Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-08-04


tude.'
"Very well," answered Rosa, care
lessly STOPPING to pick up the odor-
GUS purple blossoms which had fallen
from her hair, ''then we shall consid-
er our engagement dissolved.
"And can you give me up SO read
lily, Rosa?''
4 "Oh,' said Rosa a little impatient
lly, stwhere's the use of being roman
tic about it?'' You have chosen your
part, have chosen mine. So let
it be-
Clarence Hyde took his leave, de-
jected enough. 1t is not pleasant to
etup a fair idol and worship it with
L The strength and tanderness of
your nature, only to fi1d, "a ser all.
chat it is dust and ashes-hollow
hearted and false!
Cuthbert Hyde sat smoking his
brier wood meerchaum by the open
window as Clarence entered--a square,
shrewd looking old man, with deeply
scanned wrinkles on his brow, and
restless, sparkling eyes, cleaning
like live Goals beneath his shaggy
brows.
"Clarence, my boy, something has
gone wrong" he said brusquely, af-
ter he had regarded his nephew in
silence for awhile. ''Tell the old
uncle what it is"
II have told you about Rosa Ell
don. sir; well she and l are-in fact,
it is all over between u.s."
Engagement broken, Ell? Past
the power of patching up!''
eyes, uncle"
"And it was on my account? Nay {;
boy, don't turn away can read the
truth in your eyes. SO she has played
you false?''
"We are parted, uncle-is not that
enough?"
"Well, perhaps so-perhaps so. 1t
is well you found her out in time,
Clarence. It's for the best, my boy. "
Clarence Hyde was passing down
the village street day or two sub
sequently, toward dusk on mellow,
August evening, when slight form
glided up to him and a tremulous
hand was laid upon his own. He
started at first, but quickly recogniz-
ed the face and figure.
'sLizzy Eldon y
"Oh, Clarence, l could not rest
without telling you how very, very
wrong l thought Rosa, and how sor-
ry / am for you."
ssThanks, Lizzy. I do not think
she has treated me exactly right"
Lizzy burst into tears.
'sHow could she be so cruel, so un-
womanly? You are right, Clarence
you acted nobly. think Rosa will
one day live to repent it"
As Clarence stood there listening
to Lizzy Eldon's impetuous words
and holding her soft little hands III
his own, he wondered that he had
never before noticed how very, very
pretty she was-a softer, more sub
dued style of beauty than Rosa's,
yet not less bewitching in Its way.
They haunted him all night long
that oval, earnest face, those swim.
ming blue eyes.
Day by day Rosa's image waxed
fainter in his memory, and LizZy's
sly, gentle looks grew more than ever
present in his heart.
Il do believe I've fallen in love
with the glrl,' he thought. 81 won
der what she would say if l should
propose to her."
Next to the wonder came the real
ization. One fine October day, wher
they had strayed little way from
the gay nutting party, whose voices
made the old yellow-leaved woods
musical, Mr.. Hyde asked Lizzy Eldol
if she would accept the love her sis
ter had sighted and Lizzy, smiling
and trembling, answered him yes.
"You see, Uncle Cuthbert," sait
Clarehce, eagerly, as he explained
the new position of affairs to his un
Gle that evening, after he had safel,
escorted Lizzy home, with her baske
of nuts only half filled (and no won
der, all things considered), sit will
be so pleasant We shall all live to
gether, and Lizzy says she will low
you dearly. Lizzy is such a famous
little housekeeper. She thinks it will
be SO pleasant TO have you sitting b.
our hearthstone And, uncle, yol
will 90 to see her tomorrow, won
you?''
eyes," said Uncle Cuthbert, brief
ly, "Pll 60"
And the next day Lizzy was sur
prised at her sewing by brown face'
little old man, who abruptly tool
both her hands in his and imprinted
a kiss upon her crimson forehead
just as If he were the oldest acquaint
ance in the world
$50 you're going to marry m.
nephew, Lizzy, are your" said Uncl
Cuthbert.
"Yes, sir" Lizzy made answer
timidly.
Sand you love him, Lizzy?"
ssOh, yes, sir!'
''And you won't object to havin
the old man numbering round tn
house, helpless and feeble though b