Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. ROSAMOND OR THE YOUTHFUL ERROR A Tale of Riverside AND OTHER STORIES BY MRS. MARY J. HOLMES Author of "Tempest And Sunshine," "Lena Rivers," "Meadowbrook," Etc., Etc. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. The Owner of Riverside CHAPTER II. Rosamond Leyton CHAPTER III. Ben's Visit CHAPTER IV. Rosamond's Education CHAPTER V. Brother and Sister CHAPTER VI. Marie Porter CHAPTER VII. Making Love CHAPTER VIII. News CHAPTER IX. The Guest at Riverside CHAPTER X. The Story CHAPTER XI. The End ----- DIAMONDS BAD SPELLING MAGGIE LEE THE ANSWERED PRAYER ROSAMOND; OR THE YOUTHFUL ERROR. A TALE OF RIVERSIDE. CHAPTER I. THE OWNER OF RIVERSIDE. All the day long the September rain had fallen, and when the night closed in it showed no sign of weariness, but with the same monotonous patter dropped upon the roof, or beat against the windows of the pleasantly lighted room where a young man sat gazing at the glowing grate, and listening apparently to the noise of the storm without. But neither the winds, nor yet the rain, had a part of that young man's thoughts, for they were with the past, and the chain which linked them to that past was the open letter which lay on the table beside him. For that letter he had waited long and anxiously, wondering what it would contain, and if his overtures for reconciliation with one who had erred far more than himself, would be accepted. It had come at last, and with a gathering coldness at his heart he had read the decision,--"she would not be reconciled," and she bade him "go his way alone and leave her to herself." "It is well," he said; "I shall never trouble her again,"--and with a feeling of relief, as if a heavy load, a dread of coming evil, had been taken from his mind, he threw the letter upon the table, and leaning back in his cushioned chair, tried to fancy that the last few years of his life were blotted out. "Could it be so, Ralph Browning would be a different man." he said aloud; then, as he glanced round the richly furnished room, he continued--"People call me happy, and so perhaps I might be, but for this haunting memory. Why was it suffered to be, and must I make a life-long atonement for that early sin?" In his excitement he arose, and crushing the letter for a moment in his hand, hurled it into the fire; then, going to his private drawer, he took out and opened a neatly folded package, containing a long tress of jet black hair. Shudderingly he wound it around his fingers, laid it over the back of his hand, held it up to the light, and then with a hard, dark look upon his face, threw it, too upon the grate, saying aloud, "Thus perisheth every memento of the past, and I am free again--free as air!"