The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-16


with mystery, had reused 10 me a sincere
sympathy for his loneliness and suffering,
and I walked through that part of the
garden into which his window looked. We
had been politely requested to avoid it,
'.because the sight of strangers increased
| Mr.. Compton's nervous condition. - did
not believe this, and determined TO try
the experiment.
"He was leaning cut of the window, and
sadder face never saw. | smiled and
courtesied, and he Immediately leaped the
low sill, and came toward me. stopped
aud began to tie up some fallen carnations
he stopped and helped me, saying all the
while know not what, only that it seemed
to me the most beautiful language l ever
heard. Then we walked up and down the
/ long beach wa k until | heard the rattle of
fathers wagon.
CATER this we became quietly, almost
secretly as far as DIR. 0rman was concern
ed, very great friends. Mother so thor
oushly pitied Alfred that she not only pre-
tended oblivion of our friendship, but even
promoted il IN many ways; and in the
course of time DR.. 0rman began to reeog-
nize its value. | was requested 10 walk
past Mr.. COmptons windows aud say
''Good- or offer him flower or
some ripe peaches, and finally to aceOmpa
ny the gentlemen in their shor, rambles in
the neighborhOod,
Il need not tell YOU how all this re.
stricted intercourse ended. We were soon
deeply in love with each other, and love
ever finds out the way to make himself
understood. We had many Eve minutes
meeting no one knew Of, and when this
was impossible rosebush near his window
hid for me the tendereSt little love.letters-
10 fact, Julia, found him irresistible; be
was so handsome aud gentle, aud though
be must have been thirty five years Old,
yet, to ny thinking, be looked handsomer
than any young man could have done.
"As the weeks passed on, the doctor
seemed to have more confidence 10 US, or
else his paticu, was completely under con
troll. They had much fewer quarrels, aud
Alfred and walked in the garden, and
even little way up the hill, without oP-
position or remark do not know how
| received the idea, but certainly did
believe that DIR. Orman was keeping Al
fred sick for some purpose Of his own, and
determined to take the first opportunity
Of arousins Alfrcds suspicious. So one
evening, when we were walking alone, |
asked him If be did not wish to see his re.
latives.
He trembled violently, and seemed in
the greatest distress, aud oaly by the ten
derest words could soothe him, as half
sotbing, he declared that they were bis
bittercst eusmies, and that DIR, 0rmsn
was the only friend he had 10 ,he world
Any further efforts | made to get at the
secret Of his life we're fruitless, aud only
threw him into paroxysms Of distress.
Daring the month Of August he was very
III, or at least DR.. Ormsn said so. scarce
Is saw hin, there we're no letters in the
rose-bash, and frequently the disPu,e be-
tween the two men rose TO pitch which
father seriously disliked
"0ne hot day in September every one
was in the fields or orchard, only the doc.
tor and Alfred aud I were in the house
Early 10 the afternoon a boy came from
the village with letter to DR. 0rman, aud
he seemed very much psrplexed and st
loss how to act At length be said
Miss Phube, must go to the village
for couple Of hours; think Mr.. Alfred
will sleep until my return, but if not, will
you try and smuse him.
promised gladly, and DR.. orman went
back to the village with the messenger.
No sooner was he out Of sigh, than Alfred
appeared, aad we rambled about the gar
den as happy as two lovers could be. But
the day was extremely ho:, aud as the af
ternoon advanced the heat increased, l
proposed then that We should walk up the
bill, where there was generally a breeze,
and Alfred was delighted at the larger
freedom it promised US.
But in another hour the sky grew dark
and lsrid, aud | noticed that Alfred grew
strangely restless His cheek flushed, his
eyes had a wild look of terror in them, he
trembled aud started, and in spite of all
my efforts to soothe him grew irritable aud
gloomy. Yet he had just asked me to
marry him, aud had promised l 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, aud iu the eager
ness aud delight of our new plans, had
wandered quite up to the little piue forest
at the top of the hill.
Then | noticed Alfred's excited eondi-
tion, and saw also that we were going TO
have thunderstorm. 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 a
child 10 his terror, and it was only with
the greatest difficulty got him within its
shelter.
As peal after peal of thunder crashed
above US, Alfred seemed to lose all control
of himself, and, seriously offended, | left
him, nearly sobbing, in corner, and went
and stood by myself in the open door, In
the very height of the storm | saw my IA
ther, DIR. Orman and three of our work
men coming through the wood. They ev-
identity suspected our sheltering place, for
they came directly toward it.
"Alfred !" shouted DIR. Orman, in the