Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-07

learn of our past, she and can live as man and wife and be as happy as though we were. With old Blatchford's money, which justly belongs to her and her mother, she shall have all the com forts and pleasures of life, and live lady among the grandest."
 Harry Pearson was not a hardened lib crtine, though he was unprincipled; and it requires a soul lost to all shame and feeling to deliberately plot away the virtue and innocence of a young, trustful girl. Pearson's conscience priclled him deeply, now that he was ap- preaching the climax of his purpose, and to palliate it he sought by every means to smooth away the evils of his course and leave only the good it prom iscd to the poor girl-as though there could any good come of life of shame, or any enjoyment from stolen money.
 His baser nature having in this in stance, as in all others, asserted itself, Pearson soon succeeded in putting away all shame and self-reproach, and with calm determination took up the su biect again.
 ''Louisc," he said, Git is not impossi- blc for you to make the change I spoke of. said society, wealth and pleasure were within your reach. They are, and all you have to do is say the word and they arc yours."
 He had stopped now and placed him self before her. His breath came fast and his blood coursed wildly. Grasping her hand and holding it in spite of her frantic efforts to release it, he went on in rapid, hoarse tone:
 "Louise, I love you, and if you will be mine you can have everything that it is in my power to get you-every- thing that love can suggest and money buy. You shall have friends among the highest, you shall have a home among the finest, you shall have all the pleasures that the rich enjoy. In short,
 Louise, be mine and you shall never
 again know what it IS to have wish
 ungratifed. You shall never feel the
 pinch of want or the cruel touch of a
 cold world. I will make it my study
 and my work to serve you, and you
 shall be my queen. Oh, Louise, do not weep, do not look distressed. Be mine,
 Louise. Say you will"
 During this passionate delivery the
 young man attempted to draw Louise
 to him, but she shrank away and made another intellectual effort to release her
 hand. She was startled by his words no less than by his earnest, pleading tone. She feared and abhorred him ; and every syllable he uttered went tc
 her heart like dagger.
 ) Hardly had he ceased speaking wher } her pride asserted itself, and resent ! ment flashed from her eyes.
 7 "Mr. Pearson," she said, "what righ r have you to say such things to me?" , ''I love you," he replied, land can l not suppress my feelings Louise, yo, 3 do not know what a power you holC
 over me, nor to what lengths I woulc t go for your cake. I love you as neve ,. woman was loved before, and do no e feel that have done any wrong in say g ing so."
 l. For little while Louise did not re 1t ply, and during the silence the ange
 melted out of her eyes and look O n pity succeeded it. Perhaps she believe IT Pearson in earnest and felt sorry tha $ she must blight his hopes. She kneI ,t what she would suffer should Paul ia!
 to return her love-what bangs c e poignant pain that would cause hel e and doubtless she thought Pearson
 feelings similar to her own. She ma if have remembered his generosity to he n father and mother, and experienced bi t. ter regret that she was able to requit Id his goodness so cruelty. But whateve
 the thought that possessed her, she b' is came sad and sorrowful, and her voic t. as she spoke trembled perceptibly. d 'I am sorry," she began, ''that yo of have said what you have. You had D m rigEt to judge me so lily. If I love ,i- you, Mir. Pearson. 1t would require |