Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-12-20

by the extraordinary powers of fas- |
ciuation which she could discover AZ /
will. Poor little Bob's simple. com.
monplace talk stood no chance against |
the new aud attractive briIliancv of
Alee's conversation. Armleigh list
ened to her with delight. He was
clearly impressed. An intellectual
man himself. he could app eciate in
tellectual talk, especially when i. was
set on by sweet and musical voice.
Then, too, the whole expression OF her
face seemed changed. The calm i'm
mobility, which usually had graced it.
was there no longer. 1t had given wav
to new and radiant vivacity. In her
eyes, when she addressed Armleich,
shone a brilliant something, which
almost looked like a challenge. To
meet that look from such a quar-.
ter. and not to feel the pulse quicken
and the heart leap, would have de.
mnrded superhuman restraint. Ronald
Arm!eigh had many fine qualities, but
restraint of this description was not
among them. He was clearly being
fascinated by this new development in
Aiice'S charms.
What people" say is not always of
much moment. They are given to
speaking without knowledge and eriti-
cising without judgment. But what
people said upon this particular
matter did have some groundwork Of
reason and good sense. They asserted
that if Alice Baines had taken this line
in the first instance, nobody could
have found fault with her. 1t would
then have resolved itself into a
contest between the two sisters for
prize to which neither had greater
claim than the other. But to have
acted rs she had done, to have taken
no pains originally to strengthen her
hold upon Armleigh, to have let her
childish sisters affections become deep
ly engaged with him, aud then, when
he was on the point of making that
childish sister happy by declaration,
to use every effort to draw him back
to herself-at the risk of wrecking
poor Bob's happiness, and, perhaps,
breaking her heart-why, this was as
cruel a thing as jealousy, in its most
extreme form, could devise. Such
conduct toward friend would have
been odious; toward a sister it was
shameful, objectionable. Heaven
grant the effect might meet with that
failure which it handsomely merited
Heaven, however, did not grant it.
The effort proved successful. Bob's
white face and miserable expression
betrayed that, long before Armleigh's
engagement to Alice was announced,
Bob's little dream of happiness was
over. Alice had dissipated it finally
and forever. But twas not merely
the loss of her lover. though this was
chief, but also her sisters conduct in
the matter, which cut Bob to the
heart. Until this unhappy affair, Bob
had experienced nothing save the ten
derest kindness, the most cArcsslng
care, from Alice. And then-on a
sudden-to be so treated by her, it was
as incomprehensible as it was IN.
natural and cruel.
Only once had Bob ventured on q
timid remonstrance. Alice had an.
swered her thus, hardly, and almost
with scorn:
"Why were you not happy and con.
tent with Gerald? Gerald is far more
suited to you than Ronald Armleigh.
You would never have made Ronald
happy"
Bob had burst into tears at this un,
feeling retort, and, without apology OF
any attempt at 5olace, Alice had left
the room. No other word on the sub
ject passed between them.
, The Gerald of whom Alice had
spoken was an old ndmirer of childish
! Bob's, and, until Armleigh's appear
:, ance, had been that young lady's first
: favorite. He lacked all Armleigh'.
brilliance of manner and distinction
q of bearing. As love maker he wa
his hopeless inferior. Many people
1 called him stupid That he was not
8 If rather slow of speech and silent o
q temperament he had plenty of gooC
f sound sense, and, withal, possessed I
kind, true heart and loyal disposition
y which far outweighed his external dis
;, qualifications. Everyone could SCI
that he was devoted to Bob. Bob had
e liked, had even been very fond of him
o She might, perhaps, have thought that
{. she loved him, had not Ronald Arm
leigh taught her what love really was
t.. But now her eyes were opened. SHE
, knew love now. She knew, also -ho j
n many have known it thus?--that will
o the loss of her beloved had gone from
q her the capacity of that first swee
sentiment; that It's sublime inspira
: tions, its deep intensity, its pure de
, light, would never throb in her quick
q ened pulses again.
Bob did not feel bitter against he
=. sister. She scarcely felt indignant
, she was simply crushed and broken
p All who saw her hollow eyes, her sal
! face. her dispirited bearing, wer
struck with pity for the poor child
Alice alone remained obdurate, and
so far as could be seen, unfeeling. |
] was unlike what Alice had ever beel
= before, until this miserable affair. Blu
, her obduracy was easily explained
, Those of us who have wronged on
dear ones are the last to betray pit,
i, for them in their suferings. For thos
very sufferings are our own condemna
! tion. An 1--we, therefore, concern our
selves to make as light OF them as pos
sible.
! The wedding was solemnized befor
a very small company, consisting
chiefly of the bridegroom's relations
On Alice's side only an aunt or two
q and Bob-poor Bob-were present