St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-05-27
A TALE DE RUE.

midnight express bound eastward over
the Old Colony road, perhaps there was
not one more thoroughly used up than
John Coleman, of the law firm of Cole
man g. Riggs, Ashland, Mass. From
the morning of November /, when he
had started for San Francisco, till the
evening of this December L, he had
been constantly on the wing. To ag-
gravate his fatigue, the trip, in bust
ness view, had been highly unsatisfac-
tory, if not unnecessary.
But as he drew nearer home his
scowl vanished, and the lines about his
firm mouth softeDed. Stretching his
long suffering limbs across the seat, he
spread "A newspaper between his ach-
ing eyes and the glare of the bobbing
lamps, and INDUCED in tender specu-
lations. How would Rue look when
he appeared before her next morning,
two days earlier than he had prom
ised She might be watering her
plants in the bay window, and he
would walk in nonchalantly, as if he
had left her the evening before, and
say "GOod morning, Rue" and she
would drop her watering pot and rush
toward him, all smiles and bushes,
crying "Oh, John John how glad l
am to see you how I've missed you ~
Dear, warm hearted, impulsive little
Rue She certainly was fond of him.
He wished he had never been such a
brute as to reproach her about Mr..
Lynde. He was convinced now that
she had not really cared for the fellow.
She had ONLY been cordial with him in
her free, girlish way. What charming,
inimitable ways she had The lovers
revery merged into ii dream. Mr..
Coleman was unconscious of the slack
ing of the train at B, and of the
entrance of two young gentlemen into
the seat in front; but the name of Miss
Rue HayfOrd, spoken almost in his ear
aroused him like an electric shock.
"Mr. Lynde is bewItched with her,
that's plain" continued the voice.
"He's having a fine time out of Cole
mans absence"
"Pluperfect," said an answering
voice. "They say Miss Rue wOuldn't
mind COleman's taking himself off for
good"
"He's an able mau. You know
there's talk of running him for Con-
gress."
.'Oh, yes he's "a Dig and all that,
but he's a crOtchety fellow. Makes
Miss Rue walk Spanish hear. By the
way how is she and Mr.. Lynde coming
on with the operetta | had to cut last
rehearsal"
"Famously. Miss Rue's solo will
bring down the house. Lynde thinks
the entertainment will foot up at least
one hundred dollars toward the new
organ. He's jubilant. l believe that
instrument comes next to Miss Rue in
his affections. Can't he get the music
out of it, though Halloo, here's
Ashland !"
Wincing beneath his newspaper, Mr..
Coleman had recognized the voices as
those of two college students returning
from a lecture at B. FOrgetful at
last of travel stain, WEAKNESS and
headache, he waited till the youths had
left the car, and then walked out at
the opposite end, his whole energies
engrossed in weighing the evidence so
gratuitously offered. How far could
he rely on current gossip? What at
titude should he assume toward Rue
Morning found him undecided. He
must be governed by Rue's own man
ner. As Il test of her feelings toward
him he would ask her to withdraw
loved him she would do this cheerfully.
If she would not do it-Mr. Coleman
had not provided for the latter contin-
gency when Bridget ushered him into
Mr.. Haywood's parlor.
Miss Rue and Mr.. Lynde were prac-
Using IA duet for the Operetta, both too
rapt to observe the intruder-a fact
inexplicable on musical grounds to
,Do0,, M Colan,aD vUhn did not know
the notes apart, or care to knew them.
According to his inference, the young
people were absorbed in each other,
and he off in limbo. Under these cir
cumstance it may not be strange that
his face, that instant spied by Miss
Rue, was not the face of an amiable
man. 1t promptly reminded Mr..
Lynde of waiting pupil, and having
congratulated Mr.. Coleman on his safe
return, he hustled his music under his
arm and departed in haste.
Miss Rue wheeled the big easy chair
in front the CRATE, playfully forced her
sullen sutton into it, and perched her
self on its arm to talk of his journey.
Had he been i'll ? No. Then he must
be fearfully tired. She knew his head
ached. Should she not try to magne-
tie it, and put him to sleep? No, he
preferred that she should not. He had
kept his eyes closed too long already.
As we'll might a zephyr have at
tempted to pet an iceberg. With a
shiver Miss Rue slipped from her
perch, and seated herself with her
work in neighbOring rocker. What
had come over john She had never
seen him like this before. He did not
seem "a bit glad to see her.
He turned away from the distract
ing vision, mentally preparing his
brief-this astute lawyer, as ignorant
of the nature of girl as an elephant
the structure of a rose. Presently he
began about the festival. He admit
ted that Rue had once cOnfded to him
her intention of participating in an
Operetta, but he supposed an Operetta
to be something like an OratoriO, not a
tumble of silly love songs. Did she
think it becoming in herself, an en-
gagged young lady, to carol amOrOus
ditties from morning to night with
tUneful swain2
''They are burlesQues, John-only
burlesques. If had dreamed of your
disappearing, l would not have prom
Used to sing but can't retract now"
''NOt when particularly request it,
RueP"
''Indeed, no, John. have the lead
ing part. | can't refuse now to act
without offending Mr.. Lynde."
''On the other hand you cannot per-
sist in acting without offending me-"
"NOw John, do be reasonable. How
should | feel, announcing at the next
rehearsal that | must be excused-Mr.
Coleman was not willing to have me
connected with the Operetta i? What
would Mr.. Lynde think ?"
ooh. if his opinion has more weight