The Penn's Grove record., 1884-06-21
What was that beneath its spreading

What was that beneath its spreading
boughs?
A sight often enough to be seen all
the world over-Only a pair of lovers so
absorbed in each other that they
never noticed him at ~all-nothing surely
to make his heart stand still with such
a choking sense Of su%ffocation ? If the
pair before him had been only a simple
Scotch lassie and lad, he would have
passed by them with a muttered bless
ing but there was something strangely
familiar in the mans fine athletic form
and in the woman's supple undulating
grace of figure. In spite of himself,
he stood still, fascinated, half mistrust-
ing his own senses, and looked at them.
They were talking eagerly in low
tones, and once the girls lover held her
close tohim and kissed her several times
unresisted. He tJOk a step nearer to
them then, and strained his eyes in the
uncertain light. He would fain have
disbelieved their evidence if he could (;
but there was no delusion, no mistake
they were serving him as truly as they
had ever done. 1t vas Cecil who stood
before him, his trusted, idolized, pretty
Cecil and the man beside her was the
boy he had reared, for whom he had de-
MED himself many things, his half-bro-
Their Frank
For a moment the foul treachery and
ingratitude of the thing stunned him.
He cou d not move he leaned back
against the wall dizzy, bewildered heart
sick. Then there was a rustic of silk,
and something swept past him quickly.
He looked up, and there she was, still
unconscious of his presence, gliding
way towards her fathers door with
her rapid noiseless step. Whittier her
companion went he did not notice he
had eyes only for her, feeling as he
watched her disappear that he would
never see her again. When the door
closed, and his mute farewell was taken,
he was conscious of IA sharp pain, as of
a knife running into his breast, succeed
ed by a strange benumbed feeling, as il
the blood which had lately been throb-
bling 50 iercely round his heart were
freezing into ice in lis veins.
An hour passed, and found him still
leaning there, not Tuning in angry in
dignation over the treacherous wrong
that had been done him, but taking to
it very quietly and naturally, as if, af-
ter all, it were just what might have
been expected. Why should he, in the
sere and yellow leaf Of life's autumn,
expect to pluck the flowers of its spring?
Youth had only vindicated its rights.
1t was a good joke, a laughable little
comedy in real life but it broke all the
same a tender simple heart. Shrinking,
isolated from his yout upwards, he had
no pride to fall back upon to salve his
bleeding wound. Alone in the world
now that Frank had proved untrue to
him, he had no human sympathy on
which to lean. He had felt happier,
prouder, since he knew Cecil loved him
than he had ever felt before /; and nov
that love was gone, crumbled into
ashes, and nothing remained to him but
the shreds and tatters of his shattered
happiness.
At last a cab rafting past in the
street aroused him, and, mechanically
wrapping his plaid closer around him,
he turned and went home to his lodg-
ings, feeling so weak, so i'll, so old, that
ne seemed to himself to have lived
twenty years in that bitter hour.
In the long sleepless night that fol-
lowed his resolution was taken.
Fool that l have been,h he muttered,
ito think that my money or lands could
buy me a young heart !! He shall still
be happy, though, if her tickle love a
make him so he shall never even know
that he has come between me and all
that makes life sweet or dear"
In the simple honesty OF his heart,
while still happy in Cecil's love. he had
planned a surprise for his brother,
which should at one atone to Frank
for the loss of Rochard and set him
straight with his own conscience. He
had bought for him the adjacent prop
erty of Kinsuart, and he had intended
to present HIM with the title-deeds of
MS new estate en- this proposed Christ
visit of theyoung soldierto Rochard.
He had intended also at the same time
to break to him the news of his ap-
preaching marriage. Now it seemed to
him that what he had to do was to
smooth away the obstacles TO Franks.
Poor Frank !" he thought. He is
a careless creature. He is not eXtrava-
giant, but he spends a great deal some
how. He will never become independ-
enl OF Ul6 III tidl respect AT lcsSts anu
it will comfort me to know that | shall
still be necessary to him. even in his
And She-l can almost for
give her her treachery when | think
that she will make it all up to my boy"
This resolution William Roehard
kept, supreme As was the effort which II
cost him but with all his mastery over
himself he could not be quite the same
to Frank. He was silent and con-
strained during their journey TO the
North and the younger brother, who
was gulltleSs of all intentional offence
towards hun, and who did not even
know that the pretty coquette with
whom he hirted was engaged to any
one, noticed the difference, and, in his
pettish way, reSentedit. William seemed
to him more stupid and dull than usual;
and, after one or two attempts at con-
v~erSation, he left him to his humor, and
did not once speak to him, as he re-
membered afterwards with a Sore heart,
until they had left the coach and were