Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-10-21
One HOURS CHAT.
BY HELEN BEEKMAN.

| the WIDE porch OF sedslue hoNel
chatting Of things past and present
and finally glided into confidential in
terchange of experiences, unmindful
of the fact that they were within ear
shot of an open window, whose close
blinds were deceptive, inasmueh as
they kept out sight, but admitted
sound.
One of the men, Roy somers, had
lately returned from three years SO
| iourn abroad, and had accidentally met
| at the dinner table his old college chum
and dear friend, Robert Blake, young
lawyer rising in his profession. OF him
l will say here that he was yet young,
about 90 or 81, a good-looking, manly
fellow, with a handsome income. Now
lie. him speak for himself.
Lying upon a wide lounge, just un-
der the window of which l made mem
ton, was little figure hidden by an
afghan, but above this could be seen
a face of delicate beauty, with child
like blue eyes, wistful and pathetic in
expression. and loose curls of pure gold
er tint. Over this face was perpleXed
shadow, and more than once the pretty
lips murmured:
"oh, how mean, oh. how wicked it is
10 listenl But I must hear! l must
hear!"
The friends had discussed current
topics, until, as 1 have said, they be-
came confidential, when Roy said. rath-
er abruptly;
81 heard some gossip about you as
passed through New York"
"Yes? | did not know / was of suffi
Gent Importance to be the subject of
gossip: What, if it is not secret, did
you hear?"
"Tell me first. if,you are engaged 10
be married?'
mol"
short and not particularly sweet
heard, then. that you were engaged to
hunchback, little monster!"
The face on the other side OF the win
dow grew white as snow, but Robert
Blake gathered his brow into heavy
ftown.
''Don't be angry, old fellowl" his
friend pleaded, 81 was foolish TO re-
peat It. l might have known it was
false, being well aware of your fastidi-
GUS love of beauty"
"False, yes! But l would give all |
own to make it true! You have heard
the gossip, shall tell you the truth?"
"See here, Bob! I've made mess
| snrnehow Do forget IT."
"Look at that" said Robert opening
a small velvet case he took from his
breast pocket "Tell me what yon
thiNg of it?"
at is beautiful! Lovely! One of the
few faces one may call angelic"
"And mind and heart are as beautiful.
as angelic as the face"
81 can easily believe it. The eX-
| preston is pure and sweet as babes.
''Yet you just called her little mon
ster"
"Bobi You cannot mean that she,
the original of this miniature. is de-
formed"
Eyes. She was crippled in childhood
by me-"
"She is a connection of mine, a step
! child of my uncle, and when we were
children we spent our summer togeth-
er. as l was a yearly guest at Owls
Nest, my uncle's place on the Hudson.
| She was the sweetest little fairy at ten
years old that you ever saw. and was
great hulking boy of 16, and did not
understand how delicate she was. |
actually believe was in love with her
| then, but | was at the most awkward
age for such sentiment, and | covered
my actual alteration by teasing her
We were on the hin behind my uncle's
house, where there was steep decliv-
ity, and was, as usual. half romping
with her, taxing her temper by my
hateful manner, when, somehow, heav-
en- knows how, unintentionally pushed
her over the edge of the hill, and she
fell down to the foot. When | reached
her she was white and senseless, and, l
thought, dead. Oh, the long agony OF
that walk when | took her in my arms
to the house, staggered into the room
where her mother was, putting
her into her arms, only to rush away for
a doctor | was murderer in my own
eyes, and for days while she lay be-
tween life and death my misery could
not be described. 1t was some COM
fort that she lived, but when l was told
that the injury to her spine would be
lifelong deformity, then, boy as |
was, made solemn vow to devote my
life to her"
II was sent back TO the boarding
school before May Ibid l tell you her
name was May Talbot?) was able TO
see me, and from school l went to col
lege, while my uncle and aunt were in
Germany trying the baths for their dar-
ling. Every letter was torture to
me, yet | longed for them, watched for
them and shed bitter tears over the rec
ord of the suffering / had caused. Blu,
it was ten years before l saw May
again. | went abroad when they came
home, but circumstances prevented a
farewell visit to Owls Nest, and / re-
manned, as you know, in Italy, on ac-
Al n