Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-12-11

ton, ''liSten to me moment. We come
in all love- Do trust us. We lose all as
well as you. Then why should you inn
agine we mean anything but friendship
and tenderest sympathy"
81 do not believe you-do not trust
you and will not. Who told you we
needed any sympathy? I for one have
no desire for it,"
''lIr. Dunbar came at DR.. Shelby's re-
guest to bring Us here, and, my dear
Maud let us in some way comfort you"
81 tell you I want no comfort from
you or any one. Dunbar has, [ presume,
told you how finely Stell has managed.
I think [ am as well able to act for my
self as she.'
ooh, Maud! Maudl Do no such rash
thing as she has done, [ entreat you. 1t
will bring you only disgrace and misery"
ooh, never fear. I have no fancy for
elopements. What I do [ care not who
knows. It is too late for any to prevent
it now anyway. The last trunk went
from that room,'' pointing to a closed
door, ''since you have honored me with
your espionage.
''Allow me- with a scornful, defiant
air, even while q shudder of disgust
passed over her, 'allow me to introduce
you to Mrs. Jacob Varney, a million
aires wife, madam! Not quite SO win
some q husband as Stella's, perhaps, but
I shall have all that money can give So
what matters it,"
''Ah, Maud, my dear child! What
have you done? How could Varney
countenance such an act under the cir
cunstances?"
"What have I done? Why, found my
self princely home when my fathers
folly or crime-call it what you please
has cast me out from this. What has
Varney done? Why, proved himself a
fool! Has he not for more than a year
tormented me? And [ during that time
treated him with open, undisguised con-
tempt And yet when I went to him
yesterday and told him boldly we were
bankrupted and disgraced; that Stella,
the vile creature, had robbed me of all I
had-oh, it makes me laugh to think
how the toothless old dotard blubbered
over my hand!"-and with a gesture of
bitter loathing she tossed her hand away
from promising me trousseau
next week that should outvie any in the
city, together with a princely settle
ment, if I would consent to marry him
UIotU WI AlOu1s w Ay Nl1 1ilA1OSAlItO
marriage was just what I was deter
mined on! And II is DONE" said the
miserable girl throwing herself on the
sofa, exhausted by the shameful recital.
Mrs Newton went to her caressingly,
while her tears fell fast.
"Oh. Maud. You do not love this
man. How, then, can you endure the
home you have sold yourself for?"
loathed him. | had once some romantic
notions about marrying for love and cs
Gaping from such home as this has al
| ways been.
But that is all past! When once /
| get my promised trousseau and settle
ment. shall allow myself to be very lit
tie troubled with old Varney's society,
assure you. That would be intolerable.
have lived thus far without love and
can continue to do SO, while | now have
a position in the most fashionable society
as high as wealth can command. Why
do you weep and look at me SO sadly!
What would you have me do?" she cried
wildly. go out to service? Starye in
the streets--or worse? My mothers folly
| and my fathers shame have barred all
other chances for home but the one l
| have chosen or rather accepted as last
resort.
'EOh, not no! my poor girl! A loving
| heart was at your command, and you
| scorned it, threw it aside for the golden
| chain that now binds you and which will
| eat like canlzer into your soul"
mo. I never scorned Ernest Sher-
| wood, neveri My whole heart was his
But how was he received? Turned from
| the door by harsh words from my moth
er and bitter insults from my father,
| while I was jeered at daily for my low
tastes and Estella's foreigner held up be-
fore me as a god.
But, my dear Maud, when you saw
the state of your fathers affairs, if you
must so hastily seek home, why not let
Ernest know your troubles?'
| She started quickly to her feet. LET
him know the deep disgrace that had
fallen? The loss of property he would
not value but the shame! Tell Ernest
Sherwood that my father was a dishon-
ored mana forger-liable any mo-
ment to public arrest? Do you think
could do that, or do you know me SO lit
tie as to suppose | would shame my
womanhood by offering myself to one
respected-thatI loved? Ii you but knew
me, you would not wonder that hate the
parents that have robbed me Of all that
[ ever valued! leave within the hour,
and once outside the gate will never see
them again-never'
From these passionate words her
friends suspected she had no knowledge
of the terrible state of things below. A
few words revealed the fact that she
simply supposed her mother was in one
Of those stormy fits she had often wit
messed and her father, as usual, allow
ing the excitement to wear itself out