The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-19

quickly into the hall and. opened the
door-not to the milkman. but to tall
ST lish gentleman, who dotted his seal
skin cap at the fair vision.
as Miss Hester Grey within?"
"Carll oh, CARL" Hester rushed
from the parlor, as pale as death.
"Yes, it is Carl. Hester, my dear
Hester"
He folded her in his arms and kissed
her, and then turned to Agnes.
"This is my sister, Carl. This is little
Agnes"
"We are very well acquainted, Miss
Agnes, although we never met be-
fore"
A vivid blush fitted over her perfect
face as she gave him small white hand
and smiling welcome, then ushered
him into the parlor. Hester, like a
withered leaf between two brilliant
flowers, knew she had never been so
happy before.
The following weeks were passed
very pleasantly. Carl being ut hotel
near by saw them every day. Sunny
days and bright moonlight nights had
followed in unbroken succession since
his arrival, and il was now midsummer.
There were morning rides and evening
walks, until-it came about SO grad
ually, and Hester was the last to
perceive it. True, she had noticed a
slight change in Carl, but she was
too happy and consented to give it a
moments thought. She had noticed,
too, strange tiuctuation in her SIS
ter's manner, she being at times very
gay, and at other times quiet and
moody. Yet her trusting, loving heart
knew no change until brought face to
face with the awful truth. 1t was a
calm, bright moonlight evening, the
strange, almost oppressive silence,
broken only by the gentle swish-swash
of the waves on the shore, that Hester
strolled down the garden path under
the shadow of the trees. She had seen
Agnes leave the house few moments
before, and was going to join her on
the beach. She did Lot find her, how
ever, as she expected, and was about to
call, when she was suddenly startled
and rooted to the ground by a strong,
passionate voice close beside her. She
instinctively shrank farther back in the
shadow; and, turning her startled eyes
in the direction from whence it came,
she saw them standing - Carl and
Agnes - with the moonlight full upon
them. He held her hand and gaZed
eagerly down into her white face.
agnes, Agnes you will not say that
1 love you so dearly only to be Knocked
and refused How could l be true to
my poor Hester after knowing you?"
A low, thrilling voice answered in q
tone that made even that forlorn wom-
ans heart throb.
"God only knows how well / love
youl But for principles sake-for
Hester's sake, can never, never, marry
you. But do love you so dearly"
"Then nothing shall stand be-
tween"
She heard no more, bVt staggered like
drunken person back to the house
and fell down upon the carpet, dumb,
suffering piece of humanity.
II was thus they found her fifteen
minutes later. Agnes threw herself
upon her knees beside her.
Hester, what is the matter; what
shall do? You are i'll
Hester staggered to her feet, and
sank YEARLY into chair.
Il am not ILL., / was down by the
beach while you and Carl were-talk-
ing"
She said this slowly and with diff
Guilty, placing her hand at her side, as
if to soothe her hearts dull pain.
Agnes threw herself at her feet and
burst into a storm of tears.
Hester, you will not hate me; Twill
never, never, marry himl will never
stand in your way. will go away
Hester placed one hand on the girls
head.
No, you will not go away; there is
no need of it. She turned her large,
woeful eyes upon Carl Latrobe.
Il promised her dying mother that 1
would strive to make her life happy,
and made God to Judge between us.
God shall Judge between us to-day. /
perform my last duty-I give her to
you. 1t seems hard that He has called
me to make this sacrifice, but He knows
best"
He jumped to his feet and would
have spoken, but she had left the room.
Preparations for the wedding were
soon being made, and the day appoint
ed for the great event. Hester sewed
and fitted with her own hands her sis
ter's wedding dress, and superintendent
everything.
Then came the wedding, sad and
solemn; not because of the dark, over
cast sky and drizzling rain, but because
of the presence of that white-faced
woman who had treasured her girlhood
and had her later years spurned for a
younger. fairer face.
They were going away now, and al
most upon their knees they besought
Hester to go with them.
you will go with us, Hester; you
will not stay here alone"
Agnes drew her arm about her sis
ter's waist, and lifted her blue eyes
moist with tears. For a moment the
hot, scalding tears rested on Hester's
lashes, and with great tenderness
Carl sought to take her hand. But
at his touch her tears froze.
"Not that" she cried, drawing quick
ly back. "The world may pity me-
Agnes may pity me, but uour pity /
will not have"
Hester" he said, "forget the past.
1 ~ I've L. -, fho f,,f, Id