Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-05-05


do we care for the fashionable people
to whose houses we 60, and whom
weinvite to our parties? They would
not one of them regret if we were to
90 to the Rocky Mountains to-mor-
row.
II would as soon die at once as
live without society,"" said Rosamond.
"Do leave off lecturing me, Rufus
Society is all that makes life worth
having for me-
And, with deep sigh, Rufus held
his peace.
That was long, lonely winter for
Mrs. Mildmay, senior, at the Hem
locks.
Snow set in early; the river froze
over, as if it were sheeted with iron,
except in the one dismal place down
in the rayine, where a restless pool
of ink black water boiled and hub-
bled, at the foot of perpendicular
mass Of gray rock, under the shadow
of gloomy evergreens the sunshine
glittered with frozen brightness over
the hills, and the old lady was often
secretly sad at heart as she sat all
alone in the crimson parlor, by the
big fireplace, when the logs blazed
in the twilight.
And as the New Year passed, and
the bitter cold of January took pos
session of the frozen world, vague
apprehension crept into her heart.
"Something is going to happen, )"
she said. 81 am not superstitious,
but thele are times when the shadow
of coming events stretches darkly
across the heart. Something is 60
ing to happen !''
And one afternoon, as the amber
sunset blazed behind the leafess trees,
turning the snowy fields to masses of
molten pearl, she put on her fur-lined
hood and cloak.
81 will 90 and take walk said
she. 81 shall certainly become a
hypochondriac if / sit all the time by
the fire and nurse my morbid fancies
like this
She took long brisk walk, down
by the ruins of the old mill, through
the cedar woods, across the frozen
swamp, and then she paused.
Il will come back by the Black
Pool, she thought. sit is a wild and
picturesque spot in winter, with lei
cles hanging to the tree-boughs, and
weird ice-effects over the face of the
old gray rock
1t was a dark and gloomy place,
funereally shadowed by the hemlocks,
which grew there to giant size; and
when Mrs. Mildmay got beneath their
boughs, she started back.
Was it the Elusive glimmer of the
darkening twilight ?-or was it really
man who stood close to the edge of
the Black Pool?
''Rufus Oh, Rufus, my son -
She was barely in time to catch
him in her arms and drag him back
from the awful death to which he was
hurting himself.
When they reached the cedar vain
scoted parlor, where the blazing logs
cast ruddy reflection on the red mo-
reen curtains, Mrs. Mildmay looked
into her stepson's face with loving
eyes.
''And now, Rufus,'' said she ''tell
me all about it. The Lord has been
very good to you for saving you from
a terrible crime
''Mother, why did you stop me?'
he said, recklessly. II am ruined
man shall be dishonored in the
sight of the world Death would be
preferable, a thousand times, to dis
grace"
''Rufus," said the old lady, ten
derby, ''do you remember when you
used to get into boyish scrapes al
school? Do you remember how you
used TO confde your troubles to me
Let us forget all the years that have
passed. Let us be child and mother
once again"
So he told her all-of the reckless
expenditure on Rosamond's part
his own, also, he confessed
had woven itself like a fatal wei
about his feet-of the unpaid bills
the clamoring tradesfolk, the threats
of public exposure, which had driver
him at last to the forgery of his EN-
E ployer's signature, in order to fire.
himself from one OF two of the mos
pressing of these demands.
"And if my investment in Fri
O bonds had proved success" he said
O eagerly, II could have taken up ey
J. cry one of the notes before they cam
f. due. But there was a change in th
! market, and now-noW the bills wi
be presented next week, and my vii
lalny will be patent to all the world
Oh, mother, mother! why did 20
= not let me fling myself into the Blac
Pool?"
"Rufus," said his stepmothe
'swhat is the amount of these-thes
!; forged bills -
ssTen thousand dollars" he al
swered, staring gloomily into the fir
a Exactly the amount of the go
a ernment bonds which your father lie
d, me-" said Mrs. Mildmay. "The
at would have been yours at my deat
They are yours now, Rufus