Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-10-18
CHATTER Xy.


burying her face. Her breast was
heaving with sobs. She was grieved,
heart-stricken in more ways than one.
She recognized now little tokens, straws
that showed which way the wind blew,
which ought to have opened her eyes as
to Douglas s feelings toward her. And
she liked him so muCh-had sometimes
INDUCED the fancy that, if fate had
given her such brother. it would have
been an unspcakable joy. Now she
had wounded him and driven him away
--One of her best and dearest friends.
"What will he think of me-" she
moaned, 'if he has guessed that love
one who does not care for me? And yet
he is so good, so noble. so clever, how
can help loving him?"
One comfort she had If Douglas had
OWNED her feeling for his friend, he
would not betray her; st. Lawrence
would never know how she loved him,
he would not despise her for having
given him regard he had never sought
she felt sure Of that. As she became
more calm, she began to iuterrOgate her
heart-tO ask herself if she could have
loved Douglas sufficiently to become
his wife, if she had never known st.
Lawrence; but she mentally answered
No" The lively, needless. ind0lent
young pOrtrait-painter could never have
been the one she would have chosen for
her protector and companion through
life, aifectionate, gOod-tcmperCd, and
generous as she acknowledged him to
be.
Her medtations led her back to the
summer months gone by. st. Lawrence
had surely cared for her then. Had not
her heart many times thrilled under
the speaking glance Of his eyes, at the
tender tones of his voice? Why had he
Changedp What had she done? What
had happened during the last few weeks
TO disspate the bright dream in which,
almost unConsciously to herself, she
had been living? If he had changed,
she could do nothing to bring him
back. If the brief sunlight had gone
out of her life, she could only submit,
and try TO bear up bravely. She was
herself suffering what she had made
Douglas suffer. They would both get
over their sorrow in time. She had
often read and heard that time heals all
wounds, though it was hard to believ
it just then
Bertha was too courageous, too high
spirited TO yield tamcly TO despOndeucy.
After while she dried her tears and
bathed her face, and, going downstairs
again, set herself to some work that had
TO he completed for her sister. After
fixing and arranging and cutting out
for some time. she recovered her out
ward composurc; but. her head still
aching, she laid aside patterns and
scissors, aud went into the garden, her
usual place of resort in all troubles.
1t was Il lovely afternoon; there had
been showers during the day, which had
refreshed and cooled the air. Soft
white clouds fitted across the blue of
the sky; the trees waved and rustled as
If they were things Of life, and greeted
the breeze that swept through them
Bertha had before now whispered her
secret grief to the roses, and taken the
lilies into her confidence. They seemed
to smile and bncBon To her, as if they
would have said, Come amongst us
and he consolcd.o
Pinch, who had resumed his aCcus-
toned place, rose rs his young mistress
came out, and put up his paws against
her, enlrcatiug notice.
Door old Pinchl" She said, stopping
ana laying her check against the dogs
shining black head You liked him too.
But he doesn't care for us, Pinch-he
rover comes now
With sigh she could not suppress,
she turned into the sides walk and along
by the truit-trces; and here Mrs. Dal-
AiAl anu iN'tti l'4lIl iltl witch ltltN
returned. They came along. Mr.. Fan
court had IN engagement, and had been
obliged to leave them. they said.
Lena began To tell Bertha the result
of their visit to the jewelers.. She had
chosen the opal; it was not quite SO
fine one as the original perhaps, but
ii was the best to be had, and Mr.. Fan
court had given orders to have the ring
made after her drawing. lie had
insisted upon making her another
present before they left the shop,
and she had chosen set of turuuOiscs.
II think, after all. blue is my color"
she continued. My bridesmaids shall
have white over pale blue silk, and for
get-me-nots. Don't you think that
would he pretty"
VERY pretty Bertha replied, rather
abSentlN, as they all went together in
u the house
And, oh, Bertha, there IS one thing
must tell you," said Mrs. Dalton,
throwing oil her bonnet, MS her custom
was ON reaching the drawing
Lena taking it up and carrying IL of
with her own things. after we had
been TO the jewelers., we drove through
the Park-there Is not much to hn seen
there now, of course. rs every one is
out of town; hut the day WIS So fine. |
4 a
sington Gardens. So We left the
hrougham at the gate. and walked
down to the waters side. and there
whom should we see at a distance but
Mr. st. Iawrrncel pointed him ont
to Mr.. Fancourt. sThSre's tb,t clever
Young artist. Mr.. ST Iawrence whom
Won have heard us sneak ~ 'sai3 :
Won never sayv sn,h :, sf,r+ ,S NJ
Fancourt rayn ITe tnrnSJ nain ma
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