News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-25

despite of my protestations. L refused
to sanction the marriage or be present
at the ceremony. Margaret had to the
| full the impetuous character of our fam
| lily. On the eve of her departure for her
| future home she came to me and said
| Stephen, henceforth do not ever expect
to hear aught of me or mine. You have
chosen to wound me in the tenderest
feelings of my nature, and to insult him
who is now my husband. I shall never
| forgive you. Never again to my dying
day shall your name, Or any illusion to
you, pass my lips. I sever the connec-
| ton between us. Should | have chill
dren, they shall grow up in ignorance OF
any relatives save those upon their
fathers side. 1 have pledged my hus-
| band to a like vow, and it shall be
kept Before L could recover from the
surprise her implaeable words caused
she had gone. This was the last time I
ever saw her.
''Now, my nephew, your mothers
vow was wrong and I have no doubt that
ere she died she would have gladly re-
called it. / am old and alone in the
world and in sad need. You are young
and strong and to you I turn. 1implore
you, as the last of my family, the only
one living upon whom have any claim,
to come to my succor if it be possible
for you to do so. Your uncle,
''STEPHEN HARTLEY.
F'NIr. Henry Holmes"
81 am glad you are going, Harry, I"
Thalia said as she finished reading.
''Poor old man, all alone in the world
and needing aid-his is sad lot
81 knew you would feel SO, my dar-
ling" Harry answers; and then, the let
ter forgotten, they talk as lovers de-
light to do, until the moments, flying
by, bring at last the dreaded time of
parting.
"Who is the drone now, Thalia Riv-
ers, should like to be informed p ex-
claimed Ida one evening coming into
her cousins room fully arrayed in an ex-
quisite bali costume. SIT is almost time
to be going and here you sit with that
everlasting picture in your hand
Thalia Thalia haven't you forgot that
nonsense yet ?"
No, Thalia has not forgotten, although
the last three years have been be-
wildering time to the girls shrinking,
retiring nature. She is growing more
accustomed now to the thousand demands
and forms of society, but they weary
her infinitely.
Not one word since their parting has
she heard from her lover; but, as she
had truly told him, "neither time nor
place can change her heart, and deep
down in its pure recesses is still enshrined
one handsome, dark face, with grave
brow and speaking eyes.
"What do you think Renie Andrews
told me this morning ?" Ida says a
month later.
I'm sure I do not know" Thalia re-
plies. looking up from the book she is
reading.
a'Well, what would you say il my
coroneted destiny were even now on his
way to England? Renie tells me that
her cousin from Ireland is to arrive in
time for her .fete, and that with him is
to come veritable Croesus and heir to
a prospective title. Renie says that he
is handsome, too, for she has seen his
picture. I tell you what, Thalia, fee
it in my bones-as nurse used to say
that the young stranger will not return
to his ancestral acres as unencumberec
as he comes. Some English girl vii
certainly captivate him; and why should
it not be your humble servant ?"
By the time her cousin finishes, Thaliat
face is full of the amusement she canno
repress; but Ida is too much engrosseC
with her pleasant fancies to notice o
be offended. The same afternoon tn
postman brings a letter to Thalla, ad
dressed in bold, manly characters. Sh
has never seen Harry's writing, and yet
her fingers tremble, and her soft cheel
fushes, as she opens the envelope; fo
something tells her whose hand pennet
her name. Inside are only few lines
"DEAR THALIA-Gf l may still cal
you o)-Tkis day in which L writ
brings you your twenty-irst birthday
and the end of the period of our proba
, ton. If you remember and still ad
here to the words you said as we parted
send to me a cluster of flowers like thos
| took from you as remembrance, an,
which I have worn ever since close t
the heart that beats now as fervently TO
you, and you only, as it did then, thre
years ago. HARRY"
An address follows. The next ma
bears with it Thalia's answer. What
is the reader may surmise.
The weeks glide by, and at length t
Ida's great delight, the day of the looked
forward-to garden fete dawns. Ida look
, regally handsome. Thalia's quaint sim
4 plicity of dress suits the girlish styl
: well. The afternoon is waning, and &
? vet no distinguished stranger has mad
his appearance.
S It is warm, and, little tired by
/. game of lawn-tennis, Thalia strolls o
: to a rustic seat Throwing aside ht
d hat, she leans her head upon her hant
s and for a while loses herself in hapE
t day-dream. Suddenly step approache
r and a well-remembered voice speaks h
name.
J, With startled eyes, Thalia springs
e her feet to find herself drawn to warn
o ly-beating heart.
"Do you know me, Thalia?"
e Eyes, she whispered; sit is my low
come back to me-"
l. He laughs-a joyous laugh.
> "My constant darling !" he murmure
J "And you still are ready and willing
IS leave your luxurious home and becon
u poor mans wife ?"
n eve will not be poor, Harry, for
shall be rich in love"
u A look of almost adoring affection ii
3 the young mans earnest eyes as the
r rest upon the sweet, downcast face.
81 have something to tell you, lit
= one," he says, "that will surprise yo
L went to Ireland expecting to find
lr relative, old, poor and needy; 1 foul
sr an uncle, titled, and the sole represent
10 tive of rich and powerful family. ID
l. letter had been worded thus to try m
E. He was in need, he said, of affection.
found him waiting and longing to e
% tend to me the fathers love l had nev
1t known, and stand here to-day as /
heir waiting to claim the wife who low
me when poor and obscure, and who,
ly trust, will care for me just as much
~ my changed circumstances.
e "You are a lucky little thingp p |
u saws Uben tho frutb is rooda EDOUn