The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-03
CHAPTER III.


through his iavori'e lanes, in his way a
cross the country to the parsonage, he
thought he had never seen nature so
beautiful. And when, alighting at the
garden gate, he beheld Ellen in the porch
as if awaiting him, with heightened COL
or in her check, and look of welcome
in her eyes, his heart beat tumultuously.
They walked together into the neigh
boring parlor. The rector had gone out;
and they seated themselves in silence
Somehow Osmond had never felt so hap.
py. The remembrance of her look as he
rode up fingered in his memory; and for
awhile he remained without speaking in
dulging in this delicious recollection
AT length he spoke,
Do you know, Ellen, he said, that |
often think have met you somewhere
before; though when, or in what place |
vainly try to call to mind. | am sure !
have either seen or dreamed Of face
like YOURS
Ellen blushed to her brow and then
gave him an arch look
'And haze you nerer met Inc before"
she said
i cannot recolcct where
perhaps | can enlighten you, she re-
piled, DO you remember. four years
ago, the first day you arrived at Web
ster's;'
Ycsn
and do you remember stopping at the
spring in the vaIleyi'
'Why-you are moi the beautiful cot
tager saw there exclaimed Osmund, a
sudden light breaking in on him. 'Yes!
[ see it now. There are the same eyes
the same hair. VIII t fool Ihavebeen'
Ellen now blushed more than ever
Suddenly the lock of radiant joy died
from Osmond's face: he remembered
what Annabel had told him. And could
this lovely creature, whose society h d
grown almost necessary to his existence,
have been the disobedient child. the VIC
tim of her violent passions, Of whom An
mabel had spoken. His brow grew cloud
ed Blu, noticing Ellen's eye fixed in
qniringIy on him, and drcading lest she
should attribute it to wrong cause, he
rallied himself, ond soon pretending that
he had come ON especial business with
the rector, took his leave,
Poor Osmond how he suffered dur
ing that ride homeward, The pain with
which he learned Ellcu's idea i yc nviuc-
ed him that he loved her. lie could not
for moment, think of marrying per-
with such violent passions; and he al
most hated the orphan for having deceiv-
ed him with her apparent sweetness Of
temper, which he now saw was only put
on for the occasion. These were his
first feelings Bot after he had ridden a
mile, he began to ask himself if Annabel
mi hit not possibly be mistaken. He re-
called to mind all that the good rector
had said in her favor; and the result was
that he reached home with a compare
lively light heart, determined to bring up
the subject before Annabel.
But this designing girl, though utterly
ignorant of the cause that prompted Us.
mond's enquiries, remembered the inri-
dent to which he alluded and adhered to
her former story, adding,
Il believe | told you her parents were
respectable people; but | was deceived
They left the village directly afierward
and no one knows where they went. Why
do you ask
Osmond hesitated whether to confess
| the truth; but some unaccounr able i'm
pulse suddenly decided him to do so. An
nabel's color changed at his relation: she
felt she had gone too far; and her very
embarrassment strengthened the doubts
of her truth which had begun to arse in
Osmond's mind He vcniured to say,
But are you quite sure that you are
not misiniormed;"
Apnabcl for an instant forgot herself,
for she now saw, for the first lime, she
hpd rival, and in the surprise, her usu-
al discrimination IN Osmond's presence
gave wav before the natural violence Of
her temper
You may believe me or not, she said,
with eyes sparkling win rage. You seem
to think more Of that beggar's word than
olmne, and, overcome by passion she
burst into tears and rushed from the
room.
Osmond rose in astoni.hment. His
worst suspicious of AnnabeI's temper
were confirmed, and his doubts as to The
accuracy of her relation Increased. He
resolved to satisfy himself at once by re-
turning to the parsonage, waiting there
for the rector, and unburdenrg to HIM
his whole mind. Few men could be as
energetic as Osmnnd. and before noon he
was clo,eted with the minister.
'My dear young friend, said the rec
tor, when Osmond had finished hi. mar
ration, every word of that naughty wo-
mans story is untrue. have long known
her passionate character, her disregard
of truth, and her own and her mothers
designs on you.
But knew your good sense would PEN
citrate their plot: or if it did not, s,w
there was time enough as yet to warn
you. This accounts for my silence. AsI
for Ellen have known her for years,
md ch., ,o Ill