Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-02-10

the city post mark. Recognizin 6
the writing, she went to her room,
locked the door and tore it open. 1t
was from Mr.. Walton, and as bel ow:
DEAR ONA.
| shall be unable to call this eve
ming, as have been summond to
| Philadelphia by the death of uncle
Harry am very sorry but you see
| must go. | may be gone week or
more. Affectionately.
HUGo.n
"Oh, pshaw," cried Ona. "Why
could he not have come up tonight,
anyhow? And just to think, shall
not see him. for one whole week, y
and she looked miserable.
Three days passed and still no let
ter from her absent lover. Ona was
decidedly disappointed. Mr.. Gray
had written her an apology and now
was again her friend. He had been
to see her twice since Hugo's alb
sence, and was very pleasant. He
enjoyed her disappointment.
at is strange how Mr.. Walton re-
mains away from New York." he
casually remarked. II wonder if he
and Miss Robinson are now happy"
"Who is Miss Robinson ?" asked
Ona, GOODNESS stealing over her.
"Do you remember that lady he
was in the sitting room with, the
night of the ballf Well, that was
her, land it is said they are to be mar
ried." He watched the effect Of his
words.
The color fled from the beautiful
face, the eyes filled with tears and
great sigh came from her open lips.
Then checking her feelings, she said
Earnestly:
/ 81 am sure there is nothing in the
! report. He would certainly have let
me know if he anticipates getting
i married."
CAN l have to say is, that he is
opening himself to criticism by his
actions. | saw him passing down
Broad Street, and leaning tenderly
on his arm was no other person than
1 Miss Robinson. And besides, at the
dance, as / passed into the sitting
room after they came out something
white, lying under one Of the chairs
attracted my notice, and picking it
up / found it was a short note, ad-
| dressed to Alice Robinson | have
it now in my pocket and if it does net
show how they feel toward one an
other, then i am mistaken. Do yeu
wish to see it ?"
Ona, with terrible pain eating at
her heart and feeling that some
thing was wrong, said: "Pleasef"
The note was handed to her and
the evil eyes of Gray trumphantly
| cleaned, as he watched the reader.
The note was penned in Mr.. Wal
toms handwriting, and as she read
a mist came before her eyes, and she
would have fallen, had not Gray
4 caught her. The note ran thus:
DEAREST ONE:
| hope nothing may interfere to
! disturb our meeting at the ball on
tomorrow evening. l have some
thing to tell you which interests both
of us. Devotedly,
HUGO.
That was all; but it was enough.
Had he not called her his dearest
ene," and said he had something to
tell her /? HAS he not asked me to
be his wife," and she looked down
upon the plain gold band upon her
finger. What night had he thus to
address another woman? All the
fierce passion of her nature was up
in arms. Mr.. Gray enjoyed the
scene.
Ona went to her room that night,
and after locking the door, sat down
to think. How could he be so cruel
and false He, the eurly-haired, fair
man, who appeared above all wrong.
But gradually her feelings changed
from sorrow to anger, and, untying
a small parcel of letters, she threw
them into the fire place. Then put
a match to them. She stood and
watched the flames leap up, and
gradually fade, until at last only the
charred, thinnish remains lay upon
the hearth. "Thus perishes the love
| once held for the writer of those let.
tiers, and may he suffer for the pain
ha hoe oaucad mo -