Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-09-11

courage wanes, and each word chokes
me. Her expression is so sweet, but
yet so grave. The man worthy of her
is not born. Writing was useless.
When my illusions were penned and
struck me so forcibly that / was at
pains to tear my notes into small
pieces.
Nevertheless, you must make up
your mind to speak at once. Your
father has not told you all; he sends
you to Clermont because his friend the
Colonel's daughter, is destined TO be-
come your bride. 1t would indeed be
good match-no protestations-this
is as nothing. il you are really in love
with Naomi. Love is folly-but it is
a kind of folly 1 should regret never
having been guilty of. Old people may
call it nonsense, but perchance, the
nonsense is theirs. IL the girl loves you
you must sacrifice all for her-'tis stu
pid, maybe, but right. We must first
ascertain if she loves you, and now is
the time, for they seek to marry her.
All, ha! that makes you shudder and
grow pale! You long to have your RI
val at swords point. as We used to say
in my young days. Well. courage; face
your beautiful Naomi. If you are rich
er than she. her intended husband is
richer than you, besides having q title
and being q1ite ready for the cere-
mony; her trousseau is even being
made. You are not prepared; 60 TO
her, declare your love-she knows 1t,
but one is always expected to make the
declaration. If she loves you-shc
must for you are handsome, young and
clever. If she is willing TO wait, write
me so in letter which | may keep;
then will prevent this other affair,
get your exchange, and in three years
marry you to Naomi in spite of your
father-in spite of the devil himself. ;"
Il have an idea"
"Well?"
81 will write to her."
Every WELL"
"After leaving my dear uncle, l set
about writing that note. The writing
was no difficult matter, for l had done
it a hundred times before; the puzzle
was how TO give it to her. However,
there was no time for INDIGESTION, SO /
soon made up my mind. and, having
purchased bunch of yellow roses, i
slipped my declaration in among the
flowers. i still recall the words of that
note. After declaring my passion, L
besought Naomi TO love me little in
return, and to wait three years for
me. IL she consented, / asked her. as
q sign. to wear one of my roses that
evening. Then would dare to speak
of my-of our future plans"
"Ah! you hid that note in the bou-
quet?" breathlessly interrupted Nine.
Lorgerel.
Eyes, madame"
"And then?"
"Well, Naomi wore no flower that
evening. l was desperate, and in my
misery sought 10 take my life. My
good uncle took me 10 Clermont, stayed
there two months, and did all in his
power to distract my thoughts from
Naomi, declaring she could never real
ly have cared for me. \"
sBut, uncle" l used to object, ''she
always seemed so pleased to see me.
and reproached me so gently when /
came later than usual.
"Women seek the love of all men,
but care for very few"
At length succeeded in banishing
Naomi image from my heart. Imar-
ried the Colonel's daughter. who.
eight years later, left me n childless
widower. Ny dear uncle has been long
dead, and am now alone in the world.
Would you believe it. my friendsp i
often 10 this day think of Naomi, and
she is still to me, though now quite an
old lady, the Naomi Of my story-my
first love--a tall. graceful girl, with
auburn hair, and. rs my uncle used to
say, black, velvet eyes"
You know not what became of herp"
mo, madame"
''Then your name is not Descou-
drais'p"
"No; that is the name of my uncle's
estate; mine is d'Altheim.
II knew itr'
"Whyp-howp"
IL will tell you what become of Ma
omi-she loved you."
'But the note-the rosesp"
"She never found your note. Your
sudden departure cost her many bitter
tears, and then she married M. dc Lor-
gerel.
IN dc LorgerelP"
"Whose widow / am"
"Then you-you are Naomi AmelotP"
Eyes; just as you are, or rather. as
you are not, the Edmond d'Altheim of
my youth"
ITO think we should meet one day as
strangersr'
Eyes, and then only to play at trio
trac."
.FWNN
care here. always kept them"
And Nine. dc Lorgerel, with hands
that trembled slightly. drew from an
ebony cabinet near by the withered
bunch of yellow roses.
"Unfasten them, quickr' exclaimed
NJ Descoudrais. She did SO, and there
among the flowers, now almost dust.
found the note, where it had lain con-
cealed for two and forty years. From
The French.
Gen. Banks as Speaker.