Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1896-01-10

foSle and would have forever abiured The
whole sex had it not been for sweet, pretty
little Hettie Landy, who soothed his ruff
fled feelings and ministered TO his injured
vanity SO kindly and successfully that at
the end of the month Miss Hettie was
wearing his ring and had promised to be
the mistress of the new house on the hill,
for Dick was parti
When she heard the news, Estelle went
and walled and called Dick all the most
uncomplimentary names she could think
of in the privacy of her own room. She
forgot the truth of the old saying, MANY
heart is caught in tho rebound. " and
vowed that she would never put trust in
mortal man again as long as she lived.
She told Miss Sharpe she could never
thank her enough for her escape, rs she
termed it, and vowed that she was CRATE.
full with all her heart that she had listened
to her warning in time. But lust the
same, deep down in that same little heart
there was very sore spot, which ached
and panied very sharply whenever she saw
Dick and Hettie vending their way to-
ward their prospective dwelling together.
But 1t ached worst Of all the night that
these two were welded. OF course Estelle
would not stay away, for people would
talk and perhaps say she was repeDting
in sackcloth and ashes while she did not
care bit-no, really not a bit, she assured
herself over and over feverishly as she
dressed in her bravest flnery and added a
touch of rouge to each cheek so she would
not look pale.
Dear Miss Sharpe, how much l thank
you'll! she murmurGd to herself as she tried
to get to sleep that night but a small
voice seemed to answer:
Liar! If you could have Dick back, all
the Miss Shapes in tho world might be
cast into the sea, with millstonos about
their necks."
School was over, and Estelle took to
reading, but all her reading seemed to
have the same trend. SlN1 took particular
delight in hunting out cases of women
who were made to suffer through their
love for men, and before the summer was
over, so strange is human nature, she re-
garded herself as q woman whose lover
had deliberately forsaken her and fully
agreed with the song that this would be q
happy world "if the men were all trans
ported far beyond the northern sea-"
So time passed on, and Estelle grew
more bitter in her attitude toward the
lords of creation, who now heartily re-
turned her regard. In the autumn she re-
ceived letter from her dear Miss Sharpe,
which she felt ere she opened the envelope
would be comfort to her.
my sweet child" it ran, "you do not
know how often have thought of you of
late. have, dear Estelle, confession to
make to you. 1 am married. Do not
start from me, dear one, and cry 'Impos-
siblep for indeed it is true, and 1 am so
happy. Albert Hands returned to me and
threw himself, as it were, at my feet.
find he has loved me always, although he
has been married three times fearing after
each bereavement to beg my pardon and
a renewal of love. And SO 1 find it, Els
telle, the tenderest thing in all the world.
Your loving and happy Clarissa Sharpe
Hands,
Estelle Pardeau neglected to send Mrs.
Albert Hands her congratulations, and in
deed, when she met that lady some weeks
later coolly gave her the cut direct, much
to the surprise of the elderly bride. --"Ni-