Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-12-27

had new triumph.
Toward the close Of the play there was a
momentary conmotion in one Of the boxes.
A lady had tainted, the heat inside the thea
tire being extreme. AS she was assisted by
her friends to a carriage caught a glimpse
of her features. Though the eyes were yelled
in Inconsistencies | recognized La Serena
There could be only one such face. AS Ham,
ilton had said, the original of the locket pict-
ure was in Montevideo; but where was hei
and what the unhappiness, the secret,
known alone to these twol
On Christmas eve of that year, a very nu-
merous throng of English and Americans
were assembled at the quinta of Senior M,
! on the Paso del Molina had been in Buenos
| Ayres, but came down the river to partici-
pate in this holiday festivity. Our popular
host and hostess entertained distinguished
company at their elegant suburban home
| Evergreens and the rarest tropical flowers
bedecked sola and corridor. Ornaments and
emblems, appropriate to the season which
we celebrated. were draped with Uruguay's
stripes of blue and white, intertwined with
the national standards of Great Britain and
the United States. Many of the guests were
neighbors and old friends Of Senior M,
made doubly welcome by him because they
had not waited for etiquette's special invita-
open air dancing beneath natures spangled
canopy. From tree to tree, in the grounds,
and along the broad graveled promenades,
ropes were stretched laden with Chinese
lanterns.
Again saw La Serena. How radiantly
beautiful she was among charming womenl
Her escort on this occasion was LeIt. s.,
q brave officer attached to an English war
vessel then at anchor in Montevideo roads.
He high spirited Briton, yet the very
personification of amiability Knowing him
well, l, of course, sought an introduction to
his lovely companion, which she most gra-
ciously received Later in the evening Sc
nora Nj placed us vis-a-vis at a card ia
BILE. Then, after supper, came the desired OPP
portunity for conversation. | FASTENED to
improve the chance for my curiosity was
now at the highest pitch. So quietly said
"Your husband is good friend of mine,
Mrs. Hamilton"
You know my husband Impossiblel" she
murmured.
perhaps | misunderstood Lieut.. s..
Are you not Mrs George Hamtoni"
"Yes"
"Of Boston, Massachusetts,"
mo"
"Yet cannot be mistaken in your iden-
tity."
81 never lived in your country sir, as
sure you An American, who has bushes:
interests in the city which you have named
! is, however, my husband. We are separated
by gulf that is terrible to contemplate
am schooling myself to forget him He il
not now in South America, nor will he evel
return to this section of it, His name bear
for it was honorably given to me in mar
riage. You say that he is friend of yours
Forgive me, sir, but that man is the frienc
of no human being other than himself. HI
is utterly, brutaly selfish'
II said, sonora, that we were acquainted
There is sometimes distinction between tina
and solid friendship We have recently
parted company in Rio"
AT this announcement she clinched be-
: hands, as ii in agony. Her frame visibl,
shook, and her passionate eagerness was 81
great that feared other guests might see it
But merriment ran riot; and each couple O
coterie was absorbed in its own enjoyment
Quickly recovering her composure, Mrs
Hamilton asked:
Are you sure that your acquaintance wa
my husbands"
''He called you La Serena"
SONY in derision."
mo, | cannot think it, His tone whel
speaking that name (only heard by me ono
from his lips was one of affection seemingly
choked by some bitter disappointment"
Then | briefly told her all that | knew o
him whom | had SO greatly liked. How, a
fellow voyagers, we had first met on steam
er's deck in New York harbor; of our plea:
urable social intercourse; his last evenn
with me; the broken appointment on tn
Neva, and my suspicious as to the reason TO
his strange action; of my subsequently find
ing the locket, and how its portrait enable
me to recognize her at the Teatro Soils
"You say" she replied, that George Han
ilton must have preceded or followed you t
Montevideo"
''Such is my opinion, sonora"
"Why should he do thatf Not for you
sake, surely: nor yet for his own. With N
$50 cruelty deceived he cannot hope to /
reconciled. Besides, he is outlawed in Braz
and the River Plate republics for heavy d.
falcations."
!, A light broke upon me. The mystery wa
~ being solved, and by an accidental friend {
y the family There were two George Hami
II tons, and La Serena imagined that she ha
-. married the wrong one. 1t had been m
:, friends fathers name, | knew. He had OF
- day told me that about the time of his father
-, death, in Massachusetts, the name had bee
y adroitly used by a swindler in South Amer
ca, who obtained large sums of money.
e "You became George Hamilton's wife her
;, in Montevideo, senoraf" was now my leadir
"A question
ID mo-" she said, lat Paris Though WI
10 born in Uruguay, my education was cor
as pleted abroad. never knew George Har
an ilton in this country. Just as we were pr
to pairing for our home coming here, the Eur
,r pean newspapers began to print the accoun
Al of my husbands crimes. The knowledge tina
Is by holy bonds, was allied to such ms
a overwhelmed me- He was in Liverpool a
ID ranging for our passage. l had not yet lie
"a London. When did quit the English m
!: !: : 3 |r''2'Alk