Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-03

who could? Juliet is beyond the compre-
henSion of us all
But what is the use of plaguing myself
with riddles?" he now asked, starting up as
suddenly as he had sat down. eve are to
he married in a month, and the Colonel-I
have seen the COlonel-has promised to
dance at our wedding. Will it be in the
new stone house? 1t would be a fitting
end to this comedy if he were to dance in
that
l thought as Orrin did about this, but
with more seriousness perhaps; and it was
not till after he had left me that L remem-
bered had not asked whom he suspected of
firing his house, now that he was assured of
the innocence of her who was most likely
to profit by its burning.
''Now / understand Julietr' was the cry
with which Orrin burst into my pres.
late this afternoon. "Men are saving =
women whispering that | destroyed nv own
house, in order to save myself the shame of
accepting the Colonel's offer while had a
roof of my own And, burning with
rage, he stamped his foot upon the ground,
and shook his hand so threateningly in the
direction of his tancied enemies that felt
some reflection of anger in my own breast,
and said or tried TO say that they could not
know him as did or they would never ac-
cuse him of so mean deed, whatever else
they might bring against him.
at makes me wild, it makes me mad, it
makes me feel like leaving the town for
ever" was his hoarse complaint as 1 fin
ished my feeble attempt at consolation.
eff Juliet were half the woman she ought
TO be she would come and live
with me in a log cabin in the woods
before she would accept the Colonel's house
now. AnG to think that she, she should be
affected by the opinions Of the rest, and
think me so destitute of pride that 1 would
stoop to sacrifice my own home for the
sake of stepping into that of rivals. Oh
woman, woman, what are you made of? Not
of the same stuff as we men, surely"
| strove TO calm him, for he was striding
fiercely and impatiently about the room.
But at my first word he burst forth with:
"And her father, who should control her.
aids and encourages her follies. He is
slave to the Colonel, who is the slave of his
own will
''In this ease" quietly observed, ''his
will seems to be most kindly.
''That is the wost of it." chafed Orrin
eff only he offered me opposition [ could
struggle with him. But il is his generosity
hate, and the humiliating position into
which it thrusts me. And that is not all, 3"
he angrily added, while still striding
feverishly about the room. "The Colonel
seems to think us his property ever since
We decided to accept his, and as
a miser watches over his gold so does he
watch over us, till l scarcely have the op-
portunity now of speaking to Juliet alone.
If | go TO her house, there he is sitting like
a black statue at the fireplace, and when 1
would protest, and lead her into another
room or into the garden, he rises and over
whelms me with such courtesies and subtle
that 1 am tripped up in my
endeavors, and do not know how to leave or
how TO stay. L wish he would fall sick, or
his house tumble about his headr'
''Orrin, Orrinr' l cried But he inter-
rupted my remonstrance with the words:
''It is not decent. L am her atfianced
husband now, and he should leave us alone
Does he think l eau ever forget that he
used to court her once himself, and that the
taVors she now shows me were once given
as freely, if not as honestly, to him? He
knows | cannot forget, and he delights
There, .Orrin, broke in, "you do him
wrong. The Colonel is above your compre-
hension as he is above mine; but there is
nothing malevolent in him.
81 don't know about that" reioined his
angry rival. "If he wanted to steal back
doing it. Juliet, who is tickle as the wind,
already looks from his face to mine as if she
were contrasting us. And he is so
handsome and suave and self-forgettingr'
"And you" ! could not help but say,
''are so fierce and suilen even in your love"
81 know it, was his half-muttered retort,
'but what can you expect? Do YOU think
will see him steel her heart away from be-
fore my eyes?'
at would be but natural return on his
part for your former courtesies," 1 could
not torbear saving, in my own secret chagrin
and soreness of heart
''But he shall not do it, :" exclaimed Orrin,
with backward toss of his head, and a sud
der tkumD of his strong hand on the table
before me. 81 won her once against all
odds, and l will keep her if 1 have to don
the devils smiles myself He shall never
again see her eyes rest longer on his face
than mine. l will hold her by the power of
my love till he finds himself forgotten, and
for very shame steals away, leaving me
with the bride he has himself bestowed upon
me- He shall never have Juliet back. -
81 doubt if he wishes to- 1 quietly re-
marked, as Orrin, weary with passion, ran
from my presence.
/ do not know whether Orrin succeeded
)r not in his attempts to shame the Colonel
from intruding upon his interviews with
Juliet. / am only sure that Orrin's counte-
nance smoother itself after this day, and
leard no more complaints of Juliet's waver-
ng fidelity. L myself do not believe she
mas ever wayered. Simply because she
ought from every standpoint of good iudg-
ncnt and taste TO have perferred the
Colonel and clung TO him, she will continue
o cleave to Orrin and make him the idol
,f her wayward heart. But it is all mvs-
cry TO me and one that does not make me
very happy.
went up by myself to the new stone
house to-day, and found that it only needs
he finishing touches. Twenty workmen or
more we're there, and the great front door
lad just been brought and was leaning
lgainst the walls preparatory to being hung. |
Being curious to see how they were pro- |
PRESSING within, climbed up to one of the |
windows and looked in, and not satisfied |
7ith what 1 could thus see, made my way |
nto the house and up the main staircase. |