Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-22

I
| thought this letter very strange, but
was SO unhappy that anything was bet
ter than the suspense. had nobody to
advise me- If was imprudent, it was
not wholly strange after the life was
leading 1 got the letter in the morning,
and at noon I had decided to 60 1 came
to the hotel on the beach road just be-
fore shutdown. 1 had expected to find it
| Just as [ had seen it once before-full OF
people and stir. twas a shock to me to
see it closed and deserted. It was very
cold. At first walked up and down the
road, but after awhile, becoming tired,
| I rested myself on a seat by the way
side 1t grew dark very fast after the
sun went down, and my heart misgave
me that l had done wrong to come. The
! ocean sounded so lonesome moaning
way below me- and it awoke such for
lorn feeling in my heart that believe I
was foolish enough to cry as I sat there
to think how miserable and friendless
was.
"What first brought me to myself
was the realization that the tears were
almost freezing on my cheeks and that
it would soon be quite dark. l started
up and looked along the road. There had
been but few passers, but now 1 saw a
man coming down on the side next to
me, and waited for him to pass. He
was so muff1ed up that l could only see
his eyes, and I thought he acted some
what strangely. He surely saw me, but
he turned his head away quickly when
looked at him, as though he did not
wish to meet my glance. Then l began
to realize what a danger might be run
ming alone at this hour i'll this deserted
place. l watched him fearfully as he
went on, and saw him look around to-
ward me once or twice, and finally he
crossed over and came back again on the
other side of the way. This really
frightened me, but as he seemed to be
going Ey thought 1 would wait till he
got past and then run for safety with all
my might | started out for this pur-
pose, but l had run but a little way
when heard a sleigh coming very fast
from the direction the man had gone,
from the direction of the city. I thought
by the sound the horses must be running
away. 1 stepped back to the wall to be
out of harms reach, but it was only
man, driving rapidly. 1t was not so dark
that 1 could not see him. He wore one
of those caps which let down over the
face, with an oval slit for the eyes. Be-
fore he got to me he began to rein in
the horses They stopped so quickly that
I hardly realized what was happening.
He was out of the sleigh and coming to-
ward me almost before l really knew
it. 1 did not even then fully understand
hot 40 oh Of HI oft nd
when did / had not the power to cry
out
HE seized me with terrible strength,
putting cold gloved hand over my eyes
and mouth and forcing me backward
across the wall. 1 was faint with fear,
and his glove pressed me so tightly that
l could not breathe. 1 struggled to get
my face free, but he held me too firmly
He pushed me down i'll the cold snow
He got my arms under his knees and
hurt me terribly Then felt his free
hand searching my pockets. The rest is
all blank to me- 1 must have lost my
senses at that moment supposed I had
a fever for I awOke in the hospital with
a strange dizziness i'll my head. "
Her voice ceased suddenly, and each
lief. Even Lamar had ayerted his face
lest she should see how interested he
was. She alone was free from excite
ment. The associations aroused n her
mind by her recOllections seemed only
to make her utterly sad and cast down.
She did not need to tell them in so many
words that her life had been very I'M
happy and unsatisfactory.
Maxey was breathless to know what
the cautious physician would next do.
He was afraid he would think that An
nette had dwelt long enough ON gloomy
things for one day. To his intense relief
DR.. Lamar seemed disposed rather to
encourage her to talk.
yours was a narrow escape, Miss
Dye" he said, land one for which your
friends must all be very grateful. "
The pathetic expression in the pale
face deepenSd
my friends! All have are with me
here. l have no others; no, not one. -
The tone was so forlorn and desolate
that Miss Maxey's eyes filled with tears.
Surely, surely, this cannot bep'
''Ah, it seems strange to you because
your life has always been bright and
happy. You cannot understand. Even
in the little time have been in your
pleasant home that old life of mine has
begun to seem like a dream. It comfort
ed me so to have escaped from it that l
have done all I could to forget it, -
''But you must have had good home
and refining influences. That is betray-
ed in all that you say and do"
Annette's whole soul seemed to be in
her reply:
CAL that have to be thankful for
owe to one sublime woman, whose frail
life stood between me and degradation
and ignorance, who put her very hearts
blood into making me what ami
She stopped abruptly, overcome with
emotion.
your mother" suggested Ellen
YES, yes, shall always call her so!
My mother! Forgive me for not having
told you all about it before. But if you
knew how it panied me to bring back
the old associations and the old feelings
you would not wonder at my silence.
Just now was trying to please myself
with the delusion that it had gone for
ever"
''It hasr' cried Maxey and his sister
in one breath. Ellen crossed the room
impulsively, and kneeling on the floor
beside Annette's chair took her hand in
hers and comforted her like a sister. In
a little time Annette was able to speak
coherently.
eff had not always been so sensitive
and so bashful, it would not have mat
tered SO much, but it was SO hard for
me to make friends. I had always to
wait for somebody else to take the initia-
tive. And then when I met persons
whom believed could have loved and
trusted, as sure as that day came, the
acquaintance was suddenly broken off,
and we were separated"