Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-07-29
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
Z" Amor che nullo amor perdona
Mi prese, del costui placer 81 forte
Che come ved, ANGER M abbandona. "-DArTE,
"Love, that to none beloved TO love again
RENTS, seized me with wish to please so strong
That as thou seest, even yet IT doth remain"
The wise ones of the earth may ridcule
loves mysterious sympathies, as they do the
stories of ghosts and apparitions, but there
must be some truth in both, or so much pains
need not aud would not be taken to prove
them to be false. How was it, then, that
before Stella and Philip Armytage had met
half dozen times, they began to feel and
to talk like old friends? What was that
strange sympathy which made the very words
he uttered appear to her as if she had heard
them before in some dim dream-as if she
had thought his thoughts long before And
what was it that caused Philip Armytage,
who had basked all his life in the smile of
woman, to feel an irresistible charm in gaz-
ing on the sweet face of the poor blind girl,
who, as yet unconscious of the nature of
the invisible tie between them, treated him
with the frank regard of young sister to-
wards dear brother.
Most welcome is the society of coun-
and Stella thought it was this reason that
made Philips presence so grateful to her.
Then, too, he was SO gentle, and talked to
her of his lost sister, blind like herself, I'M
til she felt that blindless to be less pain
He read to her, and thus opened new world
to her view; his high and cultivated intel
lect drawing out the hidden treasures of
hers, and his early ripened judgment guild
ing her until she awoke from the vague, idle
dreams of girlhood unto better, brighter
life Yet all this while no words of love
passed between them.
For weeks, months, their life was long
dream of happiness, so sweet that neither
thought of the waking. BY slow degrees
the truth dawned on Philip Armytage, and
he knew that he, over whose heart light fam
ces before had swept like a summer wind,
now loved for the first time, with his whole
heart and soul. And who was the object of
this passionate lovel A blind girl, whose
helplessness made her only the dearer for
what is so sweet to proud man as the sense
of protection Often when Philip sat and
listened to her voice, or looked on her fra
gile loneliness, as she chung to his guiding
arm, he felt that if he could only take her
every breath of sorrow, what bliss it would
be And then he remembered himself
poor, friendless as he was, how dared he
love her And so his lips were sealed.
Had Philip Armytage guessed that Stella
would learn to love him, he would have
flown from the spot rather than thus have
brought sorrow upon her. He was too hon
orable, knowing his own poverty, to steal
into girls heart, whose hand he hoped not
to claim. Stella was so different from any
woman he had ever met her manner to-
wards him was SO frank, so open, with not
shadow of disguise in her simple, truthful
soul, that Philip thought she regarded him
only as friend, and never by one word did
he overstep the limits of that friendship
And Stella, in her unworldly and innocent
nature, had deceived herself likewise 1t
was not until he came to tell her that he
must soon depart with the noble lord who
hired his services that Stella knew how dear
ly she loved Philip Armytage.
But with that knowledge came thronging
host of maidenly feelings-not pride, nor
yet shame-why should she blush, that in
loving him she had loved goodness, and tai
ent, and everything that ennobles man but
painful reserve and sadness, which must now
be hidden from sight. How little the poor
blind girl knew how to conceal aught Yet
in few hours of anguish she learned more
than in her whole life, and when Philip
came next day to bid her adieu, he was al
most startled by the change in her. The
wavering color on her cheek had settled in
to deadly paleness; and there was wo-
| mo Ia, in har
girlish freedom of old.
A wild thought of sweet agony shot thro'
Philips brain--did she then love him? But
no, there was no tremnlousness in the lip,
no blush, no tear. 1t could not be.
They talked long and calmly of his pro-
posed iourney-of Italy, whittier he was GO
ing, of the time passed here so pleasantly,
of the chances how and where they might
again meet.
Il shall hear ofyou sometimes said Phil
ip, in that old parting sentence, and you
will think of me now and then, Stellar II
was at her own particular wish that he had
called her by her sweet Christian name.
Yes answered Stella, / shall not for
get how many dull hours you have made
pleasant; | shall ever remember your Kind
ness, your pity, to one like me-.
You pain me by speaking thus Philip
said, after pause, during which his heart
beat so violently that he vainly tried to make
his voice seem calm.
Il am sorry then will say no more a.
bout myself, and only thank you very much
for all you have been to me, returned Stel-
la, with something of her smile of old.
Philip Armytage rose--he fingered over
the last adieu. He held her hand and look
ed at her as if to imprint every feature OF
that beautiful face in his memory. Alas for
the blind girl who could not see what a
world of love was revealed in his gaze =
j With a voice whose tremulousness went
to Stella's very heart, he said, Farewell
lifted her hand half way to his lips, and re-
linquished it without the so-longed-for kiss
and departed.
lie had scarcely crossed the threshold
when he remembered Mr.. Brandreth, whose
cold but always courteous welcome had new.
|, err failed him, and surely merited some adieu