The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-08-04
LOVES REOUITAL.


frenzy, the heart-pain, the pride-pang,
the modification, the helplessness, the
sense of humiliation and impotence,
which all is contained within the narrow
limits of that one word when it is brand
ed upon woman.
Twas young, too, and the world and
my mirror pronounced me beautiful
Yet on the very eve of my marriage, the
postman brought me Il note giving me
back my freedom.
True, there were accompanying ii q
few incohercnt words of regret and re-
morse, hint concerning some insur-
mountable barrier which had arisen, q
hypocritical hope that yet might find
happiness.
But of all this comprehended moth
ing. remembered only the white satin
dress lying upon my bed upstairs; the
rich wedding gifts-tokens of the many
friends who would wonder, and cape,
and sympathise; the wedding break
fast already spread; the great, empty
church, already decorated.
All this and more flashed through my
mind, as l sat with white, fearless face
and untrembling fingers, which held the
note which had told it me-all. and
more, because had loved Everard Dig
by, because still loved him, because
my heart told me that, let my judy
ment pronounce what sentence it would,
its chambers would ever echo to his
name.
had not known him very long,
scarcely a year-but from the first mo-
ment his glorious eyes had looked in
to mine, he had acquired over me an
influence none other had ever before
welded.
My family, my intimate friends had
demonstrated with me to no purpose. I
but loved him the better. When our
betrothal was announced, they strove
in vain to find objections.
My lover was wealthy, and of good
position; and he had seemed to love me,
too, so well. Often, often he had drawn
me to him, saying:
mabel mine, swear to me that you
will love me alwaysr'
And / had found it all too easy to
obey him. He had been jealous, exact
ing, imperious, but had loved him all
the better. And this was the end-this
sheet of note-paper, covered on two
sides.
do not know what strange freak pos
sessed me to summon servant and Or
der every gas-jet in the spacious rooms
to be lighted. The man obeyed my or
der and retired.
walked slowly to the pier-glass and
stood before it. A bright crimson spot
famed on either cheek, an unnatural
fire had turned the blue of my eyes into
blackness; my lips were scarlet. Be-
hind me was long vista of light. and
flowers, and luxurious beauty; before
me-oh, Heaven! what lay before meP
Did l speak, or had some one else
uttered my namep Mabel 1t was all
dream then. Everard had played upon
me the most cruel jest.
From the library man entered 1
stood quietly awaiting him. Then,
when he had come quite close, saw
that it was not Everard, but Godfrey
Somers.
Among all my friends he was the one
who had never breathed to me q word
of love. / had had no brother, but had
been so blessed it seemed to me he
would have held the place in my heart
accorded to Geoffrev.
you have come to offer me the last
congratulations cried in hooking
voice.
Then l saw that his face was very
white and stern.
"Oh, you have heard alreadyr' Leon
tinued. Il shall be saved, then. the
necessity of explanation. You know
that tomorrow all the world will know
that l have been jiltedn'
If you will remember, Mabel" he
said them very quietly, II have never
congratulated you on your engagement,
but / do now most heartily on its rup-
ture. The man you loved was never
worthy of you, as indeed who couldhope
to beP''
"Do you think to comfort ME by con-
demning himp' answered. Il want
neither comfort nor pity; can bear
neither. An hour ago / stood here
awaiting my husband-already in my
heart / had called him so-an hour ago,
and now am widow who yet have
been no wife. Oh, the shame of itr' 1
cried, aloud. eff but the wedding might
90 on!-if the world might suppose it
was 1, not he, who has done this cruel
thing! if might but wear my bridal
uTeSS, WHICH Will never HOW DC WOTn!
For, though l were willing, what man
would marry a bride Tilted at the al
tarp''
II know one mani can speak for
myself. Mabel, do you mean your
wordsp Would 1t make you hap
pier that the ceremony should go on
with nothing changed except the bride
groomP''
Amusement almost took my breath.
That my rash words could have been
taken seriously had not occurred to
me.
"You--you now would do this for
mew / gasped. You would make so
great sacrificep"
He smiled, little sadly and YEARLY.
lit is scarcely fitting time, dear, to
tell you of the hopes 1 once entertained
and long since buried, which tonight
have been so strangely revived; but if
you will trust yourself to me, child,-if
xv<,, mill tndaoI y-Yu mn non nj