The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-02-22
a LESSON TO LOVERS.

n think from all have read nd heard. T"
raid young DR.. Newberry. "the great bane Of
tho happiness Of lovers, whether engaged o.
married, lie q lack Of perfect frankness ano
confidence between them. Should anything
arise to excite doubt In the mind OF either
party, an explanation should DO at once
sought and given, and thus frequently much
trouble and unhappiness may be avoided"
II perfectly agree with YOU" responded
Josie Chase, looking up brightly. "And SC
there will never be any danger OF our misun-
Outstanding each other. will there2"
II hope not. darling" he replied.
And then there was some little ecstatic
demonstration, such as youthful lovers are
privileged to indulge In when alone.
They had been but three days engaged, and
had known each other not quite three months
only since the young doctor had come to
Woodleigh to CONNER 90 practice.
Josie was the belle OF the town, and 1t had
not been without struggle that the young
doctor had won her In the face OF richer and
rs some people considered, more desirable
suitors.
She was very pretty and clever, and full OF
warm hearted and generous impulses, and
also. il the doctors lnndlady was to be cred
tied, somewhat fond of having her own way.
"Seeing she's an only child, said Mrs. Lar
rimer, who had five grown daughters OF her
own. ''she's we'll nigh spoiled to death. Her
ma let's her have her own way, and though
her pa sometimes worries about her odd DO
ings, she generally manages to bring him
around in the end"
.'She's such a firtl" said Miss Blossom
Larrimer, who, though the eldest Of the clus-
ter of five sisters, still languished ungath-
cred upon the parent stem. "Why, couldn't
tell the men she has led on to propose and
then discarded. It's dreadful heartless and
cruel |" she added, with a sympathetic sigh.
ooh, you had better leave the doctor to
find out that for himselfp glggled Miss Gay,
the youngest Of the five. "Only, doctor, you
mustn't blame us for letting you be caught
in man trap. We've warned you. He,
hep
1.-THE last one," said Mrs. Larrimer, SOL
EMMY, twas that wild young man. Jack Rip
ley, whom they turned out of Rattlepan col
lege for withdrawing the presidents horse
and other lawless doings. He used to visit
Miss Josephine while he was here at the col
lege about two years ago, and just before you
came to Woodleigh he was back again and
the two were thicker than ever. Some folks
thought 1t would be match, but her pa in
terfered and sent him of. must say she
changes mighty easy from one to another.
I'd be sorry to hove one of my girls act like
thatw
These accounts at first set the doctor to
thinking little; but be was not to be fright
ened from his wooing, and in his happiness
as an accepted lover, he forgot the warnings
and croakings Of this Larrimer family.
He knew that his Josie was little coquet-
tish-a little vain, it might be = as what
pretty woman is not But that she was
either heartless or tickle he would not be-
lieve.
And 1t was not until further confidential
revelations from the indefatigable Mrs. Lar
rimer that an uneasy feeling OF doubt and
perplexity began to take possession OF his
mind.
"Ahem |" said that lady, as she handed him
a second cup of tea when one evening he had
come In rather IateeIpm q professio nal call.
$50 Mr.. Jack Rfplcy1s book agafn in Wood
leigh. What do you think Of him, DR.. New
berry,"
II have not had the pleasure Of meeting
him."
"No2 Dear me, that seems strange when
when you are both so much at the Chases.
He was there yesterday, and again this morn
ing and evening. As they live nearly oppo-
site us some Of US couldn't help seeing him
go in and out. But of course you heard Miss
Josie mention him."
No, the doctor had not heard any one men,
ton Mr.. "Jack" Ripley. And he thought it
rather strange that if that gentleman had
really come again a-wooing Miss Josephine
Chase, she should have permitted him to pay
her these visits-she who was his aflanced
wife.
As usual, when he was not professionally
engaged, he went after tea to see Josie. It
was q warm, moonlit, summer night; the
parlor was unoccupied and close, and the
doctor, while waiting for his betrothed, took
his seat at side Window window which
opened upon the pretty garden, and through
which came soft refreshing breeze, laden
with the perfume Of roses.
In fact, just beneath this window was what
Josie called her rose arbor-- treflis COW
cred with a running rose bush, where
only last night he had sat with her in the
moonlight and talked over their plans of fu-
ture happiness.
He had noticed at the time that she ap-
peared little absent and disinclined to talk.
Could it have been on account of this visit of
Mr.. Jack Ripley? And now, as the thought
occurred, he became aware OF low voices in
the arbor. Before he could rise and move
away, these words, in Josie's voice, slightly
raised, came distinctly to his ear:
II tell you, Jack, no one suspects US. But
you come too often to tho house. You mus.
keep away, and this must be your last visit
before"
Her voice sank, and the rest was inaudible.
But the reply came in a mans tones-low
and tender and pleading.
"You are sure that you will not fail me at
the last-that may trust implicitly to your
promisep"
Then more murmurings; only broken sem
torceu an ma to tho aar nf thu n oon q o,, IL,