Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-02-27
AUNT ESTHER.
Where have you been:?"

autumn, sat among the soft pillow
that lifted her time wrecked form il
an invalid chair.
The niece, fresh and bright, will
sunny touches on the brown of he
hair, aud a somewhat daring spiri
shining from her dark eyes, stood nea
the fireplace, where ruddy ligh
flashed up and swept across her and
showed the slim, girlIsh figure clad il
heavy cloth and fur.
Nv hat were you doing at the lakeP'
Skating. The ice is like glas.
there, aunt. and I was practicing fol
tonight. You know we are to have 8
,kating party on the lake tonight,
and"
And you are not going TO it."
mot going! Why"
because you are under my care
and my control, and l forbid you
10 gom cried Esther Claremont
sharply.
But l have promised-I will be
called for!" began Vera Claremont,
piteously.
w III 10 W SuLl iOI YOU
The bent figure OF the old woman
traightened suddenly, her shrunken
l,nd was put out and laid on the
girls arm, while her fierce, unlender
eyes traced the fair young face, in
which Il slow color was futtering,
You need not tell me. ! know +"
cried Esther ClaremOnt, with passion
ate anger in ner sunken eyes and
showing in the unsteadiuesS OF her
wrinkled lips.
Il aln lying here day after day
helpless and crippled, and you would
fain deceive me; but you cannot
know who is playing at love with you,
who is teaching you that love IS sweet
and youth is sweet and truth and hon
esty only words Idle words That
fair young face Of yours has brought
you what fairness and youth brought
me at your age; but yOur life shall not
DC wrecked by it as mine has been. |
will save you though l have to use
bolts and bars to keep you safe One
Claremont is enough to be blighted by
DamareI, and the lying lips OF the
son shall not bind you 10 him heart
ard soul, as the false lips OF the father
bound ne when was credulous
young thing like you :"
She paused, painting. Vera had
grown pale, but she could not love
her eyes from those burning ones be-
low her; nor could she free her arms
from the grasp OF those thin, fierce
fingers.
Speak" cried her aunt. as not
Lee Damarel trying to win your love?"
'Ges"--slowly and falteringly. '1ie
has said he loves me-"
And you believe him? Tell mew
Il believe him"
Esther Claremont laughed-a quick,
mjrthlcss, hooking, bitter laugh-and
suddenly loosing her hold OF Vera,
pushed the slight figure from her.
So she cried. jeeringly, II am
too late! You love the son of Conrad
Damarel. You have given me no con-
iidence; | owe you no consideration
you. you, whom | took into my house
when you we're homeless child; you,
10 whom | have been kind for ten long
years"
Never Kind, Aunt Esther" spoke
out Vera, clearly. You clothed and
fed me. you allowed your roof TO she tier
me. but never in Nil those ten years
have you even spoken one kind word
TO me-
migrate" Kissed the woman.
"Not that Aunt Esther, for ! am
grateful to you for what have receiv-
ed"
Prove it! Prove your gratitude,
then" cried Esther Claremont, fierce
ly. Give up this lover of yours;
never see his face AGAIN.
Poor, pale little Vera! Where did
she get the strength to stand, straight
and fearless, before the woman whom
she had always feared before?
] would rather die" she said, below
her breath.
Die9 As II it would be hard TO die ~
her aunt exclaimed, harsh!y. TO
live requires courage-to live loveless,
friendless, unable to put faith in one
human being. But let me tell you
why the name OF Damarel is hateful 70
me. You never heard the story?n
Il have heard it, but not from YOU, ~
answered the girl gently.
Ana she stood in an attitude OF deep
interest, as, with the brief winter day
dying, and the shadows gliding To her
ch. ir, Esther Claremont told her story.
IL loved Conrad Damarel." she
said. her voice pulsing with feeling;
81 loved him with my whole heart.
And he-he played ut love. lie never
truly loved me, or he would not have
made a few impatient words OF mine
sufficient excuse for breaking with
me. ! did not mean them-God knows
/ did not! But they were spoken, and
he m de them his excuse. He left me
standing in the sun light out there"
She lifted one thin. tremulous hand,
and pointed TO where vast sheet OF
white-covered lawn might be seen
through the window.
That was the love OF a Damarel.
He went away and forgot the girl he
mad won, and married some stranger:
and |, through all the years that have
gone by since, have remembered-re-
membered till, heart and soul, gre W
soured and warped.
The girl went and knelt beside the
invalid-chair, and drew one OF the
thin hands to her cheek. On that
soft, fair cheek tears were lying.
Aunt Esther, let me tell you what
Lee told me-let me tell you what his
fathers dying lips told him." she said.
brokenly. You were so wrong-sC
wrong! Conrad Damarel loved you all
his life."
at is false! He left me because oil
a few angry words. He was glad to
be set free!n cried the woman, fercely.
''He loved you; but you babe him
go-when you told him you could live
without him-that you were tired Of
him and his affection-he left you.
Do you remember his parting words TO
you, Aunt Esther? II you wanted to
see his face again, you would recall
him. You never did. He waited fol-
five years, hoping. You sent neither
word nor line. He then met fair,
sweet girl. whose heart went out to
him without the asking, whose tender
nature he knew could never wound
him, and whose love was great enough
TO be content with only kindness. He
married her and she outlived him.
AUNT Esther, he has lain under the
earth for seven years, and, dying, he
gave the story OF his love for you to
his son. That son has come to me,
loving me as his father loved Won.