Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-03-29

10 was doing wrong. Dut no taiu to hitn.
seifi mortimer says It's all right. and
can't 40 hack on Mortimer" How
quickly Mortimer would have "gone
back" ON him II Il hal been 90 his inter
est 10 do sol Just now. however, u was
20 his advantage 30 copciliate John and
10 uss him.
In the midst of his excitement and
annoyanccs John rcceivel n long and
loving letter from Amy. telling hun that
she and her mother were coming to New
York 20 buy tho material for her trous.
seau. "lt may seem 90 you. dear John.
that I am taking time by the foreiock;
but haven't minute too much. ] am
going 20 make everything myself. No
other hand but mine shall take stitch
in my wedding clothes. II u an egotisti.
cal idea. perhaps you viii say. but !
want % be busy all this time. and want
work that viii not prevent my thinking
10 you every minute A. -ew tho hours
away. every stitch viii have the name Of
my own beloved John saved In with IL
n YOU think this IL foolish. dear John,
iorgiye me. I viii try and bo les siily
after tho happy day that ls coming.
John rcaI this letter over slo~SS. word
by word. then. letting tho paper alp
from his fingers 10 the iloor. he at Tor
few minutes gazing yacanily before him
lie could not think clearly; he felt likes
luan la siupor. II be- had bscn cruel,
be would have sent letter 20 Amy Hay.
LIS, telling her that be could not marry
Ser b-causo he loved another woman.
ihat would ts the shortest way out 81
the difficulty. but he ill not want 10
pain her. "Ioor Amyi Why does she
care Tor such good for nothing n ami
can't tell her don't love her. tocauss
do love her as a brother. but brOtherly
love isn't much. after what ] have pro-
tested. Well. it's nearly i've months 10
fore September; q gool deal can happen
In ,ha, time. n good deal has happcned
IN lc-- time Thinking won't help mat
ters, anyway.
~ he threw Amy. letter In tie fire,
AMI. walking over Ia tho sidebosri,
pourci out half glassful 81 brandy and
drank u slowly. Then be took mouth
ful of Ice water. lighted cigar. and.
throwing himself In a big chair. began
~ think again.
"lIang u ALI can't n man get away
from hi. thoughts ho mutterci aloud.
A. bs rose impaticntly from his chair
again his eyes fell upon the large photo
D A. a f h..
my own-my wife, haven't seen YOU
for days, my darling. Poor grit III so
40 YOU thi. moment" And. taking his
bat and top coat. he walkci over to
Broadway There b. hailed a coupe and
drove at onco 10 the Ccllas'. signor
Celia hal not left his I'D yet. he was
suffering a COOL deal of pain. signOra
hal gone % the maTket-to Washington
market. she made such gooi bargains
there and had such q variety 10 select
from. John sympaihifci with signor
Cella's pains, but he thanked heaven
that Washington market was not block
farther up town. lie could have L.oni
all 90 himself for once. and be had not
sccn her Tor 20 long that ho felt be could
never -. enough ~ her. How beauti'
ful she was. and how he loved her-fof
the time l-ingl
Ieoni was at first disposed 90 show q
| little coolncss and take John to task for
having staycl away from her - long;
but he was an expert NJ making his
pcaco with women. anl L'oni was soon
placaie,l What happy two hours they
had, John forgot all alout Amy. the
Mutual Dividend and tho rcst of his trou-
ble., ami thought only of the moment
lie told Lconi that he would be at the
Academy that evening To fetch her home,
AMI he Kept hls word signora Celia In
sisted upon his coming In and having
supper with them. and he accepted the
invitation with oagerness. Ills evening
was almost as happy as his morning had
b.yn. Ilo had bocn happier that day
than he thought he ever could h. again
after the receipt u Auy's letter.
tn next day. as hc at over his late
| breakfast thinking of i>-oni and the day
| I.cforc. his valet entered the room boar-
Ing a Telegram. Supposing II was from
Mortimer. who always communicated
with him by telegraph, owing to his ina
bility % write. John tore IL open care
lessly. tossed the .nvelcps In the CRATE
and read;
urx Iayll-s ami Amy IN Ga % train for ss-
yotk rlrase me,t them ososas bA'iis.
John turned pale. but ho aid. coolly
enough. "All right, Antonio. Tell the
10y no answer And Antonio left him
To hi. thoughts. lie looked at his
watch. IL was ~ O'Clock. The run
FROM Tarmsted was not more than
two hour. They must 10 sitting
waiting at tho station now - poor
things. lie would send his valet With
excuses Tor his unexpected absence from
town. lie arose hastily 90 ring for An.
tonic. when that noisclcss attendant en-.
tered tho roon Two ladies to sec zig
nor; would signor zee themT A. the
man spoke, John saw Mrs. Baylis- and
Amy In the hall Il was too late TO -.
cape, - he went out Ia meet them. and
brought them into the nom, holding
each one by the hand. Iewas 80 glad 10
sce ,henl. and 30 mortified 10 think he
hadn't met them az the train, bui the
telegram had not preceded them by three
minutes. hero II Vas. And he fshed tho
enyelopo from tho hearth and showed
them the date of Its receipt at the New
York Office. Tho company ought TO IL
sued for such delays" be said.
Thus he rattlei on. while the ladies lei
their delighted eyes wander about the
room. They had neither of them ever
been In tho apartments ~ a wealthy
bachelor hsiorc. AMI they were asionish.
ei at his luxuriousness John blusheel
10 the roots of his Nair as his eyes fell
upon l.eonis portrait lie made some
excuse 20 attract their attention To an
other part u the room. while he pulled
q bii of dnpery over the photograph
but not before Amy had seen that u wa
a baliet dancer In tights. Dear John
was 40 consideraie VI her. lie might
have the picture of dancing girl In has
room-all men did have such pictures
but when his hancee came In his hr.'
thought was 20 hide u from her sight.
Even the photograph Of ballet dancer
he considered. polluted the air she had
to breathe"
Amy apologired for coming TO hi'
rooms. hut her mother took tho blame,
saying she had como TO him because shs
was 20 frightened at being In New Yorl
alone. where neither she nor Amy had