Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-03-20

Oh Tie moon, ana imagined look
of agony rested upon it. I broke the
silence:
''Fairfax p
He turned suddenly, as if reused
from a dream, and said, in a quick
tone:
"Your pardon! I was thinking of
Florida
"Is Florida your native state?'' I
inquired.
"No, sir-England. 1 was born
in Windsor, You shall hear my his
tory, for 1 have presentiment of
coming evil"
He told me the following strange
story, which, with its surroundings,
filed me with CONSERVATION, and
made an impression that could be eff
faced only by death.
SAT the age of fifteen, left Eng
.laad and went to Florida to live with
wealthy uncle. Adjoining my
home resided widow lady, with a
daughter-Laura. Laura and myself
were frequently thrown into each
others society, and a passion strong
and deep-at least on my part
sprang up between US.
We were inseparable, and when l
reached the age of twenty, she being
sixteen, we were sworn to live only
to be united. We read classic tales
to each other, and when the 'Sor-
rows of Werther' were traced line by
line, she would shed tears of grief
Ours seemed an ecstacy of love and
passion that could never die.
My uncle concluded to give me a
professional education, and / bade
adieu to Laura and all | loved in
Florida, and went to Philadelphia,
where | studied with ardor two
years, and returned to my home a
doctor.
Without asking any questions, [
left for Laura's house, full of love
and hopeful anticipations. On
reaching there l saw Laura's face
looking from window that was edg-
ed with honeysuckles and crowned
with morning -glories. Her face,
with long black hair hanging negli-
gently before her breast, seemed the
fairest on earth to me. | tried to
Chamber up the vines as | saluted her
with kiss from my hand.
When she saw me her face grew
paler, and she looked at me with a
cold stare, saying:
You have come too late: I'm
married to your enemy. Do not let
your sorrows be as deadly as those of
poor Werther!'
She laughed low, mocking laugh
as her face disappeared from the win
dow, and thought l heard fall.
That was my death-wound. / fed
back over the hommocks of grass
that edged the swamps, and at the
door met my little niece-Jessica-
with an armful of mulberry leaves.
She said, in her child tones:
uncle, l go to feed the silk
worms; they are hungry
l went to my room and sat with my
face to great bay window that open
ed upon meadow slope. The moon
rose as bright as it is now, as | brood
ed over my terrible loss. Suddenly
saw Jessica, led by Laura, at the
window. The child tapped upon the
glass, saying:
L have fed the silk-worms =
Then Laura put her white face to
the window, and with a cold smile, az
before, said:
"'Do not let your sorrows be az
deadly as the sorrows of Wertherl =
II sprang to my feet and dashed
into the meadow. No one was there
l went to the chamber of Jessica
She was slumbering peacefully in he
little bed. My suspicious were arous
ed. Again | crossed the hommocks
and as / neared the house of Laura
; met my enemy, who hoarsely said, a
if he menaced me:
Laura is dead. She spoke las
; to you. Why did you come here?'
/ turned on my heel and Wake
: away. They said Laura fell dead al
ter she told me not to let my sorrow
: be as deadly as Werther ended his.
Since that day my life has been
broken one. At times the agony ha
been so deep in my heart that | tax
> my pistol thus Fairfax raise
his weapon, cooked it, and put I'll
barrel to his temple-'ta feel lik
{ ending my sorrows as Werther enc
: ed his"
A loud report followed. Bloc
o flowed from Fairfax's right templ
n and his fine face, disfgured with poy
|, der and blood, was turned toward IL
s stars.
e leaped to my feet. The Mex
cans were moving, alarmed by Il
/ shot, and sparks of fire flew into tt
+ bright moonlight, as the brown thiev,
e rode toward me and my dead compal
le ion over the live embers of the
a camp-fres.
N 1t was the work of a momen
Selling my gun, gathering in Il
lie close folds of my hair lariat, spraI
S, into the saddle, and Fairfax's hor
Ill following me, sped along the bank
V the Arroyo Colorado and into the S
in line basins that for months had la
lg dry and frosty under the heat of t