The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-04-02
BREAKING THE BONDS.
L. @.


make a goose of myself, and disgust
Charlie"
The lady addressed, turned from the
glass, and very deity placed the droop-
ing moss rosebuds in her companions
dark hair, artistically arranged tiny
bunch of the same exquisite flowers III
the belt of the slender waist, and at the
white throat, and then stepped back to
admire the effect.
"Exquisite Gertie. You are looking
lovely tonight. Such color-such eyes!
Take my word for it, Charlie Denton
cannot be disappointed"
Gertie Melton turned and flashed
glance at herself in the great pier-glass,
which disclosed slight girlish form, ex.
quisitely rounded, robed in snowy muslin,
ruffled, and futed, and festooned in the
fashion of now a-days. But tears we're in
her lovely eyes, as she turned away from
the glass, saying:
"Cousin Annie, I am miserable
coward, and shall utterly fail in making
the desired impression. Oh! Annie, dear,
take my name and place just for tonight.
We shall be able to deceive him, I know,
for every one talks Of how much we re.
semble each other. We both bear the
name of Miss Melton, and it will be easy
to exchange positions. Besides, it will be
such fun;' and she laughed in an almost
hysterlcal manner.
And the ring, Gerti9"'
"You must of course wear it for to-
night, "and she tremblingly took from her
hand magnificent diamond ring, and
placed it upon her cousins finger. "Now
remember. You are to be Miss Gertie
Melton, the affianced wife of Charles
Denton, and I your cousin, Annie Melton.
Act your part, and will mine"
The two girls, as they stood with
clasped hands, looked strangely alike,
both in form and feature, but they we're
as unlike in temperament, and manner,
and voice as possible. Gertie was all en-
thusiasm, graceful, sparkling and impul-
sive to a marked degree, while her cousin
was calm and impassive as summer sea,
matter-of- fact, and devoid of the least
romance in her composition-one of the
class of women who make excellent,
methodical housekeepers, and whose en-
tire life is an accumulation OF hard facts
without single dream.
Charles Denton, the subject of so much
discussion, had that day arrived from a
foreign shore, and had taken rooms at
one of the fashionable hotels. He had
intended to call Immediately upon his
afianced, but had met with an old friend
the only one who would be likely to
recognize him after an absence of five
years, from the fact that they had been
fellow students in German university.
II saw Miss Melton" he told him, cal
the opera, last evening, and she Informed
me that she would attend the ball at Mrs
Vandevere's tonight. I can easily pro-
cure you an invitation, and you will have
plenty of time to dine and dress. Yor
will certainly meet the lady there look
ing her loveliest. What say you, Charley
I will call for you with the carriage"
"a pleasant arrangement, old chum
Especially as 1 feel slightly nervous abou
our meeting. All, me- how time changes
ones feelings. am not half as eager,
presume, as I ough to be. or as woulc
once have BEEN"
GLOW in the name of divinity did yor
come to bind yourself, Charley? Hast.
courtships, and a speedy execution TO
me. Graciousl I could not live fiv
mortal years bound, and yet not tied, a
you have been-would not for king
DOM"
'Did you never hear the 1omanti
story? Well, Gertie may have changed
but five years ago she was as lovely am
sparkling fairy as ever danced anon!
the moonbeams and flowers. I was NO
twenty, she but fifteen, when we fel
madly in love with each other. Of course
old Squire Melton and my governor oh
jected to the engagement, upon the frs
ground of our lack of years and expe1
fence. So, one day the dear child con
sented to nv proposition of an elopment
Of that it is enough to say that we wer
followed and found, by our frantic an
enraged PARENTS before the tying of tn
knot was completed. Just as we wei
about to be pronounced man and wifi
the proceeding came to an abrupt termi1
alton. I was packed oft to Germany
complete my education and cool m
boyish ardor, and she, poor child, in
deluge of tears, was sent away to femal
prison, called boarding-school. Th
only concession we could gain from OF
respective parents was this: Gertie We
to be permitted to wear my engagme1
ring, and if when we had fully mature
LII mluu duu UOuy VIZ SlllL CluAS W cav
other, they would place no further diff
culties in the way of our union. My dea
sensible old father is, as you know, wit
the saints and sages in the better LAM
leaving me no master but my own will
"And that is, Charley2'
ITO abide by any decision the lad
may make in the matter"
'She is trump, old fellow; and I al
thinking that after yau have seen he
you will use your best efforts to infuenc
!. her decision. But OIL reuoir. sha
come per appointment"
Left alone, Denton sat down and pei
ned and despatched a note to Miss Cert
Melton, Informing her of his arrival, ar
that he would meet her at the house
Mrs. Vandevere. It was received as Il
young lady was putting the last touch
to her toilet, and threw her into a flutt
of confusion.
The elegant mansion of the Vandever
was brilliant. Light, flowers, and mus
combined with the rich dresses and je
els, and fair forms and faces of t
elite of the civ made scene for pal