Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-02-25
WOODSTOCK, VT,, WEDNESDAY, FEB s5 1880,

. thing to divert my mlad ffGm lts pr
/, sent state will DO welcome"
0 'In certain p,ace-the locality
: unimporiant-there lived an old gem
2 emaa and his two daughters. u
Q was what the world called rich, an
, spared no expense 10 their education
We will speak Of them rs Martha an
. Mary, Martha was five years oldt
than her sister, who ut tho time OF on
story was about your age Chariot,
, In person they were unlike, the eide
having no pretenslons TO beauty, a
though her kind disposition eudcare,
her TO all, Tho younger was ilatlcreC
and earessed, her wayward folllcs al
lowed, while her spirits were will
and buoyant, as her sisters were gen
tie and lowly.
"a young lawyer came 10 tho place
on business, aud chanced, or rathe
Providence led him ID an acquaint
ance with this faimly. The father be
came greatly attached to him, while
his splendid person and manly quail
ties soon won the interest OF tn,
sisters. HIS business must have been
completed, but tho spring passed aud
hs still remained. rhephc was callct
away for brief space, and returned
to find the old gentleman suffering his
last illness.
$50 great was the confidence that
he placed in Charles Peters, that in hi'
will he made him administrators of his
estate, and faithfully was that trust
discharged. His kindness TO the af'
hicted girls was gratefully appreciated
but Mary read deeper meaning
in his admiring glance than
ordinary friendship, and her own
heart became conscious that 1t was no
longer under the controlc OF It's mis-
tress. Love soon find language, aud
in this instance was mutually acknow.
lodged, and for Il time flowed on
in undisturbed tranquility and hap.
pincss.
"The young man was again obliged
TO take leave of them for a short time.
Meanwhile, Martha had been growing
paler each day. Her step lost 'ts eI-
asticity, and though she did not COM
plain her sister saw she was gradually
sinking into confirmed ind'spositlon.
In her alarm a physician was summon
ed, who after n brief examination,
looked grave, and recommended an
immediate change Of air,
"Martha contrivcd TO be much
alone, and one day while engaged IN
solitary walk, her sister discovered the
momentous secret of her life. A jour-
nal in which this pure-minded girl
wrote her daily acts and thoughts,
was ina dveltently left upon her table,
and revealed the surprising fact that
she had long hopelessly loved Charles
Peters.
81 cannot 60 into the details, but
poor Mary, after long and painful
struggle, and with a bleeding heart,
formed the resolution of rescuing her
sister from death, though obliged TO
bid farewell to her own happiness.
She determined to effect the marriage OF
Charles and her sister, and her resolu-
ton was strengthened by the alarm
ing symptoms Martha daily displayed
When her lover returned, how wildly
her heart beat as she was clasped in
his ardent embrace. TO accomplish
her purpose she affected gayety and
waywardness when she felt her heart
breaking. Assuming an air of play
fulness, she asked him to grant her
favor. She even made him give her
bis solemn assurance, which he did, not
suspecting anything serious.
"When she informed him of her real
Intention, the young man was thunder
struck with astonishment. He baiev-
ed it dream, a jest, anything but
reality; but when with fearful seri-
BUSINESS she revealved her sisters Sc.
cret, and intimated her firm resolve
never to wed ut the expense OF her
and then fearing her own
weakness, and to prevent any expos
took a solemn bath to that
effect, the lover became aware Of the
of his doom, and caring lit
tie for what afterwards became Of him
was drawn into her plan with very
little opposition ON his part.
"Hope, also, might have whispered
10 him that the smiable girl, so uncon-
,cious of the pain she had inflicted on
.wo loving hearts, might not long
survive to be an obsticle TO anyone.