Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-02-13

grONlD Oh TIE Odhs uuA dSGldNilS nom
its strength. Yet from ailsuch thoughts
as these her staunch and loyal heart
would absolutely turn sway---yet for all
this her speech would not come as "trip.
pingly on the tongue" As in the old
days, and he would o}ten6mes finish a
sentence in the middle OF it, snd then
lose himself in vague glances at the
ceiling or out into the garden.
o, ii was dangerous time for both
OF these awakening hearts. But they
glided ON this ueache-ous stream, ana
seemed only conscious that the hours
were sweet aud that the SUI snone on
the waves. There was no thought of
disloyalty i'll either heart. He was
| above all man ofhonor, and she OF all
else loyal woman. Yet how hearts
delude themselves. In the very pride
his locks.
One quiet evening in July DR.. Pauld-
ing had taken tea st Bonnybrook, and
Coustance-his hostess" only, she
called herself-stro0ed down to the
gate with him. His imnatient horse
was biting the rough old hitching-post
and throwing up clouds of dust with his
fore feet. He had been kept there four
hours, and he seemed more eager than
his master to leave Bonnybrook behind
him. The Doctor idly plucked some
heliotropes as they strolled down these
bordered paths, and mingled with the
flowers some dainty mignonette and a
pale bud or two of the tea rose. AT last
be placed the bouquet in her hands and
said dreamily:
Read the emblems, Constance--you,
who are priestess in Flora's beautiful
temple"
she quickly looked over them.
"Ah," she said, you choose we'll Sir
Botanist. Here you have beauty in re-
tlrement,' Consistency that is good =
i am not summer fricnd'-that is bet
ter than all. But you fiatter with your
flowers nevertheless"
"Not YOU" he replied eagerly, almost
tenderly, and in a voice that somehow
frightened her.
She replied almost coldly---although
her heart was strangely beating and n
warm unusual color was in her face:
aMy best friends will tell you, Doctor,
that am ugly and commonplace. Be-
lieve them beg of you and do not let
your imagination invest me with any
charms"
He seemed at once to he carried
away by his passion, He leaned over
and replied warmly, 81 say you are
beautiful, Constance Owen. feel your
beauty in my very soul" But he said
no more.
The face OF Constance was a study
the flush that before had crimsoned heI
cheeks died out and she became ghast
" pale. Her fingers that had clasped
the flowers, slowly opened, and they
| dropped to the ground at her feet. AL
at once the vision Of the dead woman
seemed to present itself To her mind
1 and the taust she was violating struck
cold to her heart Was this the "For
ever she had spoken? She staggered
and would have fallen; the arms of Dr.
Pauldipg were about her, but she waved
him away in moment with euoh &
piteous, despairing gesture that he
obeyed her without word. She only
had strength to falter:
"Go-aud remember Edith"-anG
she staggered back towards the house
leaving him standing there, bent anC
trembling.
She did not know how she reached
learned at the same moment she lovec
that she must' sacrifice and renounce
She stood for hours white and motion
less, looking out at the sunset anC
the gathering gloom of the evening
with wild thoughts chasing themselve,
through her brain and dumb, aching
pain in her heart; every hone trailing
in the dust like those sweet flowers he
had given her. She laid her head, aftei
awhile upon her hands, on the window
easement of her room, and wept softly
through the long, long hours, until rht
heard the village bell strike the hour O
midnight. She had prayed and wrestlec
with her grief and agony, and rose w
at length quiet and calm. She haC
! yielded to duty and her promise to tn,
dead.
Somehow Constance Owen seemed tc
grow prettier as the months passed by
there was some refining change which
was softening her rugged features and
rounding every line in her stately form
The summer into autumn had flown
and Still Edith Ormond had not re-
turned to Bonnybrook. Her aunt had
died, and letters came from time tc
Time saying that ere long she would be
home, yet she came not. Could she aus,
pect the disloyalty Of her lover?
| 1t was late in the fall, when the
woods had put ON their pomp OF glory
and the chill winds sent the fallen
leaves through the valleys near Bonny.
brook, when DIR. Paulding rode up &c
the house and asked for Constance. She
had only received him twice before
since the summer evening, and had
then contrived by womanly tact not t.
be alone with him-although she no
longer doubted her strength. Constance
on this occasion, received her guest
alone; there seemed strange embar.
rassment in his manner. After the FIRST
greetings we're over be said:
Constance have much to say "a
you to-day. Do you think you can
listen to me calmly?"
YES" she replied, "if it is upon a
subject on which you should speak