Year: 1877

ancient stock, and on it she dared not engraft
unconfessed, this alien branch. On the other
hand, should she make known the truth, the
probable consequence would be the breaking
off of the engagement just formed between the
young people, and this result, so fatal to Theo
dora's happiness, she could not bear to con-
template. Oil if her husband were but liv'
ing to help and advise her in this emergency.
How often since his death had she missed the
steady, practical good sense, the clear judg'
ment, that had never seemed to err in guiding
him to q right decision in any difficulty.


She pondered and perplexed herself over
the question until morning dawned, then
sought her pillow for brief interval of rest
without having yet arrived at any satisfactory
decision. She almost resolved to put the sub.
ject, if possible, out of her mind until Claude
should come, trusting to some inspiration
guiding her then how to act.


It was still early when the young lover
sought the interview which was, to him, OF
too important nature to brook unnecessary
delay. Mrs. Laselle and Theodore, as if by
mutual consent, had tacitly avoided all refer
ence to his expected visit or its object. In.
deed, they had scarcely met that morning, ex'
cept at late breakfast, when Esther had Sc
cretly noted, with concern, her daughters
paleness and troubled looks. She went into
the parlor with Auttering heart, wondering
what the result of the interview would be
and 10 few words from Claude, eager, con-
fdent, affectionate, seemed to settle it all al
once without dispute. She sank half breath
less into chair, feeling as if the matter we're
taken out of her hands, as the young man
poured out his ardent hopes, his joy and ex'
ultation at the prize he had won, never seem
ing to doubt for an instant her sympathy OF
her approval. She could not refuse him,
either. To save her life she could not then
have revealed to him the secret that lay 80
heavy at her heart She had sort of vague
feeling that Providence would bring the mat
ter right in the end without any interposition
of hers. And the end of it was that Theo-
dora was sent for, and the engagement be-
tween them recognized, quite formally enough
to satisfy all doubts on her part; on his. ap-
parently, none had existed, as far, at least, as
her mothers consent was concerned.


Of course, they were both perfectly happy,
and halcyon period ensued, during which
the course of true love ran treacherously
smooth. In those days Esther did not pause
to investigate her own feelings, or analyze
her conduct by any rules of wisdom or con.
science. She lived in a sort of hurry Of ex'
citement that precluded sober thought.


One day, Claude brought letter from his
mother, which he displayed with great tri-
umph and delight. 1t enclosed little note
for Theodore also, overfowing with kindness
and cordiaIity, and warm expressions of anxi-
ETY. for the arrival of the time when dear
Claude's parents should become personally
acquainted with the object of his affections.
''f It hud bcen-taair- fandNtsh, MIS-: SCanfey
wrote, "to see him settled in life, and nothing
could have afforded them more satisfaction
than to know how suitable, in every way, was
the choice he had made Apart from her own
personal attractions, of which he had drawn
so vivid picture, the fact of her being de-
scendant of the Laselle's, whose name, at
home, stood illustriously bright in the annals
of their country, would, in itself, have proved
strong recommendation to their regard"


"And here's something more to the same
effect" laughed Claude, who bad often jest
ingly alluded to his mothers excessive pride
of birth, and horror at the idea of any of her
children marrying beneath them. And from
his own letter he read passage running in
this style: II am indescribably thankful,
my dearest son, that in that republican land,
whittier my thoughts have so anxously fol-
lowed you, you have been led into no error of
taste or fancy, which might have proved fatal
to your peace, and to our domestic comfort.
Your chosen bride is your equal in birth and
in name, and will, I doubt not, assist in up.
holding the honor and dignity of our family,
of which we have, for generations, been justly
proud"


"See what task you have ahead of you,
Theodore, said her lover, gaily. II am afraid
those slender arms of yours will scarcely
prove equal to bearing their share of so over
powering burden"


II will do my best" answered Theodore, in
the same tone; "and I trust to you to help
cover my deficiencies.


Esther said nothing, but stole out Of the
room with guilty feeling at her heart


They were so happy-these children-so
unconscious of any possible shadow clouding
their golden dream of love! Must hers be
the hand to darken their joy, and dash the
cup of nectar from their lips?


She prayed then for guidance as she had
never prayed before. Her heart was wrung
to the core by the intensity of its inward
strife; but she seemed to realize clearly for
the first time the depth and magnitude of the
deception of which she was permitting herself
to be guilty. 1t might never be known to
those whom it could most offend on earth but
was it not already known and censured in
heaven? There was still time for her to make
reparation. The truth must be told, and at
once, before it was too late. With feverish
haste she sat down and wrote letter to Theo-
dora, confessing all, and imploripg her forgiv-
ness for having delayed this confession until
a time when, she feared, it would prove most
fatal to her welfare. She dared not even read
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