Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-24


her. No doubt she was expecting him.
as she had perfect right to do. He
remembered that he had not seen her
since Tuesday, FIVE days age. and he
had called on Miss vane twice in that
time. He might have gone In with his
muddy boots, and Kath would have
welcomed him TO her flreside, but he
could not go just then. Perhaps he
would never 60 again. Kath would
prefer to have the whole affair come TO
an end II she knew the truth. He was
sure Of that He had ceased TO love
her, and he could not keep up the pre-
tense any longer.
They had been engaged for six years,
since Kath was twenty-five and John
twenty-one, for she was a year his
senior. There had been but little love
making. but Sohn had always intended
to marry Kath when their fortunes
would permit. She was aging fast in
the district school, where she taught
year after year. and John had been
obliged TO give up his ambition for law
and become Mr. Nane's bookkeeper.
His salary was small, but he and Kath
could manage to live on it. Many cou-
pies In Millville lived on less. No
doubt she wondered why he did not
take her out Of the schoolroom.
John always thought more of himself
when with Rosamond than when with
kath. Kath was constantly urging
him on. True, she urged herself on.
She was continually striving after
what she called culture. She never al
lowed herself an idle moment, and she
sometimes told John that he did not
improve his time. Poor john He
loved ease and luxury, and after the
work Of the day was done he preferred
to doze over his pipe and novel to
keeping up" his Greek and Latin or
reading something improving" as
Kath wished He was tired of strug-
gle, and he longed for a full, free life.
As he stood at Kath's window he saw
bare and gray future stretching out
before them-Kath and himself over
worked and early old. with a family
growing up to succeed to the same
humdrum life. No, it would be better
for both II the engagement were bro
ken. But how could he tell Kath the
truth? How could he face her eyes?
With pang he remembered how true
she had been all these years. He felt
himself weakening. He could not go
in and tell her tonight, and>he walked
away.
John climbed the stairs to his Office
and sat down to smoke and think. He
knew that he had to say but one word
and he could marry his employers
daughter. Resamonds eyes had told
him 80 more than once, and her father
had taken pains to give his opinion
that brains and good looks were a
match for money. This life was full
Of promise, but there was Kath-poor
little Kath! His thoughts became con-
fused, and he was soon asleep in his
chair.
Kath did not sleep. The hours pass
ed. but she did not think of going to
rest. Once she rose and scanned her
own face in the glass. what have |
to give htA r she asked herself. Moth.
ing. And she has everything. | shall
not let him sacrifice himself. But, oh,
Why could not l have something,
something-beauty or money or talent?
I don't blame him. l can't expect to
hold him"
Some lines of Robert Browning came
into her mind:
Who art thou with stinted soul
And stunted body thus to cry
/ love? Shall that be life's straight dole
must live beloved or die?
The words kept saying themselves
over and over to her, and she put her
hands up to her ears as If to shut out
a sound How often John had laughed
at her for reading Browning. She
wished she had never seen those lines.
The rain fell in torrents as the night
wore on. Kath vaguely remembered
hearing some talk at the supper table
about the danger from the great dam
just above the viiiage. But she forgot
It in thinking of nearer troubles. One
of her brothers had blurted out some
thing about John Hoyt being "solid
with Miss Vane," and her mother had
looked at her with pity in her eyes.
She knew that John called at the great
white house, while he seldom came now
to her study. She tried to face the life
that lay before her, life without John
GhA xyptyl1 Ofua him Sha
loved him too well to stand in his light
He must marry Miss vane and enjoy
the life of luxury which he craved.
She opened her desk and wrote a
note. Then she took from her finger
the plain gold band that John had Civ
ell her. It was to have served the
double purpose of wedding and an
engagement ring. By and by, John
had said, as he put it on her finger
when he could afford it-he would give
her a solitaire. How long ago that
seemed! She put the ring in an en-
velope with the note and sealed it.
At that moment she heard sound
which made her crop the letter and
rush to the door. There was tumult
In the street, and her father and broth
ers came rushing down the stairs, call
ing to one another that the great dam
had burst. Men who rushed past the
house called out that the lower end Of
the town was under water already and
there would be rescue work to do.
Kath's first thought was for John
down at the warehouse. Her father
and brothers ran down to the river, and
Enth Lna1u that they had gone TO get