, 1886-12-15

town people during the summer. A
thonghtless dragging will often ruin a
beautiful garmnt. It's SO with a
wonlan's reputation.
With the passionate, reproachful let
tiers that came from Walter there came
a change in the feelings of Esther. She
felt an abhorancc for the misery Voss,
and took special pains to show him the
fact; but with him, also, there was a
blindness of the heart that would moi see
the true light of Esther's actions.
He doubtless felt a, deep consuming
love for the fair Esther, and his grow
ing conceit made him never question his
ability to win her. Her GOODNESS he
credited to her fear at having discov-
cred her heart had been won by him.
His disillusion came-came in "A way
that left no question-came in a way
that seemed fiendish in its cruelty
came in Il way that left murder and
hatred in his heart in place of
the love that had been so brutally
driven out. The loss of the first Low is
the only one that breaks h human
heart. After losses may open the
wound and the pain may be terrible; but
the first frightful disillusion is the cut
that leave the scar.
Twas the fall of 'G3 following the
summer of Aaron's paradise, that Rich
ard Murtree, a government contractor,
came TO Keenville upon a business visit
to the woolen.mill, which was then
engaged in the manufacture of army
blankets.
Mr.. Murtree was n fine appearing man
of 40 years as one could find i'll the
whole country. a man six feet in hight,
stoutly built, of ruddy complexion, but
with hair and mustache of iron gray.
He looked every atom the man of the
world that he was. OF charming ad-
dress, he possessed IA magnetism that
was only rcsistible to those who had
great strength, cowardly caution, or an
experience with the world equal to his
own.
His visit to the mills resulted in his
placing n large contract with them, and
n decision on his part to settle there
through the winter to expedite his bust
ness. lie fitted up a suite of rooms at
the well-kept hotel, in a way that gave
him all possible comfort. Purchased the
best span of horses the town could fur
nish him, and the finest vehicles that
Boston could supply him. AS might be
expected he was crowne the nabob of
the quiet place, and from his extrava-
gance and liberality he seemed to merit
the honor.
1t was ut a church festival (what
strange tricks the evil spirit does play
with mankind) that Murtree became en-
tangled into this fatal tragedy. 1t was
there, OF an early winter evening, that
he first met Esther Carter. He was at
once fascinated by her wonderful beauty
and charming manners. He doubtless
had been us completely fascinated a
dozen times before by equally beautiful
women, but that fact did not lessen his
present enchantment. His well-timed
compliments and plainly apparent adj
effect upon Esther.
Her bitter experience of the summer,
which had resulted in so many painful
letters between Walter and herself,
warned her against repeating the folly.
Her determination to be loyal and true
to her absent lover was sincere.
Aaron Voss attended this same festi-
val lit being one of the social events of
the season. resolved to satisfy his egotis-
teal idea that he was irresistible to
Esther, and it was more in the spirit of
silencing him forever, with the desire to
show her complete disgust of him, that
she refused his attentions and accepted
the proffered escort home of Mr.. Muir
tree, though possibly the secret pride of
conquest that is so hopelessly woven
into her sex, was a partial prompter.
Whatever it was, the step was fatal.
Better had she dropped dead her and
there to have been the cause of the des-
olution of so many lives. Is it not pos
sible that many things in this mysteri-
III life Of ours that are credited to ac-
cident, to fortuitous circumstances, that
are blamed to individual error or ca
p%riciousness, are really the fine threads
of an irresistible fate?
From the very moment that Esther
Carter placed her hand in the profTered
arm of Mr.. Murtree and stepped outside
the portal of the church hat had been
her altar of worship from childhood
days, she was a changed woman. The
influence of her whole previous life
seemed to have been swept away in a
moment. From that night there devel
oped in her the most unreasonable, mad.
dening i%nfatuation that ever possessed
mortal woman. She grieved, cried and
prayed for the brave boy that she wa:
proving herself so unworthy of. but
never faltered for a moment in her in
creasing and overwhelming love for the
handsome Murtree. The warning and
counsel of relatives and friends were a,
thoughtlessly thrown aside as would
have been a warning from heaven. Why
is the brain called the seat of insanity.
Does not life show that it is even the
heart that goes mad!
1t was this terrific passion that Esther
showed FOR Murtree that awakened poor
deluded Aaron Voss to the irightful fact
that his love was hopelessly crushed,
With the narrow reason that is given tc
misers, he believed fully that it was the
reputed wealth and prodigal lberality
of his hated rival that had torn away
from him this enchanting love.
AS the loss of one faculty add
strength and a%cuteness to the remaining
ones, so does the death of n passion in
tensify those that remain, and SO ii wa
with Aaron Noss; his love gone beyono
all hope of recovery, his greed fol-
money was redoubled and he resolved t
hasten the day when the wealth of 9th
ers should not o~vershadow his own.
His position in the rapidly growing mill
had advanced through his heartles'
shrewdness, which trampled on all il
his way, until he was the assistant treas
urer; and perhaps well for the interest.
- tl, ,t,,I-l,l1,~ lao ~orrAt aI.n,,A,
n step higher. His position gave hin