Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-02-25

loutot ehCy cat Ol tHO JldHA' III ehN
twilight, and sang together; Janet
had a sweet alto voice, which the
boarder was not long in finding adj
mirably suited his own.
Things went on until Janet's moth
er, with many nod and beck and
wreathed smile, intimated that there
was an understanding" between the
two young people. John Wentworth
was well enough in his way, honest,
sober and Industrious, and shrewd as
need be, but she looked higher for
Janet. Janet had been to a board
ing school, she had the education of
lady, she could sing. and play the
piano, and Mr.. Raycliffe praised her
drawing more than a little. And,
by shesway he hung around (his time
to 90 back to the city was up, but he
had engaged the room for another
month";, she was sure something
would come of it. She could sniff
weddings in the air, and went so far
as to ask Mrs. Browns opinion as to
the most fashionable way of making
dresses, very nice one, suitable
and then Janet's mother hesitated,
smiled and looked very wise-suita
BILE for wedding dress. Of course
Mrs. Brown knew at once that the
dress was for Janet, and through
Mrs Brown, who was sometimes
called ''the Sunnydale daily tattler,"
the rest of them were informed with
out the loss of precious time.
The report came to the ears of
| John Wentworth. Like a sensible
4 fellow he concealed whatever feeling
of disappointment and chagrin the
announcement aroused from the pry-
ing busybodies. He did not stay
away from church or from any of the
social village gatherings because he
met Janet and her devoted adorer
there. Not he 4; he danced and laugh
ed the more, although the pain in his
heart, which he determinedly hid
from view, was in reality long in dy
ing out.
Janet had been his first love, and
however lightly she had loved him,
he, at least, had been sincere, and
could not forget her in day, try as
he might.
Time, however, is a great healer,
and when one hrzy October day Ja-
net rode over in her little phaton to
ask John and his sisters to 60 nut
ting, he looked her straight in the
eye and wished her ''happy future"
without tremor in his hearty voice
or culver of his eyelids.
Eugene has gone to Boston, y
said Janet, ficking the flies off her
gray pony, and leaning forward.
1--WE should have heard from him
Yesterday. | feel little worried.
He had good deal of money with
him. We sent to the city for things
we could not get here, and several of
the neighbors-Judge Jordon, Squire
Ellis and others-paid him in ad-
vance for portraits. | dreamed last
night of his being robbed and killed.
Ugh it makes me shiver. / know
I'm foolish, but / can't feel easy"
Bills began to fall due, and Mr..
Eugene Raycliffe was still like the
unknown quantity represented by Y.
People began to talk. Janet's moth
er took to bed with an illness sudden,
and of nature unexplained and OBJ
scure.
Janet grew pale waiting for a let
ter. Finally, one bright Sunday
morning Sunnydale, individually and
collectively, was agape over start
ling headline in a Boston paper.
"Arrest last night of Joseph Ray
mon, otherwise known as "Dashing
Joe," and having for his latest alias
Eugene Raycliffe. Several well-to-dc
residents of Sunnydale victimized by
the accomplished and gentlemanly
scoundrel.''
The affair was a nine days won.
der. But after a month or two had
passed away and the excitement haC
quieted, people began to wonder il
John Wentworth would stake up his
pretty early love-"
: Encouragement for him to do SC
was not lacking $50 the matrons ot
Sunnydale will tell you) from Janet:
: mother. Janet herself wrote little
= note on perfumed paper to John
! and this was the closing part of hi:
| reply:
81 don't want to reproach you fo
2 your throwing me over as you did
e You have been punished quite enough
. But for a man like me it's no ust
0 trying to 90 on as things are now
Better each 90 our own way. And
d although | cannot feel toward you a
+ did once, believe me that / bear M
o lll-wiIl toward you, and regard me /
n YOU will as a friend STILL"
e When, a year after, on anothe
still October day, John told Janet Q
e his approaching wedding to youn'
;, lady of Boston, Janet cried little
Y and offered faint, lachrymose con
y gratulations, with fury of regre
G and jealousy in her heart that th
o young lady of Boston fo"tunatel
d knew nothing about. And Janet
mother frets summer and winter be
le cause Janet is an old maid; but