The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-12-19

Ia mine; bui when hsd ceased 70 spess
she seemed TO hesitate fof . while, aud
then spoke. gently;
Before | sns~er You. Mr.. Deerius. ]
onsht 10 tell you sometbipg. You "y
.hst you have never loved before. Bat
have.
She sighed ss she spoke. bu, when !
took her band 10 mine again abe dii no'
forbid me
If,hs, love is thing q 1.-The past, ] said
Why should II natter sitf
She once more hesi,a,ed. lifted her eye
to mine. cast them down again and an
swered:
| cannot say,
Do you mean ihst you DO not wish TO
siy' ! ssked.
No. she replied, Under the circum.
s'snee ought to be perfectly candid with
You. II depends on somsthius ] shall
never be sure about /. l'dont know my
duty. or rather-I 'link s'll tell you the
whole truth.
DO, said.
Sir ycsrs ago, when / Was seventeen.
said Lefty, mamma, who had been wild
ow q long time, married Nj. vernet. To
pass away honeymoon they went into the
country. and stopped at hotel, an old
family mansion very quaint and curions,
With old furniture 10 oil the rooms. ]
think Washington stopped there once, Mr.
Deering.
OF course be did, said That poor
old man was always stopping at old man.
siops
Well, we we're there. at oil events, con-
tiuued Lefty, aud my step father-dear
old gen,lamapl-was wrapped up in his
own happiness, and was left to do pretty
much as chose / used to take q book
aud sit under q tree on the bauk OF the
river, aud feel little dull; and so when
one OF tho bosrders. who wa, very fond Of
fishing, who used to bring his rod very
near that bank. / found it company.
No doubt. said, feeling rather
angry.
He used TO fish and | used TO read at
first, resumed Lefty, but after while be
begun to-
Begun to make love to you, said, fin
ishipg the sentence she had begun.
Yes. said Lefty; and be was very charm
ing.
Ah | said.
Not young, replied Lefty about thir.
ty.fve.
felt somewhat relieved,
A little bald, she added, but II was be
coming and be was such an agreeablo
person to talk with / felt 10 those days
q sense of loss 10 regard to mamma. She
had right TO marry, Of course; but
still
l understand, said /.
And felt glad to find some one who al.
ways wanted me, and when one day be
proposed by letter = accepted him.
dropped her hand.
OF course. as he wrote, had to write
also, proceeded Lefty. | accepted him
and when the note was written | called
little waiter and told him TO take it to Mr..
WbItmore, and saw the boy open the
door OF the room that was bic and 60 in;
and, Of course, ! expected that he would
come to me by the river, as usual, next
morning. but he did not. l did not see
him that day nor the next; on the third he
left the hotel. After he was gone look
ed at my offer again, and found that ! had
missed the postscript. which was on the
other side Of the page. II said: II you
cannot say yes, will not give you the
pain OF saying no. I will understand your
silence as q negative But long suspense
will be more than can bear. Give me
au answer at once, pray you. Then. said
Latty.I began to understand that il be did
not get nv letter be must think that had
refused him did not know what to do.
I could not write and say had accepted
him, because saw the boy carry the let
ter into his room; and was very unhappy
and grew really i'll. That is one reason
why my step father came back TO France.
He thought it was consumption, and
thinks be saved my life. But shall new.
er feel nv conscience clear unless can be
sure he jiltsd me. That would be morti-
iyinQ; but then could forget him and not
care; despise bin. laugh at myself. But
when th,uk that perhaps he Is breaking
his heart for me, piniog. believing me
firt-bere Lefty applied her handkerchief
to her eyes then feel it is duty that ]
owe Mr. Dudley Wbitmore to remain
single for his sake.
Mr. Dudley Whitmore! gasped.
Yes, said she that WAS the name; have
you ever met him?
No, | ans wered. II was the truth and
nothing but the truth. but II WAS not the
whole irnth. At that moment In the let :
ter case in my inside vest pocket carried
the letter bad lound 10 the frame OF the
mirror had bought at auction. believ.
ed it to be the one Lefty bad written to
that man. OF course, was not sure; how
could I be until bad read 1t? But was
convinced that it was so. BY opening it
could, perhaps, give myself an opportuni.
ty for noble seli-sscrifce. could clear
Whitmore's character. and. like the sdver'
,isine fortune tellers, reupie those LONG
separated. But was called upon to do
n, fxas Ia a dilemma