Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-02-05
WHAT SHE SAW.

Happy? Yes! Never had Nettie
Frame looked for such happiness. 1t
was wonderful, incredible.
Would her mother think it too sud-
den? No, no; not when told all about
1t. 1t had been three long months
that she had been here with Aunt Ju-
liza, who, extravagant woman, owned
two su INNER cottages elsewhere, but
who so greatly preferred this big,
jolly, lovely hotel on Cliff Isle that she
had come thither for two entire sea-
sons, bringing her favorite niece with
her. And this summer her favorite
niece had met Stanley Mayhem, been
loved by him, loved him and promised
to be his wife,
Nettie sat in the corner of a great,
soft sofa in the long parlor, thinking
her happy thoughts. Only three
months! But how we'll they knew
each other now!
Stanley came down from the city
every night, and every Sunday for all
day, and how her contented mind
.teemed with sweet memories = of
moonlight stroll on the sandy shore;
of quiet hours on a rustic bench on
the hill; of grabbing and fishing in
his little skiff; of long talks, only
bright and friendly at first, then some
thing more; of the moment when he
had spoken and she had yielded her
full trust to him; of the blessed two
weeks since then.
She had written to her mother and
she had told her Aunt Julia; and she
wondered if she ought not to tell
Eleanor Wells. Why hadn't she?
Eleanor and she were chums, and
Eleanor was an old friend of Stanley's
family in the city, and was the one
girl beside herself to whom Stanley
paid any attention.
Was she, perhaps, just the least lit
tie mite jealous of that old friendship,
and of SANKEY'S frank admiration of
Eleanor? Was it because of that Turk
ing little doubtfulness that she had
not confided her happiness to Eleanor?
Nettie was ashamed of the feeling.
OF course he admired a handsome,
clever girl. He hims elf had intro
dGced them, and wanted them to be
friends, as they were. 1t was herself
whom he loved. Was not that enough
for her? Did it not seem to fill her
world with radiance?
She would go and find Eleanor this
minute and tell her. She would tell
how she almost wondered that he had
not chosen her instead; and they
would laugh together probably cry
little-and have good talk.
She must hurry. It was after seven
O'Clock now, and he would be down
on the eight O'Clock boat to night, he
had told her, because he had a little
extra work at the Office. She would
just have time, when she had seen
Eleanor, to get into her prettiest
gown for him. She rose, smiling and
and went tripping down the
long room humming a gay air.
A huge, gilt mirror was at
the end of it. She stopped suddenly,
in the act Of passing it,
He had come! There he was, lust |
entering the farther door of the par
Tor. Eleanor Wells was with him.
Nettie stood waiting, her eyes
fastened on the mirror which reflect
ed them.
The moment she stood there seemed |
TO her an eternity. Her smile faded. |
a culver passed over her, and her face
took on marble GOODNESS; for she |
had seen Stanley Mayhem stoop over
Eleanor Wells-seen her raise her
pretty, graceful head, and seen their
lips meet.
Herself they had not seen. Poor
Nettie! She turned away. Her trembl-
ing hands were clasped SO tightly that |
it hurt her; her breath came in little,
gasps.
She hardly knew what she was do
ing, when she passed out across the
broad piazza, and, bareheaded went
,ropingly out into the thickening
fusk.
To be alone-to get away from ev-
and everything that was
aer bewildered longing.
1sHe must have come by the seven