Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-05-24
A Leaf From Two Lives.

ohS oPOnc Ill d quiCh, uciNOuo way,
as if little ashamed of her words,
and yet there was a look of stubborn
defiance in her soft eyes.
She made pretty picture standing
there in the dark, green woods, her
brown hair catching little CLEANS of
gold from the sunshine that filtered
down through the interlaced boughs
overhead, the red roses at her breast
scarcely brighter than her cheeks
that had suddenly flushed in hotly
under some strange, powerful emo
ton.
He had been leaning carelessly
against a tree, looking at the slim,
girllsh figure before him, with some
thing of smile on his handsome
sunburnt face, but at her last words
he came swiftly to her side. Plac-
ing hand on either shoulder, he
looked keenly at her for a moment
without speaking. The smile had
faded from his lips and his brown
cheeks had grown pale with vague
fear and dread.
"You wish to 90 back" he said at
last, as if in answer to the mute
questioning of her tear-dimmed eyes.
She drew her breath quickly, and
her eyes dropped before the utter
misery IN his own.
ssIf [ have made mistake, un-
derstand that it was because | loved
you so,' he said, his hands tighten
ing about her shoulders. 81 loved
you too well to give you up-and yet
| never deceived you in anything !;
you know that, dear. | pictured to
you just what life shared with me
would be, yet you were willing and
eager to come"
"Becanse | thought that love
could brighten the rudest hut into a
bower of beauty; and l was weak
enough to imagine that life with you,
even in this dreary wilderness, would
be paradise. :"
She spoke with exceeding bitter
ness, meeting his look of sad reproach
with one of scornful anger and dis
dain.
"And only one year of this life
has sufficed to convince you of your
mistake. Am not right?' he ask
ed with outward calmness, though
his heart beat wildly with strange
new pain.
"It has taught me this, that even
your love and tender care cannot sat
isfy the cravings of my heart. What
right had you to bring me here? p
she asked with sudden passion
"You might have known that | could
never learn to be satisfied in this
wretched place."
81 must have been mad - he cried
more to himself than to the woman
before him. Then with sudden lie.
morseful tenderness, he drew hel
close to his heart, and, looking down
into her tear-stained face, said:
"Believe me when / tell you tha
the one wish of my heart has heen te
make you happy. Has my love beer
so selfish, dear, that it has failed te
satisfy you? Can it be that in my
own blind happiness l cheated my
self into the belief that you, too, was
content? With the knowledge O
your unhappiness before me ! woulC
give my life to undo the wrong / die
you in marrying you and bringing
you to this lonely place, yet canno
believe that you really meant all yol
said moment ago."
The last words were spoken will
almost sob. He had withdraw
his hands from her shoulders ant
stood tall and erect before her, hi!
face grave and white with inward
pain.
SIT is too late to wish for freedom
YOU know that" she exclaimed bit
terly.
81 have been dreaming for a yea
dreaming that you cared for me
that you were content and happy
and now"
He broke off suddenly and Leaned
against the tree again. His face
wore the dazed look of one who re
ceived a mortal blow. The world
which only little while ago ha(
looked fair and smiling, had sudden
ly grown gray. Even the songs o.
the birds in the trees overhead seem
ed to his dull senses but harsh, dis
cordant sounds.
ssThe fault was mine as well as
yours, suppose, and, yet | cannot
retract the words have just spoken,
she said, coldly, moving step fur.
lher away. 90, if you could only
be made to understand just how bit.
terly my heart rebels against this
wretched existence p she added, in
quick, passionate tones.
III think | understand, he
said brokenly, looking straight into
her rebelious eyes, land | will dc
wha; Is right and best"
There is nothing to hope for,
nothing to do but to live out this
miserable life," she said in despair
ing voice.
Give me time to think" he said,
lifting his haggard face to her own.
cit is all so sudden, so hard to be-
lieve, and = perhaps = tonight
may think of some plan to give you
back the freedom you desire"