Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-03-18

oonetimeS it had touch OF tender
ness that thrilled me strangely. |
believed that be loved me, and | ney.
er needed nay mothers occasional
warnings, or the village rumors OF his
being engaged to Miss Leyper. | was
in dream.
One day, at the last of July, we
went together to the woods. Such
visits were not unfreqnent, for
knew the woods thoroughly, and he
liked to have me show my knowledge
az point where be was most ignor
ant. | had filed my little basket
with moss and flowers, and we were
walking home by the river. A flow.
err nodding on the steep bank attrac-
ted me, and | ran to get it. Bend
ing down, the stone on which | had
placed my foot rolled over: those be
low followed, and | should have fallen
into the deep waters if Mr.. Daring
ton had not caught me aud restored
me to my feet.
Careless child Z his voice said,
but with so different tone that |
started aud felt my face flush holly
as | released myself.
He bent over the bank and picked
the flower.
When he turned, his face was as
cool as usual, aud he said, almost
carelessly-'You perilled your life
for it,
My fingers trembled as | took It.
Don't speak Of it, / said, and we
went nome in silence.
| went to my room and when,
half an hour after, came down Mr..
Darlington was gone.
lie had a message from Mr.. Lev.
per" my mother sad 'H9 thought
it possible he might not be back TO
night. Downs is home, you know.
A natural enough excuse buG it
troubled me. I wandered ia thesgar-
den after tea, tried vainly TO interest
myself in book, aud at last was 90,
ING 10 my room, an hour earlier than
usual, when jast as my foot touched
the stair | heard his name spoken By
my father. ana-they did not know
that | could hear they supposed
me still in the garden, or perhaps
they would not have spoken as they
did.
/ heard 10 day frcm Lsyper him
self that his daughter and Daring
ton were engaged. 1t came out il
looking over those papers; be said
something about settlement TOR
his daughter, and then told ms that
they had Eeen engaged since spring,
ana woul1 be married this fall.
Sne's rich, and hes poor but be is
handsome, apd cames of an old fam.
lily, suppose
'You are sure, Jacob said my
mother, in an anxious tone.
sOf course. He said it 10 SO many
words Yea don't think, mother
after $ moment's pause, as if the
possibility had inst occurred to him,
that jamie has taken q liking to the
fallow?
i hope not, but / think h9 has
acted as il he liked her,
Well, | hadu't noticed. | hope
she hasn't. She's a good giiI, and
pretty, too Ther1's more than one
foreaanded 70 low here that would
be glad TO have h,r. Darlington il
handsom and soft.spoken. and
heard no mare. for the parlor door
shut SUI isnly, 4ud | went upstairs.
am not going to tell you what
suffered thai night. ] bad loved
with all the passion Of youth. [
had believed myself loved in return,
and now, without moments warn
ing, my idol was shattered. He
whom | had thought perfect, all
truth and nobleness, was false and
unworthy my lightest thought. Yet
the very revelation of his baseness
gave me strength 10 conquer m7
passion. Hs had played the lover
to me, wLllo pledged to another
woman. Sach an one was not worth
weePing for, thought, even while
my heart cried in agony at the less
of my love. Oho thought, only com
forted me-. My mother and father
did not know-tbough they might
suspeot-my passion. / would pay
the penalty Of my iolly, but no one
else should suffer in my punishment.
would hide my secret, and if il
hurt, remember that no one was to
blame but myself Mr.. Daring.
ton. Perhaps | could get over it,
though l doubted il; but if all my
life | vas to suffer for my sumner's
happiness-wsn, my pride would
help mo 10 do il. Pride is very
god thing in place of letter For
the aext fortnight | held myself up
by It.
Mr.. Darlington came after break
fast, and iaiormed us that be should
leave the next morning. He had to
pack, he esid, q 5 he went 10 his
room and | had to bake, [ said, SIS
| went TO the kitohsn. liz tho after.
noon | went % q sick neighbor's.
and so We did not meet till after
tea. His arrangements were cam.
| pie.ed. ard be would leave the next
morning at daybreak
Ii was 8 beautiful night, tho sky
cloudless, the moon at its foil, the
light wind laden with rich scents.
He YVES very sobar; but as for me-, I
was as gay as possibls - saur,
laughed ard talked. and when, late
in the evsDing,he proposed s noon
lit walk, assented, gayiy, saying, a.
/ put on my shawl, that it woula b.
Uery romantic
You'll get cold. jamie, said moth.
or.
Not wrapped up as | am. an
severed 'aad ~ will conhae oGr
promenade 70 tbs sidewalk
I wanted you to e. o tbe river
az said, e We went o. bat you
viii, perhaps, giject to 50 long a
walk
Not 10 lis .englh; but [ don't
waatto see that place Of peril again.
| So our walk was short aud si-
Isn't one. | guessed what his trou5le
was, and | knew thas ne needed but
. y ord Of Encouragement to for zes
his pledge to aeother aad iarn 70
me I; bat such love | should hsve