Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-15

something nal happened to disturb him
He was pale and haggard, and his eve
avoided mine, lie dropped into a chair
and seemed plunged In deep thought
thought him i'll and asked what was the
matter Nothing" he said. When |
went to bed left him sitting there, with
his legs stretched out before him and
his head on his breast, and when l en-
tered the room In the morning he was
here still looking as If he had not moved
lie arose. said "Good morning." and
going to the mantel, filled and lighted his
pipe
After pacing up and down few moments
In silence, he took the pipe from his lips,
and still walking to fro, began:
81 have a story to tell you. 1t is about
myself, and will explain my conduct last
night you have doubtless wondered
some about my past history. 1t has been
uncventiul. was born in a city of one
OF the southern states, where my father
was a portrait painter, as his father and
| was years old my father died poor,
and left my mother and myself to
the care of his best friend,
man some years younger than him.
self, who had been attracted to
him by his love for art. To this man |
owe everything have and am. All that
is good il me comes from his bounty and
example. When was 81 / told him that
| was resolved TO rely no more on him,
aud that | meant to try and justify by my
life his great goodness TO me. | meant it,
and have honestly tried to keep my word
lie told me earnestly that he had no fears
for my future if | would only do my duty
as | saw it. have always seen my duty
clearly and rightly enough, but | don't
remember ever having done it thor.
oughly.
Last night Miss Vernon told me that
the time had come for making our
engagement known. Her parents.
she said. had always intended to
marry her to an old family
herself, who had loved her from a child,
spcct, and whom she would probably
have married had she not met me. She
said that lie is now about starting for
Florence. and that she thought her
parents ought to be informed of our en-
gagement before he arrives. Then taking
IA photograph album from the table she
opened it and said, This is he; do you
not think him Handsome The face was
that OF the man whose kindness to me
have told you OF. ! was too much over.
come to say anything, and came away at
once pleading sudden indisposi,,on.
spent last night in trying to find out ms
duty in this matter. l have found
it. | see it clearly. shall see Miss
Vernon for the last time tonight,
and leave Florence tomorrow.
All the arguments that my ingenuity
could suggest were vain.
That night when IioDbs called at Mrs
Ansteins he found Miss Vernon alone
W hat happened, what he said. or how he
explained his conduct. are things do not
nuvr. , viiy niiuT That iio ioit + florence
for London the next morning, and that
Miss Vernon was i'll for several weeks.
Fifteen years had passed before saw
Hobbs again last summer. lie lives in
pleasant villa in London suburb,
with white haired lady, who is
wholly devoted to her son. Hobbs is
famous now. and paints as he pleases.
He has not changed much; his dark hail
is well streaked with gray, and he has
wrinkles about his eyes and forehead tina,
forty years ought not to have put there
but the pleasant ways and happy smile
are still his. only tempered and softencd
one night we had sat long in his library
talking OF our Florenine days. The fire
was burning low. We were both talked
out. After a long silence, broken only by
the monotonous ticking of the clock
Hobbs said; Those days were the pleas
ATTEST of my life. For few weeks | wa
really happy. have though
much of the circumstances undo
which ! left loreEce have, l think
thought Of every possible aspect of TIM
sui. ect, and think now as thought then
thai | was simply doing my duty. Ant
yet, had it all TO do over again | woul(
let duty 20. The consciousness Of havin!
done my duty has not brought me on
moments happiness. Perhaps our stand
ard is wrong, or theirs something highe
than duty.
said nothing. What could say?
was uncertain whether he knew what
did-that his friend had been long de
layed in getting TO Florence and that Mis-
Vernon had rejected him and married a
Italian gentleman.