Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-03-12

in the village, and had met with his
accident while walking from the sta
+ion to his friends house. But he
was too badly hurt to be removed,
and for weeks he was an inmate of
ohr home, where almost the entire
care of the invalid devolved upon
myself.
i need not give you the history
of those weeks, Madge, but they
were the sweetest I have ever known
in my long life of half century.
Hugh Woodman was the hero l had
dreamed of-handsome, noble-look
ing, polished in conversation. Better
than all that, he was the soul of hon.
or. Before soliciting my fathers
permission to offer me the life which
he always declared had saved, he
told us frankly the story of his past.
'sHe was young man then-only
twenty-seven-yet he had been al
ready married and divorced. His
young wife had been unfaithful to
him, and after bearing with her faults
and the disgrace they brought upon
his name as long as he could, they
were legally separated, and the care
of their only child was entrusted to
him. This child-his little Lily
was theme of which he never tired.
Hour after hour he talked to me of
her, praising her goodness and beau
ty, planning for her future with us,
and begging me, thousand times
over, to love her for his sake.
HBut he had no need to ask me
that. Anything that belonged to
him was dear to me. Even the faith
less wife who bore his name was an
object of interest to my mind, and
many times found myself pitying
her for having cast aside the priceless
blessing as Hugh's love. For / knew
that his old love for her was dead and
buried, and thet the whole wealth of
affection in his heart and soul was
mine-mine.
Aunt Margaret paused, and the
intense look which her blue eyes
gathered in the memories of long ago
gave her face, | fancied, the same
expression which it must have worn
in the love-days of her youth.
"Yes," she resumed, "our happi-
ness was perfect-far too perfect to
last. Our marriage was to take
place ON Christmas, and, after a
short wedding tour, we were to settle
down at once to housekeeping in the
city. He had brought little Lily out
to see me, and she was to come to us
for good the moment we returned
from our tour. How / loved the
child! /! not only for her fathor's salso,
but for the innate loveliness of her
own sweet, childish nature.
s'She did not look like Hugh, there
fore / knew that she must resemble
her lost mother; and, if SO, how
beautiful that mother must have
been! Lily was blonde, as was,
but the fairness of my skin was snow
white in hers, the blue of her eyes
was more the intense brilliancy of
the sapphire. and the blonde of hair
the simmer of FURNISHED gold. /
can see Hugh now, as he stood with
half fearful, half laughing eyes,
watching me caress his darling child,
and thinking to tease me by calling
me the "young step-mother.
ssThe week before Christmas found
us all as bright and happy as a pro-
spective wedding party could ever be ;
but it brought new actor upon the
scene who was destined to change il
all in the twinkllng of an eye. Hugh's
divorced wife, having in some way
learned of his intended marriage,
made her way to our village, deter
mined to win back TO herself the hus-
hand whom she had deserted. Had
she appealed to Hugh alone, she
could never been successful, for she
had utterly forfeited all claims to his
love or confidence, and his heart was
too entirely mine for her pleadings te
have moved him. But finding hin
firm and sunyielding, she sought me
OUT
go, Aunt Margaret !" l interrupt
ed, in fearful amazement, "surel,
you did not voluntarily give III
Hugh's love for the sake of that bat
woman p
/, eyes, child, 1 did," she answered
hastily, with a little choking soun(
in her voice. "And you could no
have believed her bad, Madge, haC
you seen her, as I did, imploring
with tears and sobs, to be restored t.
her husband and child. She was 81
lovely-oh thousand times lovelie
than ever was, and Hugh had al
ways called me pretty. In thos
days, Madge, divorce was not $
lightly thought of as it is now. 4
divorced wife, whether justly or not
was always regarded with suspicion
and the disgrace even attached t
her innocent children. l thought G
dear little Lily, whom l loved S
well, and for the sake of her future
I helped plead her mothers caus
with Hugh.
SIT was long before he would lis
en- to either of us, but at last he LEI
, the decision of his fate to me. Of
child, never can forget the angus