The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-03-31

IoulL ttltCS, WIZ lltu tSSlSUcu bU. U1le
tying OF my pretty love-knot, came,
with saddened faces, to witness the
severing OF the bond.
A stiff bow, exchanged at the begin
ming 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. Wesat
on a bench, where, five minutes before
had been a smiling bridal pair, and !
felt within me an agitation that was
painful; there seemed to be a. tension
at my heart as if my whole being were
about to be racked with torture. Was
1T possible that my companion and
confident, the woman who had con-
soled and encouraged me in all my
trials, the woman I had loved so long
and SO dearly, could witness without
regret, without q thought OF the sweet
past, the sundering OF the bond that
had united u.s.
My glance wandered round the
room, from the ugl y moulding OF the
cealing to the pictures on the wall,
but suddenly it rested on a graceful
head, with soft dark hair, which had
not seen for four months, and, through
the meshes OF my wife's veil, l saw
two sparkling tear-drops.
''She too, remembers and regets," I
thought; "perhaps she could forgive"
CALAIS if we two could have been
alone at that moment. But close be-
side her was the pale stern face OF her
father and the determined one Of her
mother, those two had, from the very
beginning OF the trouble watched her
jealously. had tried every means OF
having an interview with Helen, but
my letters had been intercepted, my
messengers turned away, and our on
lymeeting had been in the presence of
a magistrate, an utter stranger, who
with the best intentions, had by his
cold formality made matters even
worse.
Since that day I have not entered
my home. But now, on leaving the
mayors office, went to the house to
pack up my clothes. [ knew that I
could not live there alone among the
memories of my vanished happiness,
so l resolved to travel, and thus fly
from all that could remind me of my
wife and home. A mutual friend ar
ranged the details ofthe matter; Twas
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 three o'clock
l was to leave; at four, Helen would
come and take away her belongings;
and twenty four hours later the house
would be ITO Let,' a party of work
men would come and put it in order
for the next tenant, and then it would
be left empty and desolate, an image
of my life.
stopped in the midst of my pack
ing to order breakfast such as would
please my little Babette; I held a. con-
sultatlon with Lucas, my old servant,
and we chose those dishes that the
child was fond Of. also put aside for
her two little trinkets, a pretty porte
bOn-heur and lOckeJ containing nv
own likeness.
Poor little Babette! She was blessed
with the happy ignorance of child of
Z, and yet she was precocious enough
to understand, in her own way, that
there was something serious the mat
ter between papa and mamma.
At 10 o'clock precisely she came &C.
companied by my mother-in-law's
maid, who said she would return for
mademoiselle at 2 in the afternoon.
Who can say where and how little
girls acquire tact? They must be born
with a germ oft, and, when developed.
it makes them either women OF the
world, capable OF reading ones secret
thoughts or else gentle, patient nurses
for the sick and wounded. Babette
asked no more questions, but kissed
me rather gravely; sat on my knee be-
fore the fire, as was her custom, and,
when | gave her the locket, pressed
my likeness to her lips, then hung it
round her neck, whispering:
81 will kiss it every morning and
every night"
When we had finished breakfast,
however, she said, abruptly:
'Do you know mamma is coming
here at 4 o'clock" .,
Eyes, my DEAR I answered.
care you not going to wait to'say
good-by to herr" she asked. After an
instant's hesitation I said: 49,
II cannot. I have to leave the
house at 3; the train will not wait for
me-"
"Why can't you take another
train?" she persisted.
Observation-Disclosures have promised
to go by that train, and must not
break my word, you know" .
Then, forgetting her presence, I
added, half aloud: "And yet, if I could
but see her alone!" e.,
Babette said nothing more, and
while I continued my prepara-
tons for going away she wandered all
over the silent house, collecting her
playthings, coming back occasionally
with doll or a little box of treasures,
and looking unusually serious.
Her behavior wounded my paternal
love, for it seemed as if she were al
ready Indifferent to our approaching
parting.
All too soon the servant came to
take my darling from me, and need
ed all my fortitude when we kissed
each other for the last time. Never,