Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-03-05

upon his bosom, for he held her close
ly there, and spoke in passionate,
remorseful way that almost frighten-
ed her. Part of what he SAID was sc
cold that she could not comprehend
it. But while she lived she always
remembered these words.
"1ou are only too good and pure
and innocent for me. If l do not
seem to feel as l should, it is my own
sin and not your fault. Blame me, if
you like, but never-never reproach
yourself. Oh, my white rose My
spotless blossom Why am / not
worthier of vou?'
Then he kissed her-kissed her on
her eyes,and lips and forehead. And
at that very moment there reposed
at the bottom of Harry POWELL s
rpocke~d note written in woman S
hand, containing only these words :
81 can meet you at your office at u
O'Clock tonight" and signed canaan
da."
Harry Powell was a hot-headed,
impulsive fellow, and had been from
a boy, an ardent admirer of dashing
brilliant women. When he found
himself in love with the mild, fair,
gentle Rose Forest, he wondered how
anything SO quiet could have won it.
Still he was in love, and deeply. Be-
ing that he was, he would have mar
ried her if all the world had opposed
their union. AS it was, there were
no obstacles in his way, for her heart
was his; and the rivals who frowned
upon him, and the maiden aunts who
shook their heads, and called him a
very wild young man, were disre-
garded, and SO he took her from the
old homestead, where she had been
SO tenderly cared for, to his own
home, to be his lifelong mistress.
At first he had only been a little
thoughtless at times, and had dried
every tear she had shed with kisses.
For though champagne and cigars,
and Tom, Dick and Harry had their
old charms for him, he valued her
above them all, and she knew it we'll
Only year before, the spell that
had of late kept him from her side,
had begun to distill its deadly poison,
and claim him, body and soul. He
was the confidential clerk of a
establishment, and, as such,
had at times heavy responsibilities
upon his shoulders. Important pa
pers and great sums of money were
often his care, as he was trusted, as
few men are by their employers.
They were right in reposing their
in him thus implicitly for,
wild though he was, there was not
one atom of the swindler in his COM
position. The keys of the great safes
were always within his reach and
sometimes he was left alone to re-
ceive large sums of money, and to
lock it up. There had been times
when rumOrs of a meditated robbery
had reached the firm, and he carried
Loaded pistols in his bosom night and
day.
1t was at that time, twelve months
ago, that he had first met with the
woman who had written the note
which now lay within his pocket. A
beautiful woman he thought her; and
it seemed to him at first that
she should follow him with her eyes
and seem to watch him in the most
places. At last per-
fumed note came, and he read that
she had invited him. 1t was a daring
the more astonish-
ing because the writer professed her.
self to be a wealthy woman and
wife. 1t would have disgusted many
men. but Harry Powell liked "queer'
and had a penchant for
daring women. So he met her, and
In little while Rose was only second
in his heart, while this mysterious
woman haunted his dreams by day
and night. Thus far he had been
to his wife only in thought.
But the siren who had bewitched him
was to meet him in his Office at mid
night!
There had been a moment when
Rose wept on his bosom, and he tho't
Of all her purity and truth, in which
Harry Powell had resolved to break
lis appointment and forget his un-
loly love forever. But the mood |
passed; and, with the return of his |
I'D self, came a remembrance of |
hose black eyes and red lips, those
'ender glances and bold profession
If affection. Good, beautiful Rose |
grew tame in comparison, and when
he hour of IL came, he started to
lis feet.
$50 to bed; Rose" he said, 81
nave business appointment tonight
hat | had nearly forgotten. 1 will
De back as soon as | cam"
ga business appointment at this
hour % thought Rose in surprise.
But he was gone before she could
put her thoughts into words; and,
still full of her new-found happiness,
she went upstairs to her own white
chamber. Harry had been
Up before her, and had changed his !
iress, leaving his everyday garments
wing untidily about. AS she picked |
,hem up a paper fluttered from a vest |
oooket-a folded paper, perfumed
L. Il l.