The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-08-27

OF all else. loyal woman. i ct how hearts
delude themselves. I'm the very pride OF his
strength Sampson was shorn of his locks
One quiet evening in July, DIR. Paueiing
had taken tea ut Bonnybrook. and Con
stancr-''hiS hostess" only, she called her
scif-str0lled down to the gate with him
His impatient horse was biting the rough
old hitching post and throwing up clouds
of dust with his tore feet. He had been
kept there four hours. and he seemed niore
eager than his msster to leave Bonnybrook
behind him. The doctor idly plucked
some helintrope as they stTolled down the
rose bort'ered paths, and mingled with the
flowers some dainty migaOnette and pale
htaI or two of the tea rose. IT last he
placed tile boquet in lier hands and said
dreamily:
Read the emblems, ConStance-ynrr
who are ii prieStcss Ill Flora beautiful
| temple"
Size quickly looked over them.
"AE. she said. ''you choose well, Sir
BotaniSt. Here You have beauty in re-
tirement. 'constancy'-;hat is good-and
4 am not a summer friend'-that is better
than all. But you fiatter with your flow
ers. nevertheless
Not you.' he replied eagerly, almos;
tenderly, and in a voice that somehow
frightened her.
She replied almost coidiy-a'though her
heart was strangely beating. and a warm.
unusual color was in her face MY
best friends will tell you Doctor, that
am ugly and commonplace. Believe
| them, beg of you, and do not let your
imagination invest me with any charms -
lie semed all at once TO be carried away
by his passion. lie leaned over her aud
| replied. warmly II say you are beauti
tul. Constance Owen. feel your beauty
in nay very SOUL But he said no more.
Tile face of Constance was study the
flush thar before had criusoned her cheeks
died out and she became glll-tlv pale
Her fingers, which had grasped the flow
ers, slowly opened and they dropped to
the ground at her feet. All at once thu.
vision of The dead woman seemed to nfe
seut itself tn her rninI. and the trust she
was violating struck cold to her heart
Was this the Forever she had spoken :?
She staggered aud would have fallen ; tile.
arms of DR.. Pauldidg were about her
but she waved him away in mom.nr
with such a pitt ouS. despairing gesture
that he Obeyed her without word SIN.
only hal strength to ftiter:
''To-and remember Etlith'-and sIi,.
staggered back into the house. leaving him
.K,l:.
She did not know how she reached her
OWN room the strong woman had learn
ed at the same moment she loved that she
must sacrifice and reuounce
She $1,000 for hours white and motion
less. l"oking ont at The sunset and the
gathering gloom of evening. with wild
thoughts chasing themselves through her
brain and dumb. aching pain in the
heart. every hope trailing in the dust.
like those sweet flowers lie had given her
She laid her head after while upon her
hands, aud wept >ofily through the long.
long hours, until she heari the Village bel
strike the hour of midnight. She had
prayed and wrestled with her grief anG
agony, and rose up at length quiet and
calm. She had yielded to dury ami her
promise 10 the dead
Somehow Constance Owen seemed to
grow pret;ier aS the months passed by
there was some refining change which
was softeming her rugged features and
rounding every line in her stately form.
The summer into autumn had flown ami
still Edith Orinond had not yet returned
TO BOHnybrnok. Her aunt had died, and
letters came from time to time saving that
ere long she would be nome. yet she came
not. Could she suspect the disIovaItv of
her lover
1t was late III TIE fiil.. when the woods
had put OH their romp ot glory. and the
chill winds seut the f'tilen leaves through
the valleys near Bonnyhrook, when DIR.
Faniding rode up +" the house and asked
for Constance. She had only received
him twice before since the summer even
Ing, and had then cOntrived by womanly
tact not To be alone with hifn-arhourh
slie no longer doubted her strength. Co.'S
stance. or this OCCASION. received her guest
alone there seemed strange erniarrass-
meht in his nanner. After tie first greet
ings were over he said !:
''COnstaiice. | have much to say to you
to-day. Do you think you can listen to
me calmly ?"
Yes she replied, III It is upon a
subject on which you should speak, and
added tremblIngiy. Ito hich 1 should
listen
both, = lie said ''When first I saw
Edith o-nond | was cultivated by her
beauty and girIish graces 1 thought /
loved her
Constance would have stopped him by
a gesture, but b.. begged her to listen
'.for you can do so how,'' lie said, ''ia all
honor and IeaSon.'
Tie continued /:
Il had aeser had my heart stirred by
the full knowledge Of love. Ilaweyer. until
1 knew you and discoycrcd Ile breadth
of yonr syinpaihies and the wowaI!ilacss
of your character. meyer respected you
more than when you reject. rIe knowing |