Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-06


That there never win be . wedding day for
me and Rule: that we are only warm friends
now. as we never were the lovers - pro.
tended, that
"You do not sayr
A girls curious way. she broke me Oh; .
moment she stood and stared as me, and ther
she recalled herself
Rules affairs are not mine to dAcuD with
you," she went on. quickly. Il must 90 back
10 Aunt Sophronia, and-h you please.
would like a word with you
1t was all one to ms-the quiet rebuka. th0
indignant bit Of speech; all in . dream.
went out with her, only her last words ring.
ing in my ear; IL was al ecstatic wonder
what she would say to me-
"You promised TO settle that business a1
once, and not an hour ago there came another.
all Marechal Neils, the lovelest. sweetest Of
them all"
"EhF
Il want you to stop it; am in earnest
Girls do such queer things, and Pm really
afraid what might do some day"
What she might dol That was quite too
much for my dazed soul; . gay little laugh
rose to my lips
Some day you will stand up before we'd
ding altar; you will marry man, midland
perhaps so-yes."
She turned and went briskly her homeward
way, while l, quite content, walked away
from her. 1t was enough for one short day.
and with even q thought for business, ]
turned my steps toward town But
1t WAS late when at last l stood within my
office To turn again, to dream and to for.
get, was my poor business till the day waned
and the lights cleaned out to warn me back.
There were letters ON my desk. And ono
read:
"You understand, Of course. And would
rather you did not come again can explain
all things away"
1t was odd. was beginning to wonder at
it, when my eyes fell on another which made
Rules all blank.
What was iti
Perhaps so-Yesl
1t was her answer to the little note I had
sent that day; with smile still on my lips
read it:
"You may not come, and pray do me The
favor to Keep out Of my sight forever.
Mrs HoPGooD HARE"
| There was another letter on my desk, Q
summons to take case in distant city-if
| at all, at once.
surprised my retainers by appearing be-
| fore them the following afternoon The case
proved tedious one; weeks passed and was
kept from home, but rumors reached me;
Harley had the famous case; and lastly Har-
ley was to be married
There was no help for the mad note wrote
that night.
Il beg to inform you that shall never
marry John Harley. l beg to add that am
sorry for you"
The answer. Bare enough, save In sar-
casm, but somehow it gave me hope. She at
least would never marry Harley, and things
| grew strangely clear. Some mistake had
been made, some offense given; perhaps that
went away from her 20 quietly that night; Il
would pique any woman to be 80 left on the
eve of declaration. What a fool was not
| to see it, but
From exultation verged again to mad
ness. Five days more the tedious law held
me; at even of the sixth day alighted from
the train at Barre. St Peters bells were
ringing u merry peal; there was to be a we'd
ding in the church, heard people say as they
hurried by.
You will stand up some day before q we'd
ding altar, and shall be there to see."
| Suddenly, sweetly my words came floating
back st. Peters bells would surely ring for
that; it was meet should 60 too, to this
wedding.
"Phelpi"
| Stunned, dazed, had left the church, and
walked down toward the rivers light and
peace The prophecy had been fulfilled; she
had stood up before marriage altar. and l.
had been there to gee. was trying to re-
alize it when the voice broke In; l turned to
sec one had forgotten.
"Ruiel'
Il followed you'll could not help IT, I
| thought you lookedn--
The moon was bright; what she looked I
read; what she told me after-how truly she
loved me, how she had deceived me for my
sake and for prile's That wns oddly, mo-
ment of desperation: knew only something
slipping from me, all had; oddly, that mo-
ment, all wanted, and my soul burst from
my lips.
"Ruie-Ruie Grey, will you do something
for me to-nightr
Anything you ask me, Phelp."
"Come back to the church. There will b
some one there to marry US"
"But, Phelp"-
But had wound my arms tightly around
her and inadly drew her on"
|
| Another note to end the tale, forwarded
from the west to greet me the morrow In my
rooms
This strange thing I have just heard I
must be the first to tell you. To think you
should take me for Aunt Sophronia that day
stole down before her to talk my own queer
easel And that she never told when she fol-
lowed after to find you gone; when she re-
ceived your first tender letter-that she would
| bay. mora tn do with vOuf To think n
should go on until today, when she brought
me the last letter she had pored so bewider-
ingy over, and SO brought the explanation
| To think you should think was Mrs Hop
good Harel
John says he supposes il was his fault, the
way he talked that day you came; be was 20
in love with Inc, you see, could bear in mind
| no one else And TO think he should think
one of those lovely baskets actually went to
\ Aunt Sopnronia, But
Il want to say little word: was In earn
est did not love John Harley, did not
want to marry him; came even to have .
| bit Of sentiment for-for-I think but for the
| flowers-
| But suppose it is all too horrible to tell
| you, though where is the harm now that love
only John! will only say it was the flowers
did it all. | could not resist them, such Neils
as were in that last bouquet would bring .
| harder hearted giIl than Clairie Gay 70
| terms.
Did carer
| 1t was round of stupidity, Of crinkled
fate A fair girl lost to me, q great case,
| through it all. | did not know, and yet, that
| first aniazement over, I found myself calmly
working tho day away, calmly walking back.
the night, 10 Rule. IL was q deep, lasting
peacr. though I did not dream it: the first