The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-10-15

her Venice with its silent streets and
/ iuneral-like eondolas, its glorious
| palaces and churches, its Bridge of
Sighs, its secret crimes and jealousies.
lie spoke too of Rome and what it was,
OF its walls and ruins, of its monumen
and churches; OF Milan and of Florence,
of the golden Arno and orange groves,
oil the treasures of literature and art
within the walls of the Pitt palace.
Adelaide was sensible enough when
the romance she had gathered from
books was not too powerful for her.
She began to compare the glowing,
fascinating descriptions which he knew
SO well how TO relate, with the silly,
whining sentimentality OF her former
lover, and for that matter lover still, for
she would have flushed with indigna-
tion had any one suggested the idea of
her having turned Jruant to her first
love. She never dreamed of such an
atrocity. She liked Mr.. Thornby be-
cause he was SO kind to her, SO careful
over her, so considerate for her COM
tort, but never, no never could her
heart wander from its allegiance TO its
first love. And she was sincere in this
belief. She went. indeed, so far that
! once when she met William Beckett, she
| Z
mind sufficient to bear up under the
misfortunes which OF pressed him, had
he risen up under adversely and carved
his way in the world as other men had
done, she would have left all, in def
ance of restraint, and shared his fortune
whether for good or bad. But it would
be rushing in the face OF Providence to
saddle a man with wife and the re-
sponsibilities of a family when he had
not sufficient energy to support himself;
to all of which he only whined like a
child, and accused her OF turning against
him because he was poor.
October was fast approaching. The
orchards were golden with their lus-
cious fruit; the forest trees were all
tinted with autumn brown, while over
all was that dreamy, hazy, delicious air
which seems redolent with general 10y
OF the season. You would scarcely have
known Adelaide again, so wondrously
had she changed. The gladness of her
heart seemed to have come out upon her
face, making it radiant with beauty ard
bloom. No longer did she sit passively
looking on upon the progressing of bridal
appointments. Her betrothed was large
hearted as he was large Drained. He
insisted upon furnishing the trousseau,
and made a trip to town for that pur-
pose. Be sure there was nothing for
gotten that could please the eye or
crafty the taste. How long to Ade-
laide seemed the days of his absence.
She would not have believed she could
have missed him so much. Did she
love himP Oh, never; yet she was not
sorry TO have him love her. To be sure
be had not spoken upon the subject since
that fatal morning on which she was SO
incensed with the persecution of her
mother. She almost wished he would,
that she might take back some of those
cruel words. and tell him how much she
liked him, and how different she had
found him to what people described
MN. she was sorry she could not love
him as vile should love a husband, but
perhaps the time would come when her
mind would change. At present she
must be true to William, from whom
she was parted forever, and whose woe
begope face would haunt her while she
lived. Yet spite Of these sentimental
thoughts she was quite angry with her,
self that she could not feel more real
sympathy for her broken-hearted lover.
Az length MIR. Thornby arrived, Ade-
laide meeting him Mt the crossroads,
where she Brew he would take short
cut across the farm. One single grain
of encouragement from him and she
would have flung herself into his arms /;
but he merely took her hand, placed it
under his arm, and proceeded leisurely
to the house. Adelaide was chilled by
this singular GOODNESS; she was prepared
to give him so kind II reception, and had
even taken the pains to walk half u mile
for the pleasure of seeirg him few
moments sooner. 1t was not kind of
him, to say the least. Then came over
her with n great crash, Suppose he
does not love meP" Such possibility
had never before occurred to her.
What, after all those protestations, to
overcome it Mt lastl The blood seemed
10 stagnate in her veins; she could not
move if her life depended upon it. Mr..
Thornby felt the sudden trembling of
her hand and paused in his walk 10
learn the cause.
Adelaide was pale and trembling, but
it was only for IA moment; she laugh
ingly assured him it was customary with
her, the result of fatigue.
The bridal array had arrived before
them, and was already spread out upon
sofas, chairs and tables. 1t was asplen-
did trousseau. Robes of such beautiful
fabric that it seemed dangerous to touch
them lay in juxtaposition with laces
which an empress might envy. Jewels
stars, while lying upon the bridal veil,
itself not more pure, was coronet oil
pearls of the rarest quality. All, Mr..
Thornby had shown his taste as well as
his liberality. After allowing Mrs.
Fairfax due time to admire them he ex-
planned to her that he wished for a
moment to speak apart with Adelaide.
My poor girl" said he, when they
were alone. did you think / would
take the advantage OF circumstances TO
wed an unloving witeP Did you think
/ was monster enough to drag you to
the altar, and force you to take upon
your pure lips an unholy vowF"
Adelaide looked up into his face be-
wildered, but she did not reply
Il confess" he continued. There
was time when my mad. passion and
your obstinacy almost turned my br;.in
when my heart grew dark, and | Tell
capable of almost any wickedness 10
secure to myself my priceless II, asure-
my peerless Adelaino. That time ha:
passed. / have seen you trying hard t
conquer that feeling against me, trying
to like me and amusc me, and max,
some amends for what you knew mu !;
be suffering. ! determined you should
have your reward. 1t was hard to give
you up, for, as | told you then, loved
you AS never DelOfe man lOVeu WOHlhn
but your sweetness and patience have
, triumphed. There is your bridal para
phernalia, here the deed of an estatl
settled upon yourself and children anC
, now l resign you TO your younger anC
, earlier lover, and may he make you a
happy as | would have tried to do"
: Resign-not your wiie-marr.
William Beckett Oh, you cannot meal
, it, you would not he 80 crueli' eX
claimed Adelaide, who had sprung NJ
: impatient OF all restraint, and thrown
q herself at his feet.
t The eyes of Mr.. Thornby burned wit
e a triumphant fire, hut he merely claspe
t her two hands, looking down into he
!, frightened face.
: 81 will not leave you'll" she cried
= "you shall not cast me off. do low
you; never knew how much till now
4 am not ashamed TO own it. al
5 proud OF it. l am ashamed of tha
4 childish folly which passed for love
s AS you love me, so love you. with a
h the strength, power and force of m
d being. / will be yOur wife, and so bein