Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-10-10


on IN the world; and so, when in his
grave, quiet way Ralph had proposed,
II hardly cost her a flutter of the heart
TO say Y es, and the rich blood scarce
crlmsoned her bright young face.
She had-ahl fatal words-'grewn
so used to him."
lie came down to the quiet village
TO see them but rarely. for it was a
poor, crowded neighborhood where he
had his practice, and the poor are ex-
acting; but he always talked hopefully
and cheerfully in his own grave way of
the little home to which he hoped to
bring his bride.
of late he had noticed strange
apathy about her which alarmed him
even more than her childish petulance,
and 1t was his trying to seek the cause
OF it which led to the conversation
above.
Trying you hard,'' he said, 81 do
not understand. Bessie, dear, try to
understand you, but | cannot.n
No; it Is that-you cannot" she
said, land some men are like that,
suppose, playing with women's feelings
as they would with little baby, hurt
ing 1t to death nearly with their un-
conscious brute-playfulness.
"You don't understand me-you
never will understand me, and it is
better that you should cease trying"
Had some unseen hand plunged a
dagger into his bosom he could not
have turned SO deadly pale.
Bessie! Bessie.'' he moaned, ''don't
say that"
TIE cry was the short, quick cry of
agony, and she turned her averted head
to him, and would have sprung to his
arms, but ere she could frame an eX-
cuse for her words, his pride leaped to
relieve his bitter anguish.
He drew himself up coldly, while
drops of ice-cold perSpiratiOn stood
upon his forehead.
''Be it as you wish then, Bessie,' he
said. Il am not one TO compel a gen.
tlewoman to an alliance against her
wish"
Ere she could realize it he was gone,
and she was LETT stunned and stupeted
at the effect of her own words.
Gone, her protector gone! her girl
hoods companion parted from her for
ever! 1t could not be.
lie never loved me.'' she said bit
terly; 'and now know well he never
loved mel''
"What. Miss LeeI and sitting like
Dido?" cried voice; ''am L NAL q
prOp0S. or may | act the role of COM
forter?'
She looked up, and saw the hand
some, sunny face of Lord ElleSmere
looking down upon her.
''Give me leave to speak, Miss Lee, :"
he said, dropping his voice to low,
tone, Il would not jar
upon your feelings for the world. ]
see YOU are in grief; let me sympathize
with you-believe me, your grief robs
me of all joy"
She suffered him to place her hand
upon his arm and lead her away, suf-
fered him perhaps, because sympathy
is most dear to us all; and he had come
to her In her hour of weakness.
She knew Lord ElleSmere as hand
some. gay. and witty, but a man against
receiving the attentions of whom Ralph
had often warned her.
Il will show Ralph" she unused, as
she suffered the young nobleman to
lead her along toward the wood, that
he is not altogether SO Indispensable to
NE as he imaginesl''
And in this way she made an effort
10 arouse herself from her sadness,
until presently she had forgotten Ralph
and was listening, breath
less with interest, to accounts OF the
great world and its fine ladies.
What change this must be from
the life of a poor doctors drudge III
East-end practice.
you must be very happy with SO
much gaiety, Lord ElleSmere, she SAID
with sigh.
"Who can be happy without the one
thing alone which constitutes true
happiness? Ali Miss Lee-BeSsie-let
me call you Bessie2-if you could only
know how, sick of all this gaiety, L
nave vearned for.you! Night after night
have / slipped away from my gay com
nanions. that l might see your shadow;
Bessie. / love you, madly, devotedly!
Come with me; be my wife; and you
shall outshine them all-wealth, talent,
birth. shall bow before you, for you
will be my queen!'
And she, poor fool, thinking OF her
revenge, and intoxicated with her TIL
umph. accepted him, and suffered her
self to be drawn towards the flame, as
MANY a silly moth had been before.
1t was night ere she reached home,
by her new lover, mtoxi-
Gated with praise and triumph.
s.Ue was a loverl" she kept repeating
to herself. s'noble and witty, and pas
devoted.
ssDid not love flash out upon her Iroln
his great blue eyes, and dld ne not
show her a thousand little attentions,
of which Ralph had never Thought!
So she twisted the great diamond
ring, which Lord Ellis
mere had given her, around her hnger,
and dreamed her dream.
He had asked her to keep their en-
raoement secret until he could obtain
his fathers consent, and she had pro-
missed. H.. ,,,J
hove had in saving, ''Ralph Braybrook
chose to leave me, and L accepted Lord
Ellesmere. .e. a.
aBessie,'' cried her mother; I'm the
name of everything you love, child,
what have you suffered to come be-
IN cen YOU and kalph!
1--WE have quarrelled, mother, and
A., natcb Is broken off" said Bessie"
ION. my child, my childl'' cried her
..do not play fast and loose
, with an honest affection like his. He
;s almost broken-hearted. Remember,
N mem mare, are not to be treated like toys;
they have feelings which must be re-
,,,o, n,o,h.r ,, s.;a