Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-29
THE NEW YEARS MASQUERADE

and months with the midnight stroke OF
the clock, clearly and solemnly; and now
the new year was ushered In with light,
tieecy fall of snow, floating down like
tiny feathers, and covering the hard
frozen earth as with wedding garment.
| All the preparations for the evening
were finished in Squire Brents house,
and Alice sat by the window after many
| flights, up stairs and down, and watching
with delight the wonderful picture out
of doors-bare branches and tall, straight
trees, changed as by fairy wand: low
hedges bending the inimitable grace un-
der their light burden; evergreens and
climbing ivy hidden in odd, exquisite
shapes of white, cloud-like carving and
more than all, thinking of the last New
Year.
Some one else was sitting in the empty
seat beside her then, and she remem-
bered his every look and tone as they
talked over things present and past and
| all the coming days might bring to them.
| There was a subtle meaning III John
Thorn's words she did not catch at first,
| till in the midst of some lively badinage,
he broke off suddenly, and told her in
his eloquent, passionate, pleading way,
the old, old story, sweeter than any other
to maiden, and begged her to crown his
life with her love, and make it's COM
pleteness. She felt the same, quick,
bounding thrill again, and the thought
of JOY was born in her heart at that mo-
ment, came back to her, just as when
she gathered up all her out-reaching de-
sires and tender hopes, to give the cold,
hard answer, out OF the fullness of her
bitter, Just condemnation.
L am sorry that you spoke of this.
cannot marry you.
"Why not, Alice?''
Because, if you will know, however
much | admire you now, I should grow
to despise you after awhile. [ believe
the money that has been left you will lie
your bane and your curse. You are iv-
ing for nothing but its enjoyment-for
the delight it pours in upon you alone.
Even the rich scion of nobility is not in
so pitiable condition, for he has his pat
rlmonlal estates to manage, and his vii
lage dependents VINO draw him out of
himself, and call for large exercise of his
thought and charity. But you, with
your culture and talent, think of moth
ing but adding to them year by year.
wrapping yourself more entirely in self,
| and giving out OF your mental gains only
in the sparkling chat of an evening call
or the little more exalted effort of the
conUcrzaziOne, instead of doing your
work in the world"
"What need is there of me, Miss
Brent?" 81 H..
"Your own need most of all; you are
| sinking down into the Elegant gentle
man OF leisure, whom most heartily
despise."
''Answer me in one thing; do you care
for me in the least, Alice?''
A little pause, then the calm, quiet,
"No, do not, Mr.. Thorne."
"Thank you for the correct estimate
OF my character, and for your good op1n-
ion of me. [ leave tonight, and Will
preserve it as my remembrance of you. -
And he was gone.
So much out of the embers of the by
gone year; and as Alice looked at them
more closely she knew that she had done
some wrong to her heart in these last
words. She did care much for John
Thorne, indolent and pleasure-loving as
he was. She felt all the grand possibil-
tiles that were sleeping in his large heart
and brain; that it was the force of cir
cumstances alone that had left him feebly
drifting on in life without purpose or
aim since his college days; and that if
the occasion for doing came, he would
surely rise to meet it. She reproachcd
herself that she had not been more kind,
more true and patient, before saying
those ftful words.
Since that day she had heard nothing
of him. Several times she had half ap-
preached the subject with Mrs. Thorne,
his aunt, but the good lady shrewdly,
quietly passed it by, as if suspecting
something, and would give no informa-
ton of the aosent nephew that Alice did
not directly ask for. This she could
not do, and so the months sped on full
of regret and longing.
"Why, Alice. child, you are not ready
yet! Do you know it's six o'clock, and I