The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1882-10-21

days were all that were given me to SIT
Isfy the hunger OF a long, dreary' empty
Once he was about torspeak to me of
Alice; but l hushed him-I was not yet
hardened enough for that. would net
be reminded of the wrong was doing
her, for day by day and hour by hour
told me that, though she should share
his life and share bis name; she wOtild
never share his heart. That was fninei
III had loved, at least the humiliation
was spared me of supposing my love un-
returned. 1t had been hislove that had
compelled mine.
Another fortnight passed, and still he
fingered; but his return was liked tor the
morrow. On that last evening we wan-
dered down upon the beach, sllvered by
the moonlight. Standing in its rays he
turned and faced me, clasping his hand
over mine as it lay upon his arm: a;,i,
"Aline;" he said, II love you, child!
You are but child and man who. has
outstripped yCu In the race Of life by
twenty years. But will you give yourself
to me, dear? Has it been my own blind
fancy which has given birth to the swee
hope that alone might make your hap
pines 4"
He paused then, waiting for my an
swer. Only a minute passed, but L had
awakened from my dream. ] had not
thought his baseness ever could find
words; had not thought my sister would
know his perjury. Her fair, radiant
beauty came before me as in vision;
her goodness to me, her loving kindness
to the child who had been her pet and
plaything always, and who thus requited
Only minute, but had torn out my
heart and trampled it beneath my feet.
l turned upon the man with hot. fierce
passion, forgot that had led him on;
forgot my own baseness, my own love,
as hurled my scorn at his defenseless-
ness. What burning, scathing words |
he offered me again bis arm, from which
I had withdrawn my clasp, and he
walked back in silence to the house.
Yet as he left me, still without wori, l
felt. strange to say, onlY-I1y own guilt.
He had not borne himself like one Con-
victed of great wrong.
The next week I went home. Alice
was the first to meet me, and that night
she crept into my room and knelt down
beside nae as she had done once before.
''Dariing!" she whispered, "next
month am to be married and you are
20 be my only bridesmaid"
II can mott" 1 answered. "Don'task
ine, Alice! It would kill mep
8 "Do you really love me SO well, dear?
But you will not refuse me- this? It
would mar all my happiness, Aline, and
| am so happy. When you have seen
love him for yourself-you will better
understand"
"Harryp gasped. Who is he2"
"Harry-Harry Stretton; the man I
am to marry. Why, Allne, you told n 9
you knew it ALL Is it possible you did
not know"
And then she told me Of the engage
ment which had been entered into dur
ing her Christmas visit-an engagement
finally ratified and approved by her
guardian whilst 1was so i'll.
1t had been this she had been about
to tell me-this had refused to hear.
Oh, the burning shame with which j
listened at last! And then q wild ins
pulse seized me to tell hetall the truth:
She should not believe me better than
was. She should know how pitiable I
had been. even. though | brought her
hate and contemrt. "a doubtless | had
brought Hart Syuneys.
did not spare myself as | told the
story. In silence she heard it through,
and then she sealed my lips with the
kiss of love and pardon.
All night battled with my misery and
remorse. Alice expected her lover the
next day. felt I dared not meet him.
In the afternoon she came into my
room.
"Some one wishes to see you in the
library, DEAR" she said. "Will you go
down."
She spoke SO quietly that suspected
nothing, ard asking no questions went
down Stairs. and crossed the hall to the
room designated. = g. ','--'' =
l thought it empty for a moment az
closed the door behind me, but at the
sound some one stepped from the win
dow recess-some one who advanced
one step and then stood with wide-open
arms, waiting to close about me.
No need for me to tell the story, as
hid my face upon his breast, and felt his
kisses rain upon my hair.
Alice, my noble, darling sister, had
told it all. No need for me to ask for
giveness Already it was mine.
Did l deserve this happiness? Per-
haps not, but it was mine-mine at last,
as was the great, noble heart of my sis
ter's guardian.
Alice had her wish-I was her only
bridesmaid; but after the ceremony was
ended which made her Harry Stretton's
beloved wife, / took her place beside
the altar, no longer bridesmaid but bride.
Henceforth my sisters guardian was
mine.