Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-04-01
DO NOT BLAME HER.


wondered to-day, looking blck, if |
could have controlled myself sullicient-
ly to prepare him for the shock, If | had
read the newspaper first this morning.
! was passing Mar IS cup Of coffee to
slg>> the waiter-girl, when | caught
rigid Mhis face. It was white and
his eyes Sln eyer ba in his coffin, and
to see. dilated in stare horrible
'Markr CT
dear. Are you in terror, what Is it,
was beside him.
that his eyes were fixepoke, and saw
place in the paper he hadl certain
Then |, too, read the fatal Feading.
only few lines, but full of h6Xaph,
Mark. Cor
DO not blame her y he said inN
whisper, shuddering as he SPOKE. Oh,
Bessie ! Bessie |! My heart is broken =
| put my arms around him and drew
his head down upon my breast, where
ii had so often lain in childhood, when
my orphaned brother came to sister
Bessie to be comforted in boyish woes.
He was my only brother, though / was
sixteen years the elder.
Little graves in the cemetery marked
the sorrows of my childhood, as one
after another my brothers and sisters
had dropped and died, until only Mark
was left. And he was but four years
old when our parents both died.
We were not poor, owing to our own
handsome home, and a comfortable in
| come; so mark had every advantage of
education, studied law, and gradually
won his way to position in his profes-
sion. And had married, lost my hus-
band, and returned, after an absence of
only three short months, TO resume my
place as my brothers. housekeeper, only
my widows dress to tell strangers |
had eyer been away.
1t was just after Mark had flushed
his studies aud been admitted to the
bar that he had met Alice Arnold.
She had come to Claymont To visit
her aunt,a a near neighbor and old friend
of ours. and we called to welcome her
amongst us.
She was about eighteen years old
then, aud her beauty won its way to
my heart as surely as it did to Marks.
She was the most timid, gentle Great.
ure | ever saw, her color flitting if you
spoke to her, her shy blue eyes droop
Ing. and her voice low and almost plain.
tiye in its timidity.
Miss Arnold, ID strong, energetic old
maid, seemed II actually terrIfy her ~
her short, brisque manner, but she
clung to me from the first hour of our
friendship.
Children generally like me, and she
was little more than a child. Yet,
when SIZE became more intimate, and
came often to pass whole days with
me, found that below the frightened,
timid manner there was clear brain,
an intellect that had been carefully cul
tivated and sweet womanly nature.
She was an enthusiastic musician
and a fine pianist, but could not sing.
Nothing delighted her more than to
play for Mark and myself to sing duets,
or if was tired or busy, to hear Mark
sing in his ich baritone voice the mu-
sic he loved.
/ asked myself, after she bad ended |
her summer visit, if she was coquette,
n cruel, heartless flirt, who would win
mans heart only to cast it aside.
And, in my bitterness then, l thought
she was.
In later years l acquitted her of the
crime. I believe she had no suspicion
that Mark loved her.
He was always grave and reserved,
and, although he was but twenty-three
at that time, had the air and bearing
of a much older man. And 1 being
really 80 much her senior, think Alice
looked upon us both as rather elderly
people, and was far more free and con.
fdential than she would have been if
she had looked upon Mark as a young
man and lover.
But Mark, who had never cared be-
fore for any of our grl-frlends, gave to
a lice Arnold all the story of love his
heart could ever offer.
knew it, for Mark had made me his
friend all his life, and see
ing her shy pleasure in his presence, the
interest she took in all his puIsults, her
gentle acceptance of his grave atten-
tiOns, thought his love was returned,
and [ was happy in the expectation of
a nearer, closer tie between the sweet,
loving girl and myself.
But just before she left Claymont,
Mark, telling her his love, was answer
ed by the tidings that she was engaged
to be married.
She was dreadfully distressed, COM
ing to me To- sob out her regret that
Mark loved her. but Loyalty asserting
her own love for her betrothed