Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-08-06

Whist happiness could attend the
union of two people who waited for
death and falsehOod TO bring them to-
getherP You have said enough. Our
bonds are broken. You are free"
A faint voice from the cottage called,
Janet
81 will never give you up" repeated
the lover, vehemently, and snatching
her again in his arms, he kissed her
passionately and turned away. Janet
looked after his retreating form for
moment, then raised her clasped hands
in mute appeal TO heaven, choked a ris-
ing sob, and answered her mothers call.
John Hallam, then clerk in the whole
sale fur store of Mink & Otter, first saw
Janet Dudley at the country house of a
cousin, where he was visiting one sum-
mer holiday. She had graduated at the
Normal college a year or so before, and
being obliged to leave the city directly
after, on account of her mothers fail
ing health, had sought and obtained the
position of village schoolmistress at
Strawberry Centre.
They had fallen in love with each
other at first sight, he fascinated by her
pretty girlish face, her graceful ways
and quaint, precise speech, and she by
his handsome brown eyes, his gayety,
his fine tenor voice and his gallant bear
ing; and before Johns holiday was over
she had promised to become at some not
far distant time his wife. But few
months after they had plighted troth,
Johns uncle Roger, who had been the
black sheep of his family, returned from
abroad, like the famous black sheep of
Babyland, with three or more bags full,
not of wool, however, but money. No
one knew where or how these bags had
been filled, and no one seemed to care
That they were full appeared quite
enough, for all doors flew open to him
at the first "Baa."
Among others who renewed their
acquaintance with Mr., Roger Wander
gass, now bleached to admirable white
ness, was his nephew, whom he had not
seen since his childhood, and to whose
mother he had not sent one line. for fif-
teen years before her death. The old
man received his young relative with
great kindness. and being also imme-
diately fascinated by his handsome face
(Which he secretly fattered himself re-
sembled his OWN, his eir debonair, and
tine tenor voice, declared his intention
Of making him his heir, commanded
him to resign his situation at Mink &
Otter's-a command which the COM
manded lost no time in obeying-and
installed him in elegant rooms adioin-
ing his own in the st. Sky hotel.
But when Uncle Roger came to hear
of the pretty village schoolmistress, he
was exceeding wroth, and swore, with
many strange and terrible oaths, that if
John did not promise to remain a
bachelor for at least five years, and
when he did change his state, to marry
his-Uncle Roger's-choice, back to
work should he go, and not q penny
from the three or more bags full should
he ever have.
Now this jolly, singing, fine-looking
young fellow beneath a careless ex-
terror concealed IN intense longing for
wealth and all the comforts and lux
uries wealth could bring; beside which
he was troubled with a constitutional
lassitude, as a certain fox once called
it, though it is better known to the
world under another name, also COM
mencing with al !. And to descend
from his perch, as it were, and mingle
once more with the gruhbing work-a'day
crowd, seemed TO him worse than
death. But then he loved, as well as
such a selfish nature could love, blue
eyed, golden-haired Janet Dudley, and
hated to give her up almost as much as
he did the elegant rooms at the st. Sky.
Here was coil, and thinking how to
unwind it cost him week of sleepless
nights. The proposition he at length
made to his " ladye-love," as has been
seen, she Indignantly reralled; and
swearing, 81 will never give you up,''
he gave her up the newt day, as will
be seen by the following letter:
"MY DARLING-For, Notwithstanding
your cruelty" Cher cruelty" poor
childD my darling you are and ever
will be, the die is supposed to be cast. |
have acceded to Uncle Rogers wishes,
as you would say, you prim, old fash
toned little sweetheart, with a mental
reservation. Be true to me, as shall
be to you, and may yet lay fortune
at your feet. JOHN"
AT THE GATE AGAIN