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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1886-6-11, Page 2THE BRUSSELS POST JlrnrB 11, 1886.. SWORN TO SILENCE; on, ALINE IRODNEY'S SECRET. $y RMS. ALEX. 191oVI IGII esits4 1ir110, AVTIIOn Or s Lnorel Vane," "Laity Clay's O cider,. ate„ etc. your brother, but I hope you will never cause him as much anxiety as you have done the rest of us 1" Aline put out her white hand frankly to the doctor. congratulate you," she said, "Effie is the clearest girl in the world 1" "So I think," said Dr. Anthony, frankly; adding, gayly, "I think a great deal of you, too, Miss Aline, since but for you I might never have soon your sister I" They all laughed. Aline made up her mind that he would be a charming brother-in-law. "I should say that my running away has proved quite advantageous to thel family," said she archly, as she kissed the blushing Effie. She thought that every one would) agree with her. She had been brought up so simply and innocently in this quiet country town she had no know- ledge of evil. Why do you all look so grave 2" paid she, pettishly. "If you aren't glad to see me, perhaps I had better go back where I came from." "Where did you come from, Aline ?" exclaimed her father. "You dear, curious old papa, I shan't tell you l" replied. Aline, with her merry langh that sounded like music. "You are jesting, Aline, lrlt it is not an appropriate subject for a joke," said her father. "Come, dear, I do not like to be kept in suspense. I am waiting to hear why you ran away from us, and where you went." She lifted her head from his arm, and looked up into his face with her bright, wide-open eyes. She saw that he was not jesting, that he was in intense earnest. She was inclined to resent his curiosity, as she termed it to herself. "Really, papa, I cannot imagine why you make such a fuss over it," she cried, with all the freedom of a spoiled child. "I should think you knew why I went away. It was because I didn't wish to stay in that hot, stuffy little chamber while you were enjoying your- selves at the picnic. So I went out for a little while, I meant to return directly, but—" she stopped short, and a sud- den flush mounted up to her white fore- head. "And why did you not return, Aline 2" her mother cried out, quickly. "What reasons did you have for staying?" "I had the very strongest of reasons, mamma," said the girl, and now they saw that she was half laughing, half crying. "The very strongest reasons, for I could not return," - "But why, dear?" asked Effie, lean- ing on her lovgr's arm, and looking deeply interested. 'Ah, ' why, why 1'—how you all do ring the ohanges on that one word," cried Aline, in pretty petulance. "When I say that I do not mean to tell you, why cannot yon leave me alone 2" She was in the most palpable earnest. They all saw that. They did not know 'what to say to her. She was so child- like, so innocent, she could not under- stand why It was really so necessary that she should explain her absence to them. "Tell me one thing, Aline, my darl- ing," said her father, coaxingly. "How did yon get out of your locked room 7" She locked her white hands around his arm and looked up into his face. There was a deep, warm color on her face, and her eyes ware misty as if with tears that she bravely held back. "Papa, darling," she said, with a sudden quiver in -her fresh young voice, "do not be angry with me, dear. Indeed, indeed, I do not want to be naughty or wilful or unkind to you. But I cannot tell you how I left my room that"flay any more thou I can tell you how I came back to you to -night." There was a dead silence. Aline did not know how strangely her words sounded to them all. She did not know that there was anything so strange and reprehensible in her silence. She did not realize that she was no longer a child, but a woman, every day of whose life should lie fair and open like a spot- less page to every eye. Her father put her suddenly out of his arms into a chair by his side. Aline, you are tired to -night. Per. haps yon will tell us your story to- morrow 2" he said, half inquiringly. mfitending WtU reluctant feet, Where the brook and river moot, Womanhood and childhood Scot" She was eighteen years old, but until to -night she had seemed like a tibild.. She had the frank heart of it child, and her mother had never put her forward in society as a woman, The bloom had never been brushed from hor heart by a lover. She had never had a secret from hor parents in her life. She had been open, frank, and guileless, and singularly confiding, Her course now was utterly unlike Aline's former ways—it was strange, unfilial, and incomprehensible. As he gazed at her silently now, tb' subtle change in her struck him most forcibly. It existed not only in her mind, but her faoe. Now that he looked at her more, close. ly, he saw that Aline's pretty oval face had grown thin and pale; her eyes, always large and bright, wore more so than ever now. They were not the happy, careless eyes of the child Aline. They had a brooding shadow in them— e, new expression, almost of pain. The red, smiling lips had acquired a certain gravity. There was a soul 'diking out of the beautiful pale face now, ilintnin- ing its ethereal loveliness like the light behind a crystal vase. "Some new experience of life has come to the child since she Loft us. Her mind is expanded and developed into that of a woman," he said to himself. With that thought same trouble, sor- ror, , and vague regret, mixed with a eer- tain horror of the mystery she persisted in throwing around the months of her absence. 'tremblingly he asked him. self what did that strange reserve mean? Was it the impenetrable veil thrown around a disgraceful secret ? Disgraceful! He started and ohided himself. Was he linking the thought of disgrace with her, the child of his heart, his bright, beautiful darling, who had always been his faverite child ? No, no, sin could never touch hor, she was too pure, too true, too innocent. He gazed anxiously into her sweet blue eyes, and in spite of the vague shadow which he saw there, they were still frank, and open, and honest • she was still as inno- cent as a child, although as lovely as a woman. Whatever had come to her in those months of absence, deepening her experience of life, it had not brought her any worldly knowledge. The thought that any one could think hardly of her for that secret she was keeping had never dawned upon her inmost con- sciousness. Mr. Rodney knew the world with all its evil ways, and he was a man of strong intellect and strong impulses. He vague• Iv scented trouble if Aline persisted in her strange course of conduct. Her simple air as she answered his last question almost dismayed him. What a child she was still in spite of her years I 'Took at me, Aline," he said, gravely. She turned her sweet, flowerlike face obediently to his, and met his stern in- quiring look with the full gaze of hor lovely violet eyes. The full white lids and long, curling black lashes raised fully from them, gave them en air of innocent candor and tender appealing. It was not possible that sin or shame could stain the pure white soul looking out at him from those splendid portals of light. "Aline," he said abruptly, "I can scarcely creditthe sincerity of your re- fusal to speak. Perhaps you have not counted the cost.", "The cost, papa ?" Honest amazement looked out at him from the dark -blue orbs. "The cost," he repeated, with stern brevity. ' "But, paps, I do not uuderstand you. I went away because mamma had pun- ished me, and I was vexed and did not mean to stay in all day. And—and—I could not come back when I wished to do so. There were reasons why I could not do so—all my own fault, remember,— papa ;—and so when I come at last when I come back loving you all more dearly than ever, and quite determined not to be naughty ever aain, you look at mo so strangely, you talk to me so sternly. You ask Inc, have I counted the cost? I do not understand you in the least, papa. What do you mean by the cost ?' "The cost of your silenoe," he said. "Do you not know that it is strange, un- natural? Do you not knew that 1 have a right to know where you have been, my child?" "Of course I know that,papa. And I have always told you everything, haven't I, papa ?—haven't I, mamma ? I have never kept a secret from you in my life; but I thought that if I chose to keep this one, you would not care—that it s?suld not matter greatly. I do not see how it conld matter to any one 1 But you are angry, papa. Was tilat what you meant by the cost? Shall you lock me in my room again if I ,re- fuse to tell?" He stared at her, stupefied. What could he say in the face of such bine. cones and ignorance? Sho rose from her seat impulsively, and threw Herself down on her knee before him, folding her white arms '.throes his lap, gazing up into his face earnestly and lovingly. "Papa"—there was a wistful trouble in her voice, a sound as of unshed tears s, patient humility—"papa, yen she, punish mo as much as yon please 1 quite deserve it; I am williug to boar it. 1 will do anything you say without a murmur. I cannot tell you where I have been ; I cannot tell yon haw I went away; but no one is to blame put ailyeelf. You know bow wild and wilful •T have been. I brought all this upon myself, and l will bear the consequences. Punish me as you will, papa, only for. give me and love me agean I" "Aline, this is sheer obstinacy," he sold, looking down at the lovely tear. "Neither • to -night nor to -morrow, papa," she replied, in a vaguely troubled tone, for slie began to feel alarmed at their persistency. "No, nor ever 1" "Do you realize what ytm are saying, Aline ?" Mr. Rodney inquired, in a strange, measured tone, and gazing de- liberately into her grave, sweet, per- fectly frank blue eyes. "Yes, papa, I realize it," she replied, innocently. "You will stain the whiteness of your life, of your young womanhood, with a secret at whose nature no one eau guess—you will deliberately place yourself under a ban. Yon will not re. veal this strange seoret even to 'your parents—do you mean all this, Aline?" La asked, agitatedly. "Yee, papa dear," answered Aline. • CHAPTER XX. Mr. Rodney gazed at his daughter fgr a few moments in blank silen qe. It IIW1 suddenly dawned upon him that, with ail het childish ways and innocent young beauty, Aline was a woman in years. Stained face, for two great sparkling tears had flashed from under her dark lashes and rolled down upon her checks, "I do not wish to primal you --I only wish to forgive you, but you make it too hard for net by your wilfuiuoss. Toll mo the truth my darling." He bent down suddenly and clasped her in his arms with inexpressible love and earnestness. "Toll me, Aline, where you have boon ; and if you have Buffeted wrong at the hands of any ono, I will find means to punish that wrong in the most terrible fashion 1" She slipped from his arms to the floor, and: crouched thorn, with a strange trouble written all over her face. "Papa, I can toll you nothiug— nothing 1" she murmured, in hoarse, strained accents. All the tenderness in his face was die. placed by sudden anger. "Aline, I no longer plead to you for your obedience," he exclaimed, sharply—"I command you to tell mo the truth I" HURON AND BRUCE Loan & Investment Co. This Company is Loaning Money on Vann Security at LOWEST EATER of Interest. CHAPTER' XXI. Aline sprung to her feet and regarded her father in consternation. His tenderness and love had given place to fierce anger and authority. His face was pale and stern, his lips sot in a rigid. lino, his dark -blue eyes, so like her own,blazed ominously. "I command you, ho repeated, hoarsely. "Do nob continuo to trifle with me any longer, Aline. Toll me where you have been, "Papa, I would toll you if I could, but I cannot do so," she answered, gently, almost humbly, and retreating a pace from him toward her sister. But he waved her away from Effe's side with sharp authority. "Stand back," bo said, "you have no right by your sister's side until this mystery is explained away. Now will you tell me the truth 2" "I cannot," she still repeated, and her lips began to quiver. Sho turned a piteous, pleading gaze upon her mother's face. It touched a respousive chord in Mrs. Rodney's heart. Sho who had always been hardest to Aline was tenderest now. She came forward and laid a soft, pleading hand on her husband's arm. "Oh, Mr. Rodney, do not tease the child," she said. "See how white and i11 she looksI leave her alone now. She will tell us some time when she is better—will you not, my darling?" Aline flew to her mother's arms and hid hor face on her breast, but she did not answer her pleading question, she only broke into low, hysterical sobs. She was frightened at her father's anger, her heart and brain were in a whirl. How different was this home- coming from what she had expected 1 The dear father who had always de- fended her girlish escapades,had turned against box now. She did not understand that in the very fact of the idolizing love he had borne her lay the secret of her father's anger. Because he had loved her the best of all he felt her defection the worst of all. To him she had always been loving and obedient. He could not understand her strange disobedience now. It filled him with mingled fear and anger. Ho was wounded in his love and pride. Ho looked coldly at his wife as she stood with her daughter clasped in her maternal arms mingling her tears with those that flowed from the girl's blue eyes. "Mrs. Rodney, I hope you will not interfere in this matter," he said, with distinct coldness: "I alone must deal with Aline . now; I alone diotate her punishment." - "Punishment 1 I thought there was to be no Lore talk of that. We have punished the child ,too much already 1" cried the remorseful mother. "God bless you, mamma 1" whispered the girl, gratefully. "13e silent. I will have no inter. ferenee in my management of Aline," he repeated, angrily. They all looked at him in wonder. No one had ever Been Mr. Rodney really angry before. His favorite daughter quailed before the white heat of wrath that distorted his proud, handsome face. He advanced and drew her deliberately from Mrs. Rodney's arms and plaeed her in a chair. At his authoritative manner Aline's fair fano flushed, and something of his own high spirit flashed into her eyes. "Papa, you have no right to treat me thus 1" she cried. "Why do you humili- ate me before this stranger?" and she glanced at Dr. Anthony, who wee re- garding her with gravely sympathetic eyes. !11 have already told you that Dr. Anthony is not to be regarded as a stranger—". began Me. Rodney. But rho doctor himself interrupted him by stepping forward and addrosssing him. "She 10 right," he said. "Although Miss Aline has not a better friend on earth than myself, we are actually strangers to each other. I should have remembered the fact before, but that my deep sympathy and interest in her caused me to forget. I crave her pardon for my seeming rudeness, and I will now take my leave." He bowed himself out, and left the beautiful culprit alone with her family. They stood around hor silently -the weeping mother, the compassionate sister and brother, the father, who had made himself her judge, who was re- pressing every instinct of tenderness in his anger at what he deemed a girl's waywardness. "Aline, you think me har&H and oold," he said. "God knows no man ever had a harder task than mine. I do not think you understand what will follow upon this rash aot of folly and tine culpable silence of yours. Shall I tell veli ?" 1MORTGAC"ES PURCHASED. SAYINGS BANK BRANCH. 3, 4 and G per cont. Interest Al- lowed on Deposits, according to amount and time left. Orrzox.--On corner of Market Square and North street, Goderieh. Horace Horton, MANAGInt. Clo d erioh ,Aug .5 t1i ,1888 MONEY TO LOAN. Lfoncyto wino, arm property at LOWEST RATES PRIVATE AND COMPANY FUNDS W. B. Drm rsoN, Solicitor, Brussels, Ont. Money to Loan. PRIV,dTE FUNDS. $20,00 0 ofPr.vatePundshavejustbeen placed in myhand sfor Investment AT 7 PER CENT. Borrower scan hay other rloan s complete in three da) s if title is satisfactory , Apply to E. E. WADE. CUSTOM TAILORING, Tho unclersiguel bop leave to intimate to the public, that he leas, opened it tailor shop in the Garfield Howe block, over Powell's store, whore he is prepared to at- tend 10 the wants of the public in euttiug, fitting and making clothing in the latost and most fashionable styles, My long ex, - patience together with a course of Warm - tion under ono of the boat critters in Toren. to is it guarantee of being able to do satis- factory work. Satisfaction guaranteed. 30.3m G. A. BEER. ONEY TO LEND. Ally anlonnt of Money to Loan on Farm or Village property at 6 & 61 PER CENT. YEARLY. Straight Loans with privilege of repaying when required. Apply to A. HUNTER, • Division Court Clerk, Brussels. BRUSSELS PUMP WORKS. The undersigned begs to inform the public that they have manufactured and ready for use PUMPS OF LLL MOS, WOOD Sc, IRON. Cisterns of Any dimension, GATES or ALL SIZES. CLOTHES REELS of a superior construction. Examine our stock before pm chasing elsewhere. A Call solicited. 1Ve are also Agents for McDougall's Celebrated Windmill. Wilson & Pelton, Shop Opposite P. Scott's Blacksmith Shop. P. S.—Prompt attention paid to all re- pairing of Pumps, ctn. LIST \> E L W @V GLEN MILL. For the Season 1886. Cash Paid. I am prepared to pay the highest cash price for good fleoco wool delivered at rho Lis- towel Woolen Mills. Having been eleven years in business here, it has always boon my endeavor to pay higher than the market allows, and in the past years have paid city market prices. Wool being so low in price, it will afford mo pleasure to pay the highest price going. In exchanging wool for goods will allow a few cents more. Will also guar- antee to sell my goods at Cash prices. I don't have two prices-0asn and trade—my rule is oneprice only. Running the year round enables me to carry a large stock. This year having a larger stock than usual, will offer you The best Stock of Tweeds in the Dominions, to choose front. Double and Twisted Full Cloths, Flannels, Blankets, all Goods of the Newest and Latest Designs. Come early with your wool and you will find ne ready and willing to - give you our best attention. We will be happy for you to Inspect Goods and Prices before disposing of your wool. I remain, yours respectfully, B. i. _1±,00:• NATION ,L R LLE ; .ILLS, CHANGE OF PROPRDETCRs. Having leased the well known and splendidly equipped Roller Flouring Mill from Messrs. Wm. Vanstone & Sons for a term of years, we desire to intimate to the farmers of Huron Go. and the public genel•ally that TWO aro prepared to' turn out the best brands of Flour, look after the G1•risting Trade, supply any quantity of Bran, Chopped stuff, &c., and buy,Any Quantity of Wheat. The mill is recognized as one of the best in the County and our long experience in this business gives us confideueo in saying we gitaraturee satisfaction, Flour•and Feed Always on hand. • l 'Gristing and Chopping promptly attended to. A CALL SOLICITED. Stewart & L0'Rill k, PROPRIETORS.