Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-08-08
THE LOST LETTER.

Iney are standlng on the veranda; he
is bidding her good night.
II am going away, Miss Lagrange, "
he says, looking earnestly into her face
as he speaks.
"Indeed! for long9" There is no
tremulousness of tone, nor heightened
color.
He is disappointed; he has hoped that
she would show some reluctance to part
with him. "Six months or year, per.
haps forever" he adds, little bitterly.
She is startled, but she is calm and
quiet when she answers: "We will all be
sorry to lose you"
"Will you be sorry, Miss Rose" he
questions, directly.
''Why, of course; have we not been
good friends9"
Friends yes; but-well, goodnight.
May call again and say good7pyes I do
not start until Monday"
Something seems to fill her throat and
choke her; she does not answer, but
turns suddenly and runs downs the steps.
She pauses before a white rose bush,
growing beside the walk, and picks one !;
when she returns to him, she has re-
gained her self-control.
''Here is a rose for your buttonhole:
what was it you said2 shall you come
and bid us. good-bye9' We should feel
very much hurt if you did not" She
says all this inSean easy running tone,
perfectly free from emotion.
AS she gives him the rose, he takes the
hand that holds it, and kisses it twice,
then huTies away.
"Fool that was to suppose that she
cared for me-" he mutters, as he strides
down the street. "What am / to do
now9" he asks himself, as he unlocks his
door and enters his bachelor quarters.
"Will she, or will she not consent to
become Mrs. Lawrence? that is the ques-
ton" He filings himself into chair
and puts his boots on the table. ''My
scheme has worked far from satisfactory;
nevertheless, if l fail, will go away,
anyway; can take a vacation and 90
and see mother"
He gets up discontentedly and PAGES
the room. "By Jovel l have it! I'll
write to her."
Miss LEGRANGE: / cannot see you again
without telling you all that is in my heart
'1ls useless for me to say goodbye without
saying more. Useless9 Nay, impossible
You can guess what mean. If you wish me
to call again, send me one word, "come,n
and | will be with you Saturday night. If
you cannot say more than goodbye, do not
reply to this, and you will never be troubled
again by E. LAWRENCE
'"There, that will settle it. I'll go and
put it in the Office tonight"
Saturday comes and goes, but brings
no answer to Eugene Lawrence, waiting
and watching for one word. He builds
high hopes in the morning, and feels
sure of success. But it is with an ex-
ceedingly heavy heart that he sees the
sun go down, still he does not relnquish
all hope, for there may be some delay.
So he waits as patiently as he can until
Monday, which wears itself into night,
without bringing him the welcome mes
sage. He waits one more day, hoping
against hope, but to no purpose. Then
he wearily packs his belongings and
leaves town.
And Rose9 Longingly she waits
for the goodbye visit, and wonders
much when he comes not
Time passes, and in the early summer
Mrs. Lagrange, Roses mother, dies, leav-
ing Rose and her little brother Harry,
to the care of an uncle, in distant city.
After the funeral, Rose starts for her
uncle's, not knowing what else to do,
but feeling sure that she will not long
remain dependent. Her father has been
dead many years, and it is his brother,
to whom she is going
Mr.Legrange receives them coldly, and
very soon makes them feel their depend
ence. Roses is sensitive, high-strung
temperament, and she thinks she could
endure anything better than the petty
Sights and sneers to which she is daily
subjected in her uncles house.
She takes small room and obtains some
sewing; the remuneration is very slight,
but as nothing else offers she is glad to
get anything by which she can earn
enough to get food for herself and Harry.
But soon her rent falls due and she has
no means to meet it. She is wondering
what she shall do; she has just finished
some sewing for Mrs. Lawrence, but it is