Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-11-04
Betrothed by the Dawn.

Betr0thed by the Dawn.
Mr.. D'Herble awoke al the very
hour he had intended. The gray ligh
of dawn fell on the flowers of his bed.
room curtains.
He opened the window and looked
out on the dim landscape still asleep,
The trees and fields of dull greer
color melted away into the far and
misty horizon without exhibiting &
sign of life or motion.
In tho east glimmered a faint indi-
cation of pink light.
Mr.. D'Herble remembered his lovc
and his morning appointment. In five
minutes be had dressed and descended
the stairs into the garden, where his
big greyhound greeted him with !
bark of delight, accompanied by fran
tic leaps of joy and pleasure.
"Be quiet, Tigerr
Then. in vain trying to repress the
animal, he added,
"Come along, them"
The greyhound started off quick al
an arrow through half open door,
and his master smiled as he watched
him. He saw him bounding along
over the vineyards by path of which
he knew every inch. 1t was patl
they took together every day and i
led to the last cottage of the little
hamlet, to the house of Mr.. and Mrs
Simons, wealthy New Workers, ane
lheir daughter, Miss Ethel.
~ wonder if she is awake vet, :
thought Mr.. D'Herblc. "Has sht
not made a bet with me? Can il really
be true that we are going together tc
watch the sun rise from the top of the
tower of Alaspret?
For the past three months he had
been flirting with Miss Ethel!
1t began at Paris and had been con.
tinued here in the country, where he
had been clever enough to induce tho
Simonses to come and spend the sum.
mer.
He hoped that he would have fewer
rivals here.
For he already felt the pangs oil
jealousy, was madly in love with tho
young American, and with all his
heart he wished to make her his wife.
He had no fear that he would be q
pleasing son-in-law to the old people.
He was rich, of good family, and pos.
sessed many fine qualities.
The question was, will she consents
There was so much coquetry in hel
playful ways; so much reserve, too,
in her sudden moods of cod silence
that he hardly knew what TO think.
Sometimes with her musical laugh.
Ter, her arch and soft glances, she
made him conscious of a feeling OF
nearness and familiarity that wa;
as suddenly dispelled by a frigid
goodby that instantly brought hin
back again to his position utterly dis.
concerted.
Only yesterday, pointing to the
tower of Aiaspret which from lofty
cliff conmanes view over the whole
country of Caux for 10 miles round
she had said to him:
''Is it true, as the legend says, thai
the girls of the village follow lie Gus.
tom of climbing alone with the mer
to whom they are engaged to sec the
sun rise from that tower?p
And he had answered:
at is indeed superstition ihr
longs to this part
never fail to oil
that if the sun
is invisible
unhappy on
and uncloudcQ
future is to be /.
And with laugh. ..
had said:
''Ohl but then the sun
spoiled many marriage xe@.s J
ing himself!" =
"Such a thing has been KNOWN Ii,
answered. " though very rarely. Ii
nine cases out of ten the love of tn
betrothcd proceeds unchanged as be
fore. If the omen is unfavorable the,
are incredulous and set ii at defiance
and they only accept it if favorable /,
their love-
Then Miss Ethel had said: al
must be lovely sight TO see the SUI
rise over the country. | should lik
TO go up the tower some day.
He looked into the depths of he
lovely eyes.
ait will be splendid, Tomorrow
Miss Ethel"
"Do you think SO, reallyp If SO
| shall 60"