moment an embarrassing silence
'nsued, which was broken by Etbel's
skiing for few moments conversation
With her. which was granted.
Coming over to where she stood and
aking her hand, be drew her TO a seat,
aging, Its a strange place 10 come 10
N such an errand Annie. do you love
nc ?