Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-29
A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
"Listen, Maud, listen!"

"Listen, Maud, listen!"
Ernest Brinsley stood with one hand
upon the shoulder of his beautiful sister,
while the other was raised in an attitude
| of expectation.
Floating in the still night air-their
clangor softened by the distance-for the
old church steeple was more than mile
away-came the sweet jangling of those
bells that were ringing out farewell to
the old year that lay dying"
It was on O broad veranda, overlooking
spacious garden, that Maud Brinsley
/, and her brother stood that New Years
eve. Theair was frosty, but not a breath
of wind stirred the leaves of the laurel
trees below, while high up in the sky an
almost full moon poured forth food of
sllvery lustre.
"Listenp' said Ernest again, in his
deep, grave voice. SIN few moments
now, the past year, with all its joys and
sorrows, will be ended. Will, you,
Maud, allow another year to find you
still harsh, llnforgiving and implacable I?
Bernard"
EDO not name him!" cried his sister,
vehemently, though her voice shook a
little. Ernest, you plead In vain. I
can never forgive him!'
"Think once again. Remember he is
my friend. Yes; although he has given
good cause for your resentment, I call
him still my friend. How much he de-
I plores that one rash act, and all the con-
sequences that have flowed from it, I
know full well. And, Maud, he loves
yoI-lOves you still. F"
Maud did not attempt to speak when
! her brother paused, but she made an
impatient gesture.
81 repeat it, Maud, he loves you still;
and 1ncredulous as you may be he has
always loved you. See him once more
let him with his own lips plead for
know, for you to overlook the past
know that well. But the year is dying,
Maud; let your resentment die with it !
Let us III good truth welcome the advent
of happy New Year.
| "No, no" she said, slowly; "it is i'm
possible We are parted, and so we
| must remain"
! She shivered as she spoke.
" Maud, dear one, you are cold. Let
me fetch you another wrap"
&c [ will not be a moment" she said,
quitting his side hastily. 81 can fetch
cloak, and be back again almost di-
rectly'
| AS she spoke she fitted through the
half-glass door opening upon the veran-
da, and was lost to sight. It was not the
cold, however, that made her shiver, but
the recollections of the past that thronged
upon her; and she hurried off to fetch
the cloak herself, in order that she might
have an opportunity to recover her
equanimity, and steel her heart to listen
unmoved to her brothers further plead
ing.
*
No sooner had the door closed than
Ernest took sudden step forward, and
leaned over the iron railing of the bal
cony.
Bernardo" he cried, in suppressed
voice; Bernardo 5r
At the summons dusky figure stepped
out OF the shadow of clump of laurels
where he had been standing unobserved,
and paused in the garden walk below.
"You have heard all ?" said Ernest,
interrogastively.
| He spoke III deep detection.
eff you could plead your own cause, %
said Ernest, "you might have chance;
and see, fortune favors YOU strangely.
Come gently up the steps, and stand
here in my place-here, near this pillar.
In the shadow she will not for moment
notice the exchange, then will be your
opportunity; make the best you can Of
it. Quick-quick! she comes!"
A wild hope sprung up suddenly in
the lovers breast. and influenced by it
he hurriedly assembled the stone steps.
Hardly had he taken up the requisite
position and Ernest disappeared, ere the
door opened and Maud came forth.
x = X
Brief as had been her absence, yet
Mau' told herself it had been sufficient
for her to conquer the weakness which
had assailed her. She was calm now
she was sure she was quite calm
though the palms of her hands were
burning and her eyes ached.
But she would hear no more upon the
subject-about that-she was deter
mined
AS she opened the door she looked
across the veranda where she had left
her brother standing, end there of course
she thought she saw him still
In her hands she carried large white
scarf, and Fastening forward she threw
it round the neck of the silent figure,
while in tone of gaiety, which only
served to display instead of conceal her