The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-08-04

ly aud let me pull him up. But 1t was
no use. My only answer was another
moan, SO low and deep that l thought
the poor wretch was dying.
oWhat to do did not know. No
help had come, and feared 10 lose a
moment by going after ii. but was
young and strong and nerved with the
courage of desperation, so ] did not
hesitate long How managed it sue
cessfnlly never could tell, but let
myself down by the rope until reach
ed the bottom Of the dark abyss, and
found the helpless being, whom i
thought Providence had sent inc to res
cue. too much injured to move a limb.
,7 svutiy anu quickIy as could,
in that awful situation, I fastened the
rope around his body and lifted him In
a more convenient position to be
drawn up; then, hand over hand, like
a sailor, and blisteiing the skin as l
went, slowly climbed to the top
again, where 1 found my father and
two or three anxious neighbors just be-
ginning TO realize what had occurred.
1t was well they had come, for my
girls strength, try as l would, could
never have drawn that large, strong
man TO the surface; nor could he have
lived much longer in the deadly gases
of the old well.
"IIe see med moro dead than living
when he came up, and one arm was
found to be broken. He proved to be
a young merchant from distant city,
who had come 10 visit friend in the
village, and had met with his accident
while WALKING from, tho rt~4;--- :.
friends house. But he was too badly
hurt to be removed, and for weeks he
was an inmate of our home, where al
most tho entire care of the invalid de-
yolved upon myself
81 need not give You the history of
those weeks, Madge, but they were the
sweetest had ever known in my long
life of half century. Hugh Wood
man was the hero had dreamed Of
handsome, noble-looking, polished in
manner and conversation. Better than
all that, he was the soul of honor. Bo.
fore soliciting my fathers permission
to offer me the life which he always
declared had saved, he told us frank.
ly the story of his past. :
"lle was yonng man-ouly twcm
iy-Seven-yet ho had been already
married and divorced. His young
wife had been nnfaithful TO him, and,
n ftnr hoo-;.<, ---:.' - ~-..',o anu ,uv
Disgrace they brought upon his name
as long as he could, they were legally
separated, and tho care of their only
child was entrusted to him. This
child his little Lily-was a theme of !
which he never tired. Hour after hour
he talked to inc of her, praisins Lor
goodness and beauty, planning for her
future with us, and begging me, a
thousand times over, to love her for
his sake.
"But lie had no ne, I'd to ask me that. |
Anything that belonged to him was
dear to me. Even the faithless wife
who bore his name was an object of in
tercst to my mind, and many times |
found myself plying her for having
cast aside the priceless blessing of
ilugh's love. For knew that his old
love for her was dead aud buried, and |
that the whole wealth of affection In
his heart and sou. was mine-mine."
Aunt Margaret paused, aud tho in
tense look which her blue eyes gather.
ed in the memories of long ago gave
her face, fancied, the same expression |
which it must have worn in the love
days of her youth.
'f es," she resumed, "our happiness
was perfect far too perfect to last.
Onr marriage WAS to take place on
and, after short wedding
tour, we were 10 settle down at once to
housekeeping in the city. He had
brought little Lily to see me, and she
was 10 como to us tho moment we re-
turned from our tour. How l loved
the child! not only for her fathers
sake, but for the innate loyeliness ofI
her own sweet, childish nature.
She did not look like Hugh. there
fore l knew she must resemble her lost
mother; and, il so, how beautiful that
mother must have beenl Lily was a
blonde, as l was. but tho fairness of
my skin was snow white in
hers, the blue of her eyes was more !
the intense brilliancy OF the sapphire,
and the blonde of her hair tho simmer
f FURNISHED gold. l can see Hugh
now. as be stood with half fearful, half
laughing eyes. watching me earess his
darling child, aud thinking to tease me
by calling me the young stepmother.'
"Tho week before Christmas found
us all as bright and happy as pro-
spectivc wedding party could ever be
but it brought new actor upon the
scene who was destined to change it
all in the twinkling of an eye. Hugh's
divorced wife, having In some way
learned of his intended marriage,
made her way to our village, determih-
ed to win back 10 herself the husband d
whom she had deserted. Had she ap-
pealed TO Hugh alone, she could never
have been successful, for she had ut
erly forfeited all claims to his love
md confidence, and his heart was too
entirely mine Tor her pleadipgs 10 have
moved him. But finding hun firm and
she sought me out" hA a-