Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-02

tietam. You were too young to recoi-
lcct about it." :.
s.Oh, no, uncle; | remember it
WE'LL"
..He fought for the Confederates'
side, in the infantry, and was with
the Union Navy. He was the innocent
cause of the blight on my life. or, at
least, he precipitated, in roundabout
way, an accident that brought the
knowledge of a fact to my mind that
would rather have died than known.
"During my younger years, my
uncle, your great-grandfather, used 10
tell me tales of my father, who, he
said, was q privateersman, and had
lost his life at sea. He said he had
promised my father that, i'll case of his
death. should be brought up the same
as his-my uncle's-own SON; and, up
to the hour | saw him last, he was
faithful to the promise he said he had
made 10 my father. As children,
he made no distinction in his treat
ment of me and his son Raoul. Al
though we were as different in appear
ance as any two relatives could well
be, there was an indescribable re-
semblance TO each other that caused
many to'ask of either of us If we
were brothers. Raoul was a tall,
flaxen-haired blonde; l was swarthy-
checked, with short, curly, raven
locks, and fully head shorter than
my cousin. We were devoted to each
other during our younger days, and
did everything we could TO add to each
others happiness. At school ! was
the better scholar, because | really
loved my studies; and Raoul, who
was rather lazy student, was obliged
to have me coach him along until his
senior year, when he seemed to evince
a sudden interest in his studies, and
developed latent talents entirely UNI
looked for. He shot himself to the
head of his class and graduated as its
valedictorian, as well as winning the
first prize for original meter. When
,, we left college he entered a lawyers
,, office to study for the Bar. | had
evinced an aptitude for the acquire
ment Of foreign languages; 80 | con-
tinued their study with the idea OF
some time securing professorship IN
college. Raoul was writing rhythm
most of his time instead of law-briefs.
Up to this time we had never ex-
changed cross word with each other
! in fact, we never quarreled in our
|, lives: but we struck against the snag
that has so often divided devoted
!, friends, and even brothers. beauti-
woman.
"Yes beautiful and noble. She was
your grandmother. She was the
embodiment of all that is good
and pure, modest and unassuming
vet possessed of rare talents, and a:
highly accomplished lady as one
could hope to meet within the mos
refined circles of polite society. 1t IL
almost useless to say fell madly in
; love with her. She enraptured my
whole soul. My every thought was OF
her. My mind sought hers by day anc
by night. Ny least wish was for hel
happiness. When my hand touched
hers it thrilled my whole being, anC
rendered me happy through remem
brance of the fact. In truth, liye6
: only for her. At last the blow fel
that nearly cost me my reason, anC
: caused me to hate my cousin Raoul
+ One night he came into my room will
8 his face flushed, and the happiest ex
I preston on il ever saw upon the fact
= of any human being.
! i" sAIy dear Percy he said, 'congrat
ulate me. / have won the dearest
sweetest lady in Virginia. Evelynn'
: St. Pierre has promised TO be m.
Wife
ssHad he thrust knife into my DO
/" som do not believe the pain | expert
enced could have been more acute. "A
:, | looked up, the mirror pictured m,
= bloodless countenancc with an expires
: sion that told me how | would lool
!. when grew to be aged. As soon a
. could control my emotion and trus
= my voice, extended my hand to M
+, cousin, and said:
t. .Raoul, you are worthy of her
aud trust you will be happy
> al meant what | said. and | mad
u ND my mind to master my disappoint
ment; but it was impossible. l coul
m not govern my passion; It conirolle'
If me. prayed-oh, how earnestly !
Ne for relief. l prayed for death.
prayed for anything TO happen tha
N would purge my soul of the covetou
n. feeling | entertained toward my cous
,r ms fiancee. But all 10 no purpose
4 A demon seemed to possess me, an
,e everything | said and did appeared I
be at its dictation. became smooth
To- polished hypocrite. l cultivated a
unnaturally calm exterior, concealin
r. the true condition of my mind, tn
a. riotous state of the soul within me
TO So sweetly did Evelynne smile upon m
al when we met, that was fain to believ
IN she would have favored my addresse
re were not Raoul between Us. delude
n myself with this hallucinatio
until came to believe it as
Ia truth, and / cursed my fair-haireC
| Il.