Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-02-20

1&uuI9s Au0 lOSG IL Rll !SE'Sss Is
IS tAll !" the young fellow echoed, AND
there was silence. Il
Marion is very proud, jerome con.
tinued.
If she knew that she was not absolu.
tely independent of my lonely bounty ]
believe she would not stay an hour
longer beneath this roof. But, poo,
child, she need never know; at least,
until after she has been married"
The deep, expressive voice ceased
with a regretful ring, and then he con
cluded, more cheerfully.2
eco, and / wish you success in you,
wooing."'
Ned wrung his hand and left the
room, and in a very few moments Jer,
ONE followed. -
For . while the fire glowed on noisily
In the CRATE, the wind howled and the
quiet remained unbroked; then the
heavy velvet curtains were drawn back
and Marion stepped out from behind.
Her face was as pallid as a ghosts,
her dark eyes were burning with fierce
pride, and very angry her lips tre,nb-
ling with excitement and suppressed
resentment. "a"
A :prettier. picture OF enraged pride
could not be seem 49, ~'. .
"Great heavenW she cried, with pas
,sionate stamp. 49,! What deceit !. How Of
ten have hurled the fact in his face
that was glad, infinitely, that l owed
him nothing. He calmly heard me,
knowing that it WAS q beggar's delusion
he was listening tor, She paused and
her flashing eyes turned on the chair he
had lately occupied. "How he detests
me, too" she said. II have never tried
to win his favor we have never been
friendly, and to think that for weeks
past, or perhaps months, I have eaten
his bread and spent his money, thinking
it entirely my own. But it is over-1
shall not stay. In the wide world there
is surely room for me to earn my bread!'
She drew back the curtain and look
ed out. The stars were shining frostily
but the wild March wind was making
havoc of every stray leaf and fragment
in it's path.
The streets were deserted. It was an
unusually bitter night OF that bulster-
GUS month";. night when humanity
keeps its head snail-i!ke, indoors, when
the craclle Of. a good fire is the sweet
est sound on earth.
Marion, with little shiver turns
away.
II must col" she muttered; mot an
other night will stay here beggar on
his bounty. Old Mrs. Chaplin, though
she is poor, will keep ME for my moth
er's sake until I get something to do
and pay her back" She paused a Sec
ond by Jerome's arm chair, and leaned
her arm on the back of it. II wish--I
wish he did not dislike me So" she whis-
pered, and the tears tempted the luster
Of her eyes. ut was my abominable tenn
per at first, and now he is tired of me,
and would gladly marry me to the first
coxcomb that asks"
This mood only lasted second, and
all the old ferceness returned.
"But what am I doing?" she said,
dashlng away tho tears and trying to
control her quivering lips. "Do I not
hate this man--this superior being who
treats me as child? Am I not glad by
accident learned the truth OF my posi-
tion? Certainly! Am I not delighted
at the possibility of feeling independent,
away from his benevolent smile? 7 am;
and the time will come when Jerome
Vannf will wonder that he ever laughed
at me or my yagaries." >"
All the warm Southern nature arous-
ed, she went to the desk and began to
write note to this detested guardian.
Sir" it dashed off, "ten minutes
since I learned my position in your
house, and it is such an undesirable one
that + renounceit this night. You, who
have disapproved of me so strongly,
will no doubt be glad to learn that T
have broken from your reins and fed.
Good night. and good by to you, sir.
MARION.
"P. ST distinctly and emphatically
refuse to marry MIR. Burlington"
An hour later she was on the street,
the wind blowing her. cloak, andtwist-
ing her veil till it looked like signal of
distress. r II ! ~
: There was nothing of the heroine
about her as she hurried along, keep
ing on the darkest side of the street.
her, head lowered, and her tears drop
ping thick and fast. Poor Marion
The first touch of the world in which
she stood alone, was cold and blustery.
The weeks passed ON lily leaden feet.
Advertisements and detectives were both
Of no avail, and Jerome Vann's fS<e
grew strangely old and sad, for Marion's
Whereabouts still remained q mystery.
: He loved her far more than he ever
realized. He longed TO see that spiri-
ted, magnetic face again, and to hear
the pert, merry voice which had made
such drollery of his well-meant advice.
Day after day passed, each one m
exact repetition of the preceding one,
and all very weary, sickening blanks to
the rich lawyer in his stately home. -,
It was June. Sunny, soft weather
reigned in the city. Roses bloomed ev-
erywhere, in florists windows, in mar
ket carts, in wealthy gardens--every-
where the fragrant lunches Of different
hued flowers waved in the breeze. ''sa@
Jerome was standing at his library
window, looking out at the throng Of
promenaders and open carriages dash
ing along. His eyes were no longer
filled with suspense, they were far
worse they were calm and hopeless.
He had left nothing untried to dis
cover her whereabouts, and it had all
been worse than useless. He had been
beating his heart out with pain, in al
ternate hope and failure, in passionate
longing; and now all was over. With
out any renewed vigor he was still deep
in professional duties, trying but vain
ly, to take up the thread Of existence IS
though Marion had never been known
and dearly loved.
IJn 4r,n1 III, l,ia h a an a l>nr,n and xxor,t