Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-17
/" Her form was model Of beauty,

euppleness and grace-her disposition
as sweet as her looks. How ! loved
her! think, too, l succeeded also i'll
obtaining q strong hold on her alice.
tions, notwithstanding it finally ended
so untowardly. The circumstances
were not favorable to our meeting very
often: but, when we did. We were hap
py--so happy liz our mutual endear-
meats. She was in her eighteenth
year. was twenty-one. | was only
a clerk, and felt that until could bet.
ter my position it would be useless to
speak to her parents; especially to her
mother, n rather proud and naughty
woman who, did not think, looked
with favor on my intimacy with her
daughter, ard would probably put an
interdic. on it long ago. had she not
loved her rs much as her naturally cold
disposition permitted and saw how
much that daughters heart was bound
up in me; she meant, have no doubt,
to bide her time.
! Her father was an easy-going, good
natured, unprete nding man, and did
not appIehend much difficulty from
him. But the one dreaded most was
brother law, partner of Mr.. Ma
sons, who had great influence with the
mother, and l thought, felt unfavor-
ably towards me. My only hope was to
place myself as speedily as possible in
an Independent position, 30 as to be
able to properly support her.
made up my mind that l would
then have my darling in spite Of them
all Fortunately, as l then thought,
the opportunity so ardently desired
presented itself. had been now with
my present employers several years,
and had devoted myself t. the business
with all the energy and ability l pos
sessed, and had acquired q complete
knowledge of it in all its details. / had
thus secured the proper confidence OF
the firm, who nog proposed to send me
to Europe to purchase goods, and rep
resent the house there, promising me
that il performed satisfactorily the
responsible duties devolviDg on me.
that at the end of two years 1 should
be taken into the firm as a junior part
ner. 1t was too good al opportunity
to be neglected, but accepted it with
fear and trembling. 1 feared for my
darling; what might they do in my
absence? But there was no help for
it, SO we pledged ourselves to one an
other, and with many tear and fond
embrace, promising to write often, we
parted.
81 spent little over two year in
Esrope to the perfect satisfaction of
my employers, and at the end of that
time returned home to receive the
position promised me. I felt very anx-
ious, as during the whole time OF my
absence I had written myself regular.
ly every month, but had not received
from Florence one word in reply. Had
been my own master I never would
nave stayed abroad, but would have
returned long before; but to have done
SO would have ruined my prospects,
when l was particularly anxious to
have them in good shape. so that I
could secure my darling. I was now,
l thought, in position to support
her, and would stand no nonsense.
When the steamer landed at New
York went ashore, and was fastening
up Broadway in such fever of impa
tience and anxity to see Florence that I
thought l would 60 to her house even
before l went to my hotel to dress my.
self and get in more suitable trim. As
l was rushing along I saw Mr.. Cisco,
the brother-in-law. I did not like
bin, and would have. under
ordinary circumstances, have a%e:ied
him, lat Row Was so anxious that L
stopped to speak to him, thinking I
could at least ascertain il Florence was
we'll. He stopped at my greeting, and
shook hands with me as { came up, and
said he was glad to see me back. I
asked if all the family were we'll; he
said they were, and added with the
81 1lcai siHil. fnat l detested, I'VE have
had o wedding in the family. Florence
was married about two months ago.
She has Just returned to the city, and
you will have to call and congratulate
her,
I staggered as if he had struck me a
blow. But recovering myself immedi-
ately, asked him where she was stop
ping. cat present." he said, "at her
Mothers" Isimply bowed and passed
on.
81 would have gone to her house
that evening, I longed so to see her
sweet face again, though it would be
the last time. But I was not able. The
shock was too great-it had taken oil
the strength out of me. I was weak
as child. ! could hardly get to my
hotel. hurry to my room and shut my
self in. just as I thought was about
to accomplish what I longed for and
that which had been the aim of my
life, and for which I had laborel so
hard, at this moment to have my hopes
shattered was maddening. That night
sleep did not visit my eyelids.
walked the 8oor all night. I could
have cursed myself, God, everything.
1t is wonder didn't blow my brains
out. Still in I'LL this madness I didn't
blame my darling. I knew some
damnable plot had been invented, and
she was the victim as we'll as I.
I'm the morning, rs soon as pro.
priety permitted, I called at MIR. Ma.
sons, and asked to Ste Florence. What
her married name Was I did not know,
neither did care. She came into the
room IN which had been shown. She
looked thin and pale, aid saw by the
startled look of anguish in those fawn-
like eyes when she saw me, that it Was
as i supposed. she had baen sacrif;cad