Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-06-14

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over the world TO teach me TO hate you
| have studied II over aud over, I'LL
know every word
MARRIED. In Washington, January
10th, by Rev, John Watson, Claric'
Lorion to Martin Boyd.
There is the proof that just sl'
months after ! leii you under prom
ise to your father not TO write TO yot
for one year, you deliberately broke
your solemn pledge TO me and married
another
Claricc Chester had been looking
from him to the bit of paper she held
IN her hand, . strange, wild look OF
pain and fear deepening on her features
now she spoke slowly and with effort
This Is u marriage notice Of cous-
IN Of mine Of the same name she
went to Washington after you left and
married Martin Boyd. | never broke
faith with you, how dare you
say il when, before the stipulated
year was ont, you yourself married
lady in Sacramento Hush ! as he
raised his hand impulsivcly. Il know
il is true, for ] saw your letter to John
Chester, in which you boastcd of your
conquest Of an hcircss, and generously
requested him to speak the news TO me
gently, rs ] had really seemed to care
quite good deal for you II was
well done, nobly done, honorably done,
Robert Wallace, thus to net towards
one who--who trusted you, and then
to convey the news of your baseness
through another person.
No longer pale and trembling, Clar-
ice Chester stood before him, her beau-
tful face all aglow with the iervor of
the emotions her words had called up.
A moment Robert Wallace stood,
gazing iixedly into the pain stricken
eyes, that had once made the sunshine
of his life, then he spoke slowly and
solemnly, with tremblc and culver in
his voice. which told but too clearly Of
the struggle within for calmness and
self-possession.
'Clarice, as you value your soul an
swer me truthfully was this that you
have just told me, the reason you broke
your plightcd word to me! But for
for my marriage he smiled bitterly as
he emphasized these two last words,
would you have waited for me to have
come back to you!
Some magic in his earnest tone and
words seemed to compel her to answer
in spite of her proud will.
"A Lorton's word is never broken
Yes | would have waited ten times one
year had you asked it. Even as it was
| refused John Chester's pleadings for
more than year, and yielded at last,
only three months ago, because my
dear mother Ga widow now) needed
the luxuries that l could give her in no
other way Her voice ceased in II
long drawn, quivering sob.
Robert Wallace laid his hand on her
shoulder, in tender, plying way, his
own face white and drawn, with the
fierce anguish he strove to stiAe, for
her dear sake.
'Clarice,' he said solemnly, the let
ter that was shown you rs mine was u
forgery. Married, l why, poor child'
my heart broke when John Chester
sent me that little scrap of printed pa.
per, telling me,-thc scoundrel-that
in it, would find evidence of the man
ner in which you had kept faith with
me. He advised me to cast you from
my heart, or, if I could not all at once,
to seek forgetfulness in travel. l was
stricken down with brain fever for
weeks, but the doctors pulled me
through it, and scant thanks l gave
hem. And then | went far away, to
Africa, to India, then back to Wash
ington, for l heard that Martin Boyd
was dead, his widow had gone west to
live; then l was appointed minister to
Japan, and l accepted, hoping to work
hard enough to forget. And now, now
oh! Clariee, my darling, that bad
man has deceived us both, and has
gained his point and made wreck of
our lives, could curse him.
Hush, Robert she interrupted, in a
voice full of sorrow, remember, that
no matter how he became such, John
Chester is my husband. Until now
have found it easy to respect him, but
that is all over; Robert, for my sake
yes, for my sake. do not punish him
for his sin; it is too late to remedy its
consequences now; let us leave it to
God, and it will come out all right
some day. You and have done no
wrong to each other, we have no long