Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-06-26

a part and a small part at that, | fear
of two | did not. of course. regret
the change. since it was the one thing
I'm life most longed for. yet the period
was tinged with a faint sentiment of
pathos at parting from the old life that
had been 50 kind to me aud which |
was leaving forever. | say | did not
regret it, and. though ! was leaving
my old haupts and companions and
friends so dear to me. | was finding
them all again in Jane. who was friend
as we'll as wife.
Mary's letter was in one of my boxes
which had been delayed, and Jane was
to forward it to me when it should
come. When told Brandon of it,
dwelt with emphasis upon its bulk,
and he, of course, was delighted and
impatient to have it. | had put tho
letter in the box. but there was some
thing else which Mary had sent to him
that had carried with me. 1t was a
sum of money sufficient to pay the debt
against his fathers estate and. in adj
dition, to buy some large tracts of land
adjoining. Brandon did not hesitate
to accept the money and seemed glad
that it had come from Mary, she, doubt
less. being the only person from whom
he would have taken it.
0;f tf Brandon's sisters had mar
fed e rich merchant at Ipswich, and
another was soon to marry a Scotch
gentleman. The brother would prob
ably never marry so Brandon would
eventually have to take charge of the
estates. In fact, he afterward lived
there many years, and, as Jane and |
had purchased Il little estate near by.
which had been generously added to
by James uncle. we saw a great deal
of him. But | am getting ahead of my
story again.
Tho D'Angouleme complication trou-
bled me greatly, Notwithstanding my
faith in Mary. and although | had re-
solved to say nothing to Brandon about
it, soon told him plainly what
thought and feared.
He replied with q low, contented lit
tie laugh.
"Do not fear for Mary. | do not.
That young fellow is of different stuff,
l know, from the old king. but | have
all faith in her purity and ability to
take care of herself Before she left
she promised to be true to me- what
ever befell, and / trust her entirely.
l am not so unhappy by any means as
one would expect. Am II And [ was
compelled to admit that he certainly
was not
SO it seems they had met, as Jane
and | suspected. but how Mary manag-
ed it am sure cannot tell. She beat
the very deuce for having her own
way, by hook or by crook. Then came
the bulky letter, which Brandon pounc-
ed upon and eagerly devoured. | leave
out most of the sentimental passages
which, like effervescent wine, lose fla
vor quickly. She said, in part:
To Master Brandon:
Sir and Dear Friend. Greeting-After
leaving thee, long time had l that mighty
grief and dole within my heart that 1t
was like to break. for my separation from
thee was so much harder to bear even
than l had taken thought of, and l also
doubted me that I could live in Paris, as
/ did wish. Sleep rested not upon my
weary eyes and of a very deed could
neither eat nor drink, since food distasted
me like nausea and wine did strange
in my throat. This lasted through my
journey hither, which 1 did prolong upon
many pretexts nearly two months. but
when l did at last rest mine eyes for the
first time upon this King Louis face
well knew that | could rule him. and
when l did arrive and had adjusted my
self in this Paris | found II so easy that
my heart leaped for very JOY. Beauty
goeth so far with this infammable people
,.4lt- do I 10 all
doth a servile subject make a sharp, capri
cious tyrant. Thereby the misfortune which
hath come upon us is of so much less evi
and is so like to be of such short duration
that l am almost happy, but for Lack o.
thee and sometimes think that after al
1t may verify be a blessing unseen.
This new. unexpected face upon oul
trouble hath so driven the old gnawint
ache out of my heart that l love to b'
alone and dream, open eyed OF the 9ime
of a surety not far Off, when | shall b'
with thee 80 1t is ofttimes sore hare
for me, who have never waited, to have L
wait, like a patient Griselda. which or
truth / am not, for this which | do 81
want but l try to make myself conten
with the thought that full sure it will no
be for long, and that when this tedious
time hath spent itself we shall look baci
upon 1t as a very soul school, and shall
rather joy that we did not purchase GU
heaven too cheaply.
said l. find it easy to live here as
wish. and did begin to tell thee how 1t wa
when | ran off into telling of how l Ion,
for thee, so | will try again This Louis
to begin with. is but the veriest shadov
of a man, of whom thou needst have no
one jealous thought. He is on bed o
sickness most of the time, of his own ac
cord and if, perchance, he be but fairl.
well a day or SO l do straightway max
him i'll again in one way or another. and
4 please God. hope to wear him out entlrel,
/. ere long time. OF a deed, Brother ltenr.
e was right. Better had IT been for Louis L
e have married a human devil than me, TO
e II maketh a very one out of me II min
d eyes but rest upon him, and thou know
i est full well what kind of a devil ! make
. Brother Henry knoweth. at any rate. Fo
. all this do | grieve. but have no remed
>. nor want one l sometimes do almos
/ compassionate the old king, but | canno
|. forbear, for he turneth my very blood I
!. biting gall. and must cen take the conse