Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-08-05

At tne 1urtncr emu ld0y sat reaulng. FROM
her slight but rounded figure she seemed in
the meridian of womanhood; her face was
turned away but Philip looked in admira-
ton at the graceful outline of her cheek,
and her Grecian shaped head, round which
sol golden hair was braided, contrasting with
the mourning dress she wore
Wondering who she could be, he came
nearer, she turned round halfbending in
acknowledgement to stranger, and Philip
looked upon the face of his early love. Yes
it was indeed Stella, but how changed the
fairy girl was matured in the dignifed wo-
man, and those sweet blue eyes, sghtless no
longer, coldly met his own without recog-
nizing Philip Armytage.
A chill crept over him; he, who a day
before would have flown to clasp her to his
bosom, now stood spell-bound by her pres
ence, as if she had been vision from the
dead.
Have you forgotten me 2" at last burst
from his quiverng lips.
At the sound of his voice she started,
glanced wildly towards him-her cheek
grew marble white and then crimson.
Have you forgotten me, Stella forgot
ten Philip Armytage?" and he took her
hand.
No-no-no" cried the girl, as she
clasped it in both hers, and looked eagerly
in his face. In IA moment Philips arm was
round her, and his long-lost, long beloved
one wept joyful tears upon his breast.
"And do you indeed remember me still,
Philip" asked Stella, with doubtful look
in her eyes. Have all these years brought
no change?"
1t is you who are changed, my beloved"
Philip answered, gazing earnestly at her.
An expression of rapturous Joy irradiat-
ed Stella's face
Yes | am not now as when you knew
mel am no longer blind"
They sat together, hand in hand, and
talked of all that had happened since they
parted. Stella told her lover how after their
forced separation, months had glided into
years and still she heard no tidings of him
how she and her father had at last returned
to England, where the skill of an eminent
oculist restored to her the light of day, and
all the delights of a world so long shut out
from her. Thus her girlhood stole into wo-
manhood, and she entered into society, still
keeping faithful to the memory of her early
dream, dim and hopeless as it had now be-
come. Then Stella spoke of her father, of
his increased kindness, which had contin-
ued until his death. Her high spirited
brother had gone to India, and she was now
all alone, save for the sister of her mother
the gentle hearted Mrs Lyle All this Phil
ip learned, in return for his own tale of
faithful love. But Stella, with woman's re-
serve, did not tell him how entirely the
thought of him had engrossed her own
soul; that by night and by day his name was
in her heart, his voice in her ear /; that she
existed but in that one idea, through months
and years of absence, during which she
knew not if he ever once remembered her.
She did not tell him how, when his fame
increased it reached even to her, and her
woman's heart sweled with pride at having
loved and been loved by one so worthy how
she lived for days on the delight of having
read his name, or heard him spoken of by
strangers with words of praise how she
hung over his writings, and traced there
the ripe harvest of mind which she had
known in its early luxuriance and how at
times came the wild yearnng to see him
once more, and to know if in the memory Of
the honored man of genius fingered one
thought of the blind girl he had once loved
and who returned that love with such pas
sionate devotion, though it was buried in
the depths of her Utmost heart
This sweet communion was broken by the
entrance of Mrs. Lyle; but all was soon re-
vealed to her and she reioiced with almos
mothers Joy over the happiness of the
two whom she loved. Once more PHILIP
and Stella renewed their early VOWS; Their,
, was now no impedment to their union, say,
in that lingering pride which made the low
er shrink from receiving from his wife thos'
, worldly riches with which it would hav
: been his delight to load her. But the youn!
barrister was still poor, and Stella was al
heiress.
When Philip spoke of this, she answers
with the loving dignity OF woman, who
with her heart gives her all
Do you remember, Philip, years age
when was wild, foolish girl, besough
you to take me as your wife, and you nobl
refused to bring sorrow upon me in retur
for my love? | am now woman, wiser,
. trust, and more worthy of you, though sti
\ most humble compared to Philip Army tago
But such as | am, take me, and all that
mine; | count it as nothing when | thin
of the bliss of being beloved by one Xix
j. you"
i And now the betrothed lovers entered o
e that sweet time when the doubt and fear
love is over, and the two heart-united one
e stood on the threshold of welded iie, an
c looked forward to the future as an endle'
IL vista of pleasant, paths to be trodden togetl
II err. How sweet were the long summer evei
C ings when Philip left weary, dull, dust
IL London behind him, and came to Mr.
+ Lyles cottage at Hampstead, that prettie
+ of pretty spots, which, but for its metropol
+ tan prestige, would be thought very Arc
1t dia! 1t was very pleasant to Philip an
II Stella to stroll along the green lanes betwee
e Hampstead and lIighgate and talk of the
81 old favorites who had loved these very spo
d the young dreamer, Keats, and Colcridg
n the philosopher-poe and Shelley, the gent
+ hearted, whose life was long sunbeam
g love and poetry. And when they can
J. home, there was Mrs Lyle, ever ready
y welcome them with her quiet smile an
then there was some book to read, ov,
n which the good natured, but less ethereal
rs inclined friend dozed in sweet oblivion
RS else Stella sang to her lover the dear o.
III sauna Of which eha had NOT co,oottan ona