The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-01-25

hopes, had drawn it forth. It had been
written to me; but alasl l had no right
to it.
"Bravo!" cried Willard, in delight, as
he read it. elf any one ever asks me for
private secretary, | shall recommend
YOU above all others. Why, she is half
in love with me already"
In love with HIM True, it was VII
lard Fleming that she had thought of
when writing. Me she had long since
forgotten, and / had done my best to
destroy my last hope, if had ever been
so foolish as to cherish any.
went home half resolved to take no
further part in the conspiracy, and TO let
Willard manage his courtship as best he
might. But had not the courage to re-
linouish the bitter-sweet of my fictitious
intercourse with her. Powerfully affected
by her at our first and only meeting, her
letter had completed the mischief. was
in love with her, and might as well have
been in love with the moon.
| wrote again. recklessly, almost pas
sionately. Under Wizards name | re-
fected all the feelings which her letter
had aroused in me- | made no attempt
to disguise my love, but | expressed no
hope. 1t was a sad luxury to imagine her
flushing cheeks and Frightening eyes as
she read my fervid lines.
The letter that came in reply was an
additional torture to me. 1t was very APP
parent that, far from offending her, my
unguartled language had won me a warm
err place in her heart. There was sweet,
half confession of tenderness in every
word. such as would have been my cue
for an open declaration had been deal
ing with her honestly.
a paragraph in her letter warned me
of the dangerous ground W Hard and l
were trcading upon IN our deception. 1t
ran:
81 cannot understand dear friend, my own
feelings when L read your leLtets, men IL +
me- t1eV you III Nem Ul nn men one neais in
society SOC and one | could never have felt any
deep interest in, as l knew you then, 1t
seems now as if another person We're sleaESl ln
10 ipa i WV" i,,, m,'' II camnot roconeiIe
ii,,; that the Willard Fleming [ once knew
Is the Willard Fleming am now writing to.
How have deceived myself 50 =
SHARP girl" commented Fleming,
when he read this passage. "Won't
she stare when she knows | never wrote
her line"
The idea of cheating her became every
hour more repugnant to me. If could
have understood the whole unhappy
business what would | not have given
How she would despisc us both when
she came to know the truth"
This strange correspondence continued
throughout the winter. ! could not
break the fatal chain had bound around
myself. Every word from her was as
precious as life. could not voluntarily
exile myself from her in hatred and CON
tempt. No, the end would come soon
enough in the inevitable course of events
The end was nearer than | knew.
There came letter from her-shall |
ever FORGET it?-which, in its tender out
pouring of love. left me no alternative
but to make full declaration and ask
her hand in the name of Willard Elem
ing. AsI finished it | felt sense of
sorrowful relief. The die was cast.
Two weeks later received her accept
ance. She was Willard Fleminp's be-
trothed wife. She had resolved to cut
her Europcan tour short by several
months and return to America. She
confessed she could not be happy now
unless near me-alas, not me but the
man who had never offered her one ten
der word, nor felt one thrill of regard
for her. Willard Fleming.
Willard was in high spirits at the pros
pect of the successful termination Of his
Extraordinary courtship.
I'm much Obliged to you old fellow, -"
he said, palronizinglv. "You have done
splendidlv. Why, bless my heart. | don't
wonder she came to terms. Some of your
letters read as if you were furiously in
love with her yourself
l averted my head and made no reply
"Matters are in excellent shape" he
continued. There will be no more ne
ccssity of letters, and so if we keep our
secret she will never know anything
about it. If she discovers it, as | sup
pose she must after our marriage, she
can't help herself
While he was talking in this way, my
heart sank within me with torturing