Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-02-01

tHe ltfrace otuluu uiin, aS "eii az 'H'
girl he loved, on the following day, bu
Mrs. Richmond's horses took fright or
the way to the station, and while thu
coachman broke his arm, Vaughn came
off with bad sprain of the ankle. CoulC
anything be more commonplace and less
romantic !. he asked himself Reclining
on Mrs. Richmond's piazza and watching
Gildersleeve and Pauline together wa
discipline enough to prepare him for a
seventh Heaven. Such trivial thing a
a sprained ankle to defeat him thus
But sometimes lovers as well as COM
mon folks, mistake success for defeat
Mrs. Richmond's ied-shrted mowers in
the hot fields yonder may have cnvied
him his luck in being able to lie in the
shadow with his ba1daged ankle and his
novel; but they would have learned that
nature knows how to equalize lots could
they have known the arrows outrageous
fortune by which he was wounded daily
as he watched Gldersleeve putting Oft in
the boat with Pauline alone, at sunset
or moonrise, and heard their laughter and
song echoing far into the night. Pauline
was very gracious TO the invalid. to be
sure, Just as she would be TO a hopeless
cripple or beggar, he thought. She
fetched his books. she hcaped his pillows
she even brought him strange wlld-how'
ers which she and Gildersleevc had sur.
prised in the woods; but she only stayed
behind him long enough to pass the jest,
to give parting shot, bit OF badInag'
only long enough to cxasperatc. CHI
dersleeve developed an unhappy faculty
of laying claim to her when Vaughn
fancied that he had secured her.
But even a sprain does not last forever.
He might travel any day now, the doctor
said and he was surprised to find that
he was 10th TO leave. After all, the
pain had been favored with pleasure.
| Looking backward he could recall many
thrilling moments which had made his
pangs cndurable. However, he was tc
depart in the morning, and tonight, as
one and all were looking for their bed
room candles and exchanging good.
nights, he suddenly remembered Mrs
Richmond's Tennyson, which he had LEFT
in the hammock in the grove at the foot
of the garden; a shower might come NJ
in the night and deface it. The garden
was dark and dewy, and full OF fantastic
| shadows and sweet scents, and the grove
was darker still, with a gleam OF the
river on the other side, and the aspen'
quivering like pattcring rain-drops. II
the semi darkness some one moved
toward him. some one whose white
drapery brushed against his hand.
What sudden impulse was it which made
Vaughn stretch out OBTAINING arm
toward this flying shadow, while h,
whispered, Pauline, Pauline, you were
mine once, heart and soul.
And now," said Pauline, in her clea'
tense tones-"Now belong to Mr., Gil
dcrsleeve.
Vaughn dropped his arm idly he hac
forgotten how her hand trembled IN HI
own an instant before he only knew
that she belonged 10 Gildersleeve.
1t was, perhaps. two years later, wheI
strolling aimlessly through an art CALLER!
in Europe, Mr.. Vaughn came face t.
face with Ada Clement.
We'll met. Miss Ada" he said.
Mrs. Gildersleeve, if YOU please, con
tended the little lady.
Mrs. Gildersleeve :" echoed Vaughn
Il thought-l-ahem i had no
heard
"Oh. don't be afraid to say it. Io'
thought Polly was wearing my shoes
Ell: | was aw:ully afraid she would
too. knew they'd pinch. There Civ
me your arm and let me confess. lol
were so brimful of your own affairs at tn
Terrace you never dreamed that well
that had made up my mind to MARI
Mr.. Gildersleeye myself. Isn't it Thack
eray who says if woman makes up he
mind to marry a certain person, be sh
hunch- backed, or queer in her legs, o
what not, let him look to himself-o
words to that effect, Well, Gildersleev
and were travelling companions on th
way home after the summer ended a
Mrs. Richmond s-Doyou know, blythe
wav they have lost their money, and sol
| the Terrace Too bad Polly ha
gone already. Travelling was never 5
divine an employment before. woul
gladly have kept on, like the Wanderin
Jew. Mind didn't know that he wa
engaged to Pauline. ! supposed it wa
firtation; and just to entertain him
told him all about YOU and Pauline
your elopement when she was at Lam
bert Seminary, and how YOU were inter
rupted at the altar.
"And how did YOU happen to kno'
all this, Mrs. Gildersleeve" The nam
was like a sweet morsel on his tongu
now-so strangely do tastes change.
"Now you are angry, but you ougf
to be grateful. How did | know il
When you have secret, don't tell it
| the Cliff Cave even to Clarence. wi
overheard, near the fissure, ,eavesdroppin!
you may call it if you please. l told IL
} story to the guests on the piazza, ne,
l day, for a sensation. l didn't give an
names, you know-Pm not such foo
: but you ought to have seen poor Par
line. She knew the story better than
: it was as good as play. If | had omi
3 ted that part where you said, "it is m