Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-06-12
The Contrabandist; . 5$:z
, THE
| One Life'S Secret! , ,% <

he dlu not speak nut the ndnd reSpans
upon the table was withdrawn in mo-
ment and it trembled.
''Louis. ] have hurt-wounded you;
have been TOO harshi Will you not for
give me?" X, Sc said, gently, and in
tone thai qniyered with agitation. She
drew near 20 him, and laid her hand inn
pioringly uI,on his arm. .'You can but
see that my promise must be Kept, and 1t
panied me that you should urge me TO
break it. All, it is sacred, Louis! help
me to keep 1t so"
There was NJ reply. But he turned
towards her; he held out his arms; he
gathered her to his breast and held her
there. while his lips were pressed calmly,
silently tenderly to hers. Then releasing
her, he went out from her presence. The
door closed behind him. step is heard
without--that of the marquis.
well my Rose, you are waiting for
me-" he said. eheerily, as he approached
her; ''and have been waiting some time,
am afraid. too. What shall | say for
myself, Ell - and he seated himself be-
side her, but, what aiis you, my child"
he added, with evident concern; y, are
nlv
Mono. am not i'll, sir; but am un-
happy" returned Rose, lifting her beau
tifu eyes, swimming with tears, to his
earnest face.
Unhappy? you are young for that,
Rose Some girlish within it IS, I'll war
rant menothing more, and you are max
ing yourself extremely miserable about
it," And he stroked her bright hair gent
ly, as he spoke these words in an emily
ening tone.
1T is no within, sir" answered Rose,
sadly. II have been doing wrong all this
time" She could proceed no further
for her tears.
Doing wrong, poor little. mouse? and
to make q confessionT' smiled the good
old man. kindly why. Rose, think,
then. that | must grant absolution before
hand, and refuse to listen to yonr story.
| won't hear any tales against my little
girl"
All, monsieur, you treat it lightly! You
do not know how--how---'
II don't know. | suppose you would
say, how serious an affair it isis that it,
little Rose. chi"
Yes, monsieur" answered the young
girl.
.'Extctly. Well, then, suppose try
to guess?"
''You could not guess Monsieur. You
must read this" And she drew from her
pocket a letter, w!Iich she was about to
give him; but he put 1t away. snilingly,
with his hand.
You will not allow me to guess, Rose?
then | win not look at your letter. Fam
harder than stone, my bird. And now.
- I t~Id
you, | mean to gues; and I'll wager a
"a wedding dress shall it be, petiteT'
His good -natured. comical manner and
lively tone, together with a certain sig
nifaance which he threw into his last
words caused her first to smile, and then
TO blush, despite her sorrow and aGita-
ton. He waited an instant. and then
gent on;
'What-sileuce? then you consent,
Rose ?-well, a wedding dress il shall be.
then. As l said, will wager a wedding
r,rtsa, lace. jewels and all"
II shall want neither lace nor jewels.
monsieur said Rose. half sadly.
do not interrupt me, my child,
Against-let me seas against pair of
diamond buckles. You see l mean TO
make you pay well, Rose-that I shall
guess rightly"
II do not understand you. monsieur"
said the young girl. wondering. perplexed
and diverted at his manner
You don't: what a pityp' There was
mischief in his eyes, that brought the
smile to hers. What pity" he repeat
I'D. Well, at alt events, will COM
mence, and probably, by the time shall
have finished. you will comprehend my
meaning more fully. In the first place,
then, there is certain young girl-you
see | mention no names. Rosa certain
young girl, | say, who has lover You
are listening, presume, my child?"
II am listening, monsieur"
Good! This young girl, then, is be-
trothed. Very we'll: that is not at all TO
he wondered at, as young girls very fire.
quently find themselves In this position.
She Is betrothed to poor young mana
workman: ve will s&y he is--a gardener
Well, these two-the girl and her lover
cannot maery yet, because they are by
no aeans in suitable circumstances: for
she is quite as poor as he. All. they
must be content TO wait"
He paused. and regarded her with a
curious smile. She looked up, her eyes
sparkling with fresh-streaming tears.
"Ah, monsieur. you are telling me
ny
The good marquis kissed her.
II am telling you about two people
whom | once knew. my child. | will pro-
coed Our young gardener we will say,
goes away; and the girl, who mee,s with
some slight change of circumstances dur
ing his absence, continues to remember
him. But for some reason, which is,
doubtless, in this case 40 extremely nat
ural one. she neslects 10 inform certain
friend. or friends. of hers, that she has
promised TO marry this young man. For
this neglect she presently begins to re-
proaeh herself Now, listen again. Rose
and he grew quite serious: III this young
eirlif you. Rose, had been really about
to bestow your hand upon poor. low.
born peasant, who had no desires, no as,
pirations, above his condition; il sou had
! become the bride of such one, aud for
saken us and our love and care for you
after We have all been so happy here 10
gether, and cast away from you all tina
belongs to you in your present position
: had suffered that finer mind. those quicl
| senSibilties, that loftier that more Gle
/ waited aud refined nature, to mate will
/ the coarse, gross. blunt composition of ,
! mere tillcr OF the soil. rude, uncultivat
| cd peasant. then my child, | confess tha
! it would have been a bitter. bitter thin.
/ 20 me. Ii would have been the hardeS
/ blow this heart has borne for many
I long year. Rosc"' and lis voice grew
] husky. and faltered, and the tears, De