Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-12-15

lnree m0ntns later. hay Remlng-
tol and Mrs. Thornton have met many
tines since that sad day on which he
set her the yiolets. They have lunch
ed ogether, rode together and attended
the natiness together, and tonight, it
is al arranged that she will leave her
husbands protection for that of Ray.
Isshe happy at the thought of leav-
ing Ter husbands home? Happy? No!
wrethedly unhappy. But that which
seemed only slight grievance at first
has become now an unhappiness too
great to be borne.
O' course she confded her sorrows to
Ray, and his indignation was intense.
"That any one could so neglect her
She whom he wanla -h~~e e-~L.-;-l.a---
sendesly," and SO forth, in his usual
strain,
Of curse all this only made her lot
seem te harder. And now she is going
to escap from it all. But the treacher-
GUS llttl, heart in her bosom, that she
had thousht SO cold and dead to Charley
now begai to plead for him.
How hehaunted the corridor outside
her bedroom door that time when she
was so i'll, aid he was forbidden to en-
ter. And Wien at last she was well
enough to seehim, how shocked she was
at the alteration in the dear face. Why,
1t was worn as hin and white as her
own, and when he first saw her own
face in the glass, the great hollows in
the pale cheeks b. used to praise for
their plumpness and bloom, and saw In
the place of the luxuriant brown tresses
he was so proud of, the boys shock of
curly brown hair, and threw herself
weeping on her pillow, sobbing, how
could he-could he love her now? How
tenderly he took her in his arms, laid
her head on his breast and kissed the
shorn locks and sunken cheeks. And,
though she lived to be old and gray,
could she ever forget his words?
"My dear one, my wife. l am so
thankful that | hold you here on this
heart, where at one time / feared you
would never rest again. l love yon, my
darling, for yourself, your warm heart,
your pure soul, not for the bloom that
can fade or the bonny brown tresses that
are gone"
Ah with sudden sharp catching of
the breath. Could any other man ever
be the same to her as Charley? Oh she
Whtaht; Wfhth; IS + If this itb!' A bracelet that he
gave her on the first anniversary of their
marriage. No, she cannot take that.
And her wedding ring Yes, that must
be left with the rest. Oh she had not
dreamed it would be so hard to part
with the old love tokens. Even the de-
spised Leila is caught up and kissed,
and cried over. And-what was she
about to do? Yes, she was actually
going to kiss the little white tidy on the
back of the sleepy hollow where Char
ley's head rested every night when he
read the Spouter.
When Charley returns to his deserted
home (he left for Washington that morn
ing), what will he say? viii he care
very much?
Hark ? One-two-three-she counts
nine. Then the strokes cease.
The hour has come. She starts fol
the door, stops. with her hand pressed
to her heart, gazes wildly around. dashed
out blindly into che night. A tall form
is standing at the foot of the steps; il
is Ray. He draws the little cold hand
through his arm. They turn the corner
a carriage is waiting, the steps are down.
the wife entered, Ray is about to follow
when-ah ! great heavens! what is this
Her husband stands there before him
There is the fash and report of pistol
and Ray Remington falls. She shriek'
wildly. springs from the carriage, and
awakens
Yes, thank God awakens to find i
all dream.
She is in her dear little sitting room
There is the dear old sleepy hollow, an(
there is Leila, the fluffy Angora cat. OF
the rug by the fire. Bijou there, too
with his tongue lolling out and-wha
is this 4? A card-Ray Remington's. Sh'
remembered now he did call. and h.
had the impertinence to show by hi
little google eyes and funny little pinl
tongue and his look and tone that b
still cares for her.
She rings the bell violently.
flames, in future, when Mr.. Reming
ton calls, | am not at home
Ethan Allen, whose misfortune it wa
to nave termagant wife. had, and de
served. reputation for courage of tn
leonine kind. Some wags thought t
frighten him once but they mistoo
their man. One of them, arrayed in
sheet. stepped in front of him in the roa
late one dark night when he was on hi
way homeward. Ethan stopped, locke
at the spectre. and without a moment