Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-25
AGATHE-S PERFIDY.

Always Bertrand
You will never regret your choice, my
darling Not even il some man richly en-
dowed with worldly goods come TO seek your
favor are you quite certainF
Listen Bertrand. such a love as mine is
born not to live but for II day ike gaudy hut,
teray that gladdens the eye from sun To sun
and is never seen again. nay. 1t Is enduring
as yonder rock pure the blue ether above.
. love that will only end with death and per
Glance not then | know that you are poor,
but what Is that to met The united love OF
two beings who are all in all to each other Is
wealth enough | will be true 10 you though
all the world prove falseI"
And to you. | swear it," solemnly re-
sponded Bertrand Argyle Is be raised his
hand On high as though he would pluck one
of the cleaning points Of light that flashed
from the blue ether, above alluded to by
Agathe de Relic,
OF to the west, where the sun but just now
was but is more, its after glow suffuses
the cloud wreaths with varied tints Of purple
and gold and ruby red that are reflected upon
the ripping waters Of the lake below in
sheeny radiance This is not intended as
reflection on the Jews. only on the lake, A
little To the south Of west the gibbous moon
is humping itself Gibbous is good word to
use As few people know what it means fon-
der, YEARLY vending his honeward wend
along the dusty way, is gibbous man He,
too. is half fun Softly the zephyrs sigh
through the tree tops and the lows nod
drowsily to one another and from afar comes
the horny handed voice OF the honest
granger as he jaws his hired yeoman From
. neghboring swamp arises q faint, misty,
vaporous fog, thickly studded with the ran
dom remarks of a male COW frog. delivered
in a low. thrilling, reverberating voice
81 could stand here forever listening to the
sounds of nature with you at my side" re-
marks Bertrand at the conclusion Of the
pause above referred to
Would you not fear catching cold if you
stood here foreverf' she asks at length, shyly,
as though fearful that her words may give
offense.
True, my love had not thought Of
that"
one of his trousers pockets and encounters .
dime 1t brings his thoughts to practical
turn. He sighs, like a man who has been
holding his breath while three men are on
bases. two out, and the striker has two strikes
called on him.
"Agathe, he begins III the low determined
voice Of one who feels his sllspenders giving
d l. III -.
looms by sheer force Of Will. tomorrow
60 forth to carve out n fortune for myself and
for you You will wait for me until return
with it, will you not. dearf'
Forever. but do you think it will take you
very longr
II cannot say, it may be years, it may be
more OF less, but with you to spur me on
know shall not fail And before go take
this. it j., Il decd of u tract OF land in Florida
made out in your name 1t may not be of
greater vGiue than some other tracts that
have been banded me from time to time by
well meaning persons, and then again it may.
1t cost me s.. keep it with my blessing"
"Oh, Bertrand, you arc so good
Don't say anything about it, please. l
cleaning now has given way to gloom of
night. It's long past supper time, | am
hungry. and so, no doubt, you are Allow
me now to guide your footsteps to your home,
even as | hope soon to have the privilege Of
guiding them through life"
Thus they faded away in the gathering
gloom
A year or twelve months has passed away
"a year freighted with blessings and vicissi
tubes ard political conventions and-well,
with everything that constitutes the cargo
o. well freighted year, on which man pays
the freight to Time the general superintend
ent Of the Grand Trunk line to eternity But
this is only by the way
A bearded bronzed man. attired In good
clothes and an air OF prosperity, bounds
buoysntly up the steps leading to the front
door Of charming villa and gives long,
strong pull at the bell knob.
1t is Bertrand. returned after a years toll
full carving at fortune
A domestic servant appears and ushers him
into the fnult,ssly Furnished front parlor A
female iJr.l IN tn" full flush of fair femininity
rises 4 81 The fauteul aud looks at him with
a peri '-scl, | think you have the-advantage
of-me expression upon her regal features
"AGathe, can it I've that you do not know
mel" he murmurs
Mr. Argyle, hclieve, she replies askance
Bertrand steps forward with a rapid stride
and SEES to seize the slender. jeweled hand
that is naiI extended to him Why are
you 50 djsiert, Agathe, my daring' Have
you so soon 5rro,ten our
Forgotten nothing. Mr. Argyle" replies
Agatha As ste dIaws herself proudly erect
but things have changed since then You
remeracr the deed you gave me OF some
Florida land"
81 do Mss De Reille,r replies Bertrand,
who is beginning to scent something gigantic
in the nice line
We'll, Mr. Argyle. boom struck that
section Of Florida short time ago and sold
out an worth quarter Of a million now,
and you cannot expect that would trust my
future with man whom cannot hut sus-
pect Of wishing to marry me only for the
money ls-s,7s
Bertrand listens Ike one who is slowly
undergoing the process Of petrifacton
Surely YOU cannot r1ean thisf he aska
''You'orc only jesting. tell me this Is moth
ing hrt a cruel joke ="
ct never joke, and why should tell you .
falsehoodf"
Then you wish that We should meet here
after as stran-ersF'
That is about the size Of my wish; I
would gladly be a sister to you, but fear
you might some time consider such relation
ship near enough 10 attempt to borrow money
on the strength Of il Therefore. think it
better that we should go our respective
ways"
This decision is inalir
Quite so, Mr.. Argyle"
Then listen. Miss De Reille,r exclaims
Bertrand, whose form seemed suddenly to
grow about ten feet tail, while triumphant
light blazes from his eyes and his words come
quick and sharp ike the rattle Of peas in .
cheese box You think you have the bulge
on me- but you are wrong When | gave
you tina; deed did not tell you that re-
tanned the deed of four times the amount Of
land | gave to you The same boom that
struck your possession swept over mine also
sold out am today the proud possessor
Of cool million. thus. thus. are you pun
ished for your perfidyl Farewell, Miss De
Reille. we meet henceforth as strangers
would not asrept your love though it were
rendered me on a golden tray You have