The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-29


than 1. A young Engish-looking girl
very violet of u creature dressed in
mourning, and with tear stained face.
She knet before certain shrine, hid
ing her eyes with her hands, and then
started up. There was a strange look |
in her eyes. felt that ] read its
meaning. She intended TO destroy
herself
"Tle victim of some wicked deceiv-
er," thought to myself. "But she
shall not-she shall not. l will follow
her and save her." and when, in mo-
ment or two, she slipped out of the
church, l was at her heels.
She turned, as 1 expected, into the
Strada di Ripetta, which leads straight
to the banks of the Tiber, and at last
she stood close to its edge, in the shell
ter of an old wall, making up her mind,
as saw, to the awful plunge she had
contemplated. Then l went close to
her and caught her by her dress, and
said softly:
"Stop know what you are going TO
do. You are wrong, whatever troubles
you have. l have followed yousto keep
you from the river"
The girl turned sharply and looked at
me.
"What do you know about me?" she
asked.
"Only what saw in the church,"
said l.
"Is 1t so plainly written in my face
that stranger can see it ?" she cried.
"Then, indeed, the water is the place
tor me no other!"
held her tighter.
How do you know what comes af-
ter?" l cried "after this life? Worse
than shame, perhaps"
"Shamew she said. "Oh! how dare
you'll Do You think am young per-
son who has no respect Ifor herselfF"
"People always think that of girls
who drown themselves" / answered.
"Don't think it of me-" she said. 81
am only foolish. Perhaps you came
there to the cathedral TO tpray because
you were ssd?"
eyes," said.
"You knew about me because your
own heart told you," she said. "You've
been good and kind to follow me.
think I'll tell you all but the names !:
"I'm governess, poor as mouse.
| came here with rich family, and a
friend of the son's-he visited them.
. ne IL sptnuiu creature, gvvs', .,uc,
Ipcrfect, beautiful; but he liked little
me. And used to sing to him-I am
quite one of the family-and-I grew
to love him; and yesterday, at twilight,
he walked on the hills with me. Sud.
denly he told me how he loved me, and
how he ahould never be happy, for he
was engaged to girl whom he must
marry.
"Little Violet he said, Il ask moth.
ing of life but the right to love you and
protect you, and that cannot have for
honor's sake.' And he told me how
good she was, and handsome; and
nothing, nothing to him beside little me.
$50 all night I lay awake, and i
made up my mind to kill myself this
morning. Now you know all. Life is
nothing to me if Rudolph is lost mar.
ried to that girl! Rudolph, who cried
when we parted, though he was a
mani"
"Rudolphl" cried |.
"Hush!" she cried. al did not mean
to say that"
"Rudolph Acklaud?" l continued.
81 never told you," said she.
"No," said l. al am a fortune-teller
Violet, look into my eyes. Believe me
Il know. There is no need of drown.
ing yourself. That girl will not marry
Rudolph Ackland. She loves some one
else better. She feels free to marry
him now. She knows that Rudolph'i
heart will not be broken. Go home
Rudolph will come to you"
"lYhat do you meanr asked the girl
care you iortune-teller? l believe
you are-that-that girl herself"
ave will make no confessions" sale
II. "Kiss me and go home"
| She put her lips to mine. And ther
we went together up the Strada, and
went home. On the way 1 met Clio
vanni. My heart beat high with joy
higher yet when we parted, for we hat
pledged our faith to each other.
My chaperon and cousin Rudolph
were breakfasting together, Rudolph
was pale; he said nothing. My chape
roh scolded me. But when she LETT u
for moment said to him.
"Cousin, cheer up. Let us thanl
Heaven we were only engaged; no
married. l think you had hetter g
and see Violet this morning. am 60
ing to the Vatican with Giovanni. W.
make excellent cousins. Let us retail
> that relation only. Our romance ha
come to us otherwise than we hoped"
/ think-such is man-that he wa
hurt and angry with me, but he went Il
Violet, and she is his wife to-day, and
Giovanni's. And the seas roll between
our homes, for have never left Rome
and he transplanted his Violet d
America.-rMary Kyle Dallas.
D Because The President went to Inger
| soil to borrow reel, the last time h