The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-11-03


other, and love ever finds out the
way to make himself understood.
We had many FIVE minutes meet
: ing no one knew of and if these were
impossible. 4 rose bush near his
, window hid for me the tenderest lit
tie love letters. In fact, Julia,
found him irresistible; he was SO
handsome and gentle, and though
| he must have been thirty-five years
old, vet, to my thinking, he looked
handsomer than any young man
could have.
"As the weeks passed on, the DR..
/ seemed to have more confidence in
us, or else his patient was more COM
lpletely under control. They had
much fewer quarrels, and Alfred and
| walked in the garden, and even a
little way up the hill, without OPP
position or remark. | do not know
how | received the idea, but | GER
tainly did believe that DIR. Orman
was keeping Alfred sick for some
purpose of his own, and | determin-
ed to take the first opportunity OF
arousing Alfred's suspicious. So one
evening. when We were walking
alone. / asked him if he did not
wish to see his relatives.
"He trembled violently and seem
ed in the greatest distress, and only
/ bv the tenderest words could |
soothe him, as, half sobbing, he de-
clared that they We're his bitterest
enemies. and that DIR. Orman was
the only friend he had in the world
Anv further efforts | made to get at
the secret of his life were equally
fruitless, and only threw him into
paroxisms Of distress. During the
month of August he was very i'll, or
at least DR.. 0rman said so. / scarce
/ " saw him, there were no letters in
the rose-bush, and frequently the
disputes between the two men rose
to a pitch which father seriously dis
liked.
"One hot day in September every
one was in the fields or orchard
only the doctor and Alfred and
were in the house. Early in the af-
ternoon boy came from the village
with a letter to DR.. Orman, and he
seemed very much perplexed, and
at a loss how to act. At length he
said. Miss PhGbe, | must 90 to the
village for q couple of hours |
think Mr.. Alfred will sleep until my
return, but if not, will YOU try and
amuse him?'
Il promised gladly, and Dr, Or
man went back to the village with
the messenger. No sooner was he
out of sight. than Alfred appeared,
and we rambled about the garden, as
happy as lovers could be. Butthe day
was extremely hot, and as the after
noon advanced, the heat increased. !
| proposed that we should walk up |
the hill, where there was generally |
2 breeze. and Alfred was delighted |
at the large freedom it promised us. |
"But in another hour the sky |
crew dark and lurid, and | noticed !
that Alfred grew strangely restless.
Hischeek flushed, his eyes had a wild |
look of terror in them, he trembled |
and started. and in spite of all my |
efforts TO soothe him, grew irritable /,
and gloomy. Yet he had Just ask |
me TO marry him, and | had prom /
ised would. He had called me |
his wife and had told him again |
my suspicious about DIR. Orman,
and vowed to nurse him myself
back to perfect health. We had
talked, too, of going to Europe, and /
in the eagerness and delight of our |
new plans, had wandered quite mp
to the little pine forest at the top of
the hill
Then noticed Alfred's excited |
condition, and saw also that wewere
going TO have a thunder storm.
There was an empty log-hut not far
away, and | urged Alfred TO try and
reach it before the storm broke.
But he became suddenly like =
child in his terror, and it was only |
with the greatest difficulty | got
him within It's shelter.
AS peal after peal Of thunder
crashed above us, Alfred seemed to
lose all control of himself, and, seri-
ously offended, l left him, nearly
sobbing, in a corner, and went end
stood by myself in the open door.
In the very height of the storm |
saw my father, DR.. Orman, and three
of our worknlen coming through
the wood. They evidently suspect
ed our sheltering place for they
came directly toward If.
"'Alfred 2 shouted DR.. Orman, in
the tone of an angry master, where
are YOU, sir Z? Come here instantly.
"My pottedness instantly vanish
ed. and | said /: Doctor, you
have no rightto speak to Alfred in
that way. He is going to be my
husband. and | shall not permit it
any more
Miss Wakefield he answered, !
this is sheer folly. Look there.
Il turned, and saw Alfred crouch
ing in q corner, completely paraliZ-i
ed with terror; and yet, when DR.
Orman spoke to him, he rose me
chanically, as a dog might follow his
masters call.
II am sorry, Miss Wakefield, TO
destroy your fine romance. Mr.. Al
fred Compton is, IS you perceive, not
fit to marry any lady. In fact, | am
his-keeper"
.'Oh. Aunt Phnbel Surely he WAS
not lunitie.n =
$50 they said, Julia. His frantic
terror was the only sign | had of it;
but DR.. Orman told my father that
be was at times really dangerous,
and that he was annually paid q
large sum to take charge of him, As
he became uncomfortable in an
asylum. =
Did YOU see him again.
mo. | found little note in the
rosebush. saying that he was not
mad that he remembered my /
promise to be his wife, and would
surely come some day and claim
,oa PDt they left in three davS (