Year: 1870

SAsI


fneser saw a handsomer girl or woman
than Rose Mason, or one with prettier, grace
full ways, though she had lived on a farm
always, and had no opportunity for culture
of either mind or manners. beyond that af-
forded at the village school, three miles away
and the rustic society of the vicinity.
In form she was slender and round, full of
wilowy curves as she moved. She had a
dark brilliant face, and bright dark eyes,
and a mouth as sweet and as red as a balf-
blown rose


had loved Rose Mason at least two thirds
of my life; and though with the coquetry
that is inborr with creatures of her vivacious
and changeful temperament, she had been
extremely wary of showing me her heart. she
had in the end confessed that she loved me,
and consented that we should be married in
December.


In November while l was away in New
York, clerking for my uncle, who belonged
to an insurance company, she became the
wife of Carl Berthold. handsome, black
eyed foreigner, who had invaded our rural
precincts about the time of my last visit home,
bewltching the girls, and driving the boys
frantic with Jealousy.


Twas Jealous with the rest, but had Roses
PiOnlcC, duu tuOuSl ulSllkcu .D0TbuOlu
ceedingly, and turned chilly whenever be
went back to the city tolerably content
The first news heard from home was that
they were married.


don't know how | bore it now 1t was
terrible oc course but as many another has
done, l suppose, set my teeth and endured,
and | went on just as before outwardly-
Berthold had taken her away, l did not hear
where, and didn't much care


One morning, coming into the Office from
an errand down town, my uncle remarked to
me:


IF you had been here ten minutes sooner,
you would have seen as pretty couple as
ever beheld. They each took out policy for
ten thousand dollars for each. Sensible
pair !"


| smiled as turned to my desk, and open
ed the ledger in which we recorded the names
OF parties lnsuring, and the amounts insured
tor. The last entries upon the page were yet
damp" Carl Berthold-Rosc Berthold.''


IGon't know what came over me, hrt
shut the book as though had seen ghost
Fortunately no one observed my emotion.


took up my pen presently and went to
work but all the afternoon those names
danced before my eyes in letters of fire.


happened to be in the back office, three
months after, when Carl Berthold came in to
make payment. / knew his silky, smooth
voice before | saw his face with It's shining
eyes and cleaning Whit teeth. Involunta-
rily stayed where | was, and watched him
through the glass partition that separated the
room in which | was from the front Office.


As be passed the money to my uncle, his
sharp white teeth shOne in smile that SEEM
ed more like sneer, and he received his two
policies back, with their new endorsements,
with an almost audible chuckle.


| had been pretty sure all this time that
Rose and he were in the city, but had never
met them, though | never saw a woman that
in the least resembled my lost daring with
out scanning the throng for the dark bright
beauty of the girl who had Tilted me.


After had seen Berthold in the insurance
Office, watched more diligently than before,
and frequented more than formerly such
places of public resort as / imagined Rose
and her husband might attend.


One morning, hurrying up Broadway, |
had glimpse of what looked to me like
Roses sylphlike shape entering picture gal
lery. Instantly darted after her up stairs.


1t was indeed she, looking little scared
at first at sight of me but blooming into some
thing more than even the old vivacity under
the reassuring warmth of my manner She
was more beautiful than ever, and | was
truly glad to see her lip and cheak glowing
with such carnation tints to behold the clear,
sunny CLEAN of her liquid eyes.


Till met her so, | scarcely realized that |
had entertained any foreboding thoughts in
her connection. Unconsciously had pictur-
ed her to myself as pale and fading. But
this creature, with her tropical bloom and
laughing eyes, Knocked such visions sorely.


She was evidently happy. l must have
wronged Berthold iii those thoughts in which,
though had not acknowledged it to myself,
| had attributed to him the possibility of un-
kindness or injustice in any way to the we-
man he haG beguied from me.


As we parted. ard Rose gave me her little
hand, she named her address, and invited
me cordially to call. took the address, but
| said that should not be likely to call
She colored slightly at my words, but did
not urge me. Probably she felt that it might
not be pleasant for her husband and myself
to meet.


Less than week after this meeting, hav-
ing business in that part of the town, | de-
waited a little from my direct route for the
sake of passing by where Rose lived l met
her husband half dozen doors away, and
not seeing him kept TRANQUILITY on my way
His eye did not light upon me until we we're
close upon each other, as he strobe along
with his look upon the pavement, his lips set
in the same sneering smile had noticed in
the insurance Office


At the sight of me the smile froze, his
face turned to chalky white, and he stood
for single helpless instant, the incarnation
of the backest terror ever beheld. Itwss
but second. He rallied swiftly, and
shot past me with a courtly lift of his hand
that half doubted that had seen any un-
usual expression oh bis countenance.


Glancing back involuntarily. Berthold
had vanished, but imagined ] could see the
glitter of his white teeth beyond some thick