News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1918-06-12

li"I HlHS WIen the young rector ndu
ilrst seen her kneeling in his church.
he knew that she was the woman he
had dreamed of from boyhoOd, and he
gave her the love and reverence that
only such man can give to woman
VINO Is fitted to be his mate.
The worldly Mrs. Warning did not
realize that her carefully trained
daughter could think of a poor coun-
try clergyman, and permitted her to do
! as she pleased. So there followed
weeks of long walks, visits to the par
/ lsh poor and especially boat rides
Ihey had so many interests in common,
and the young rector realized Ithe
strength she could be to him in his
chosen work.
And tomorrow she was going home
ana this was their last day together
While the boat drifted softly down the
stream, he laid his heart at her feet.
TO his dying day he never saw the set
ting sun without remembering how it
! Shone on her face as She answered
him.
Mr. Nelson, had I dreamed that you
would take such a step as this, would
not have permitted matters to go so
Tar | am to blame for this termina-
ton of your friendship, which has
meant more to ME than I can tell you.
There is no other man living whom l
respect more nor to whom I would
sooner trust my life But l am not
free"
"Then you love some one else in
stead? / have been foolish enough to
suppose you were heart free, and
might in time, come to care for me-"
Listen. When my father died, he
left some mOney-enough, had we lived
within our means. But mother has
been very ambitious for me. She sent
me to expensive schools, and spent
large sums Of money to establish me
in society. She is hopelessly in debt.
We are spending the summer in this
little town because she dared not Dor
row the money to go to some fashion
able resort, as she has always done.
Do not look at me like that, Mr.. Mel
SON | did not know the truth of these
things until a few days ago.
$50 long as can remember she has
had a friend, an enormously wealthy
bachelor, old enough to be my father.
1t has long been standing joke that
I am to marry him. I never imagined
until this week that she meant it seri-
Ousy. He and his sister are to visit
us next week, and that is why we go
back to the city. She told me that
unless 1 accepted him we are finan-
cially ruined, and we shall have to
earn our bread. SO I shall be COM
PEELED to marry him, for her sake
"Wait," interrupted the man in a
strange voice, "do you love this man?"
'Love him? 1 simply detest him Oh
I know what you are going to say, that
I am selling myself to him. But there
seems to be no other way. You see"
with a pitiful attempt at a smile, show
useless it is. Mother will never give
her consent; and I cannot marry even
you without it. And now, let US drop
the subject, please. Here we are at
the landing"
All this passed through his mind as
he sat staring into the dying Goals. He
had never written, had obeyed abso-
lutely her implied request for silence.
But day and night her face was be-
fore him. He avoided every nook |
which reminded him of her, and work. |
ed with feverish energy one day, and |
brooded the next. He read the society |
notes in the morning paper before |
looking at his correspondence, and al |
ways laid them aside with relief at not
seeing her name.
He felt that the warning of the
senior warden was true, and that he
was losing his grip. How was he to
know that in the neghboring city a
girl often cried herself to sleep with
his name on her lips?
A falling log reused him from his
reverie. He rose, packed his bags, and
gave a few instructions to his house
keeper. He would go to the city, catch
one glimpse of her face, and then hide,
no matter where.
The postman passed and threw
letter upon the porch. There was but
the one, and a glance at the super
scription brought his heart into his
mouth. He devoured, rather than
read the contents:
"NIy Dear Mr.. Nelson Il feel that
you will be interested in a piece of
news. Mr.. Raymond has proposed at
last-not to me. but to mamma. No
wonder he was so long making up his
mind, for he no doubt chivalrously
hesitated at the pain his decision would
cause nae. They are to be married, next
week, and start at once for a wedding
tour Of Europe. l shall remain at
the home of my cousin, Mrs. Ransome,
Of 326 Winton Place, indefinitely.
81 hope that all is well with you, and
that we may meet again some day.
Every sincerely, Muriel Waring."
Ten minutes later the rector called
MS housekeeper and after short in