Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-04
rHE uI>Dou or 4 CHILD.

NV wife was accompanied hv her father,
her mother and two friends. while my two .
old comrades. who had assisted at the ty- /
ing of my pretty love knot. came with sad .
dened faces to witness the scyering of the /
bond.
A stitt bow. exchanged at the beginning I
and the end of the ceremony, was the only /
farewell between two beings who for years |
had never had a thought that was not |
shared We sat on a bench, where, five /
minutes before had been smiling bridal I
pair. and felt within me an agitation that /
was painful: there seemed to bee tension T.
at my heart a, if my whole being was
about to be- racSed with torture. Was it |
possible that my companion and contidant, .
the woman who had consoled and cncour- /
aged me ia all my trials the woman had |
loved so long and so dearly could witness /
without regret, without thought of the |
sweet past the sundering OF the bond that
had united u.s.
Nv glance wandered. round the room,
from the ugly moldiug of the ceiling tothc
pictures on the wall. hut it suddenly rested
ON graceful head. with its soft, dark hair.
which } had NOT seen for four months. and.
through tine mcsheo oft my Wiies veil.
saw two sparkling tear drops.
"~ue too. remembers aua regret Is.
thought "uohap- she could forgive.
Alas. II Uc two could but have been
alone at tuai moment. But CLOSE beside
her was tbr pale, stern face ot her father
and thr determined one of hcr mother.
those two had. from the very beginning oft
the trouble. watched her jealousy J had
tried every means OF having am interview
with Helen, bun my letters had been inter
ceptcd. my messengers turned away and
our only meeting had been IN the presence
of "a magistrate. an utter stranger who,
with the best intentions had by ms cold
tormallty made matters even worse.
Since that day | have not entered my
home. But now. on leaving the mayor
office went 10 the house to pack up my
clothes knew that could not live there
alone among the memories of my vanished
happiness. So | resolved to travel and thus
to fly from all that could remind me OF my
wife and home
A mutual friend arranged the details of
the matter; ] was to spend the night in the
house and the next morning Babette, my
only child, would be allowed to come and
breakfast with me. At 3 O'Clock | was TO
leave: at four Helen would come to take
away her belongings: and twenty-tou
hours later the house would be "To Let.
party of workmen would come and put il
in order for the next tenant, ana then it
would be left. empty and desolate an inn
age OF my life
stopped in the midst of my packing to
order "A breakfast such as would please my
little BabettC; ! held a consultation with
Lucas my old servant ami We chose those
dishes that the child was fond OF. / also
put aside for her two little trinkets. a pref
tv porte bOnhcur and lOCket containing
my own Likeness
Poor little Babcttr She was blessed
with the happy ignorance of a child OF sew
en-. and vet She was precOcious enough to
understand, i'm her own way, that there
was something serious the matter between
papa and mamma
At 10 o'clock precisely She came, accom-
panied by my mOthcr-in-aw $ maid. who
said she would return tor mademoSele at
two in the afternoon.
Who can say where and how little girls
acquire tact2 They must be born with "a
germ of il. and, when developed il makes
them either women of the world capable
of reading ones secret thoughts or else
gentle patient nurses for the sick and
wounded. Babctte asked me no questions.
but kissed me rather gravely: sat on my
knee before the ire, as was her custom,
and. when gave her the locket, pressed
my likeness to her lips, then hung il around
her neck, Whispering
~ will kiss il every morning and every
night"
When we had finished breakfast, howey
cr, she said, abruptly:
''Do Won know mamma is coming here
at four o'clock
Eyes. my dear. answered.
4 ra Won mot ubipp In wait and Sa1
goodhy 10 hero she asked. and after al
instant hesitation ! said:
~ cannot / have to leave the house "a
three, The train will not wait for me.
"Why can't you take another traiu'' sh
persisted.
observation-disclosures | have promised L
20 10y that train, and 1 must not break m
word. YOU know.
Then. forgetting her presence, adde
half aloud. And yet, ii ! could but Sc
her alone.
Babette said nothing more and while
continued my preparations for going away
she wandered all over the silent house co
lcctng her playthingS, coming back occa
sionallv with doll or a little box OF treas
ures. and looking unusually serious
Her behaviour wounded my pattern;
love. for it seemed as ii She were alread
Indifferent to our approaching parting.
An too soon the servant came to take m
darling from me; and ! needed all my TO
titude when we kissed each other for ii
last time. Never, never should We me,
again in our home, The time draggC
heavily after she had gone, but at last IL
clock struck three Then ] sent my Sc
want for a carriage. and while he was COL
i went into the bedroom and stood lOOkI
at a beautiful portrait of Helen, paintt
when she was young girl. II belong,
TO her so / could not take it with me; al
as / gazed at il, my tears burst forth and
cried aloud, "Forgive me,'
A slight noise startled me- and, turin
round / saw Helen standing in the doc
way. pale and agtated In an instant
was on my knees before her, pressing h
hand TO my lips and murmuring:
''lou have come an hour too soon-dO
this mean that You love me still?'
Trembling and fearful, she replied:
"You have stayed an hour too Ion
Why have you done so-what is the use
just then Babette danced into the TOol
and clasping her arms around our necl
exclaimed delightedly:
II did 1t mamma put the clocks bac
papan
OF what avail are legal papers and ma
istrates against the power of loves pa
don? went on my Journey, but in I