The Northern Pacific farmer., 1880-07-08
ON THE RAILWAY BRIDGE.

"A letter for you, sir!'' I broke the
seal with real astonishment:
Mr.. EDWARD WoRrH1SeroN-Sir: Pardon
these intrusive lines. and rest assured that they
are from one who will ever be proud to call him
self your sincere friend Lucy Ames is not faith
full to you: do not write this to you for any
base purpose; for since know well your gen
erous and noble nature, cannot hesitate when
see that nature become the innocent dupe of vile
dissimuation. Nor have been too hasty in COM
munioating to you this knowledge; only fear it
is too late; but rest assured that all have said
is true; and can be attested by one who has an
undoubted personal knowledge of all the facts.
Arthur Wesley, the singing master, is your too
fortunate rival.
Yours, A FRIEND
This was not the first intimation had
of Lucy's Inconsistency. I had seen
things with my own eyes that made me
doubt her sincerity. For long time
the unwelcome suspicion had been
preylng upon me, and this fatal letter
had come to bring conviction-stern,
lrrevocable, hopeless conviction.
l did not doubt the truth of it; and
yet how it writhed my soul with tor
ture to think of it, to admit it's truth.
It did not, it could not crush me; 1
braved it to the last; l should have
been less than man to do otherwise. I
reperused the letter, calmly-no, not
calml mly-not indiferently, but stemly,
as though it were decreed of fate
that 1 should not only drain the bit
ter cup, but should swallow the very
1regs.
And yet 1 loved the wayward girl,
and gladly, oh, how gladly, would
have forgiven her imprudence! To
her, went to seek an interview. Lucy
was proud-too proud to be just to her
self; yet she was generous and noble, in
spite of all her fickleness.
Obstinately convinced that she had
preferred another to me, did not ask
or expect any explanations from her; I
showed her, without any hesitation, the
letter l had just received, and requested
her to return me such letters as | had
previously written to her, and any
other little keepsake which might in
future prove annoying to her. She be-
slowed on me look Which shall never
forget.
s'Do you believe this, Edward!" she
asked.
II do," 4 replied without hesitation.
"What unimpeachable evidence?' she
retorted with the first impulse of pride.
Il do not rely on the information con-
tanned in this letter, I said II have
seen enough myself without asking any
persons advice or opinion
She Immediately left the room, and
returned in a few moments with pack
age of letters and a small box of Jewels,
my former presents, saying gayly, as
she placed them in my hands:
"By these tokens, then since it is
your will, I absolve you.'
In spite of the smile that played upon
her mouth, l thought I could detect
traces of recent tears, hastily brushed
away from her cheeks.
In a moment the thought flashed
upon my mind that she mis- ght, after all
be true. Impulsively was about to
speak to her, to ask her if it was so; but
what should say? I had gone too far,
and twas too late to retreat. But as
the thought had come upon me like q
flash, it vanished as it had come leav-
ing no alternative but to pursue the
course I had adopted.
Farewell them" I said, with appar-
rent indifference. MAY your future
life be ever lighted with the sunshine of
happiness!"
''Thank you," she replied. II trust
no act of my own will ever bring misery
upon me-"
;o;a(; ;"consse;i1encee,, ons; 1 soe, Miss Ames-
"Will never reproach me-" she re-
piled.
Heaven grant it!' said I. EThe
step you have taken, may, in your opin-
ion, be just, but let me assure YOU 9TH
ers do not think so. We do not ALWAYS
see ourselves as others see u.s.
II have done nothing, Mr.. Worthing-
ton, to merit this said Lucy; "you are
not only deceived. but impertinent, sir;
and you cautiously avoid any questions
that might lead to an explanation"
Il ask no explanation" I hurriedly
replied, and Immediately took my de-
parture in no very amiable mood, nor
did L wish to humble myself sufficiently
to ask her any questions that might as
she had suggested, lead to satisfactory
explanation.
What a victory pride had wont How
perfect and complete had been its ulti
mate success on both sides!
hurried from the door as turned
my steps homeward again, Instructive
ly took the usual course in returning
home (for Lucy lived nearly a mile out
of town., and walked along, so busy
with my thoughts as to be utterly un-
conscious of anything and everything
else. There was high railway bridge
that lay between me and the town, lust
wide enough for the lines, the middle of
which was planked over for the con-