The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-01-22

of cold storm-drops ushered In Anne IL
Was it she, with checks so pale and sunk
en- from their summer beauty, with thos
large, unnaturally lustrous eyes, each o
which in that moment, seemed in itself
whole world of souls Truly, a strang
spell had shaken her in its grasp.
She stood one instant upon the sill
clencbing her gathered-up riding dress
more nervously in her gloveless hand, a.
if she would ask by look rather than by
voice, the question that had cost her SC
much agony. The long filaments of hel
soaked plume swung forward as she bent
her head, brushing her colorless forehead
and cheek She nerved herself tremu'
lousy to the effort-her heart told hel
that it was last effort.
Any letter for me to day :"
The words were spoken with forced,
husky calmness. The postmaster turned
his head to one side, avoiding the glance
that shot pang of pity through his heart,
and answered with involu tarily assumed
Indifference
"No :"
He had said it more than fifty times,
with those great eyes looking into h 5,
growing larger and wilder at each denial ;
and he did not like to say it again. His
wife saw quick spasm convulse the girls
lips and eye, as she suddenly pressed her
hand against her heart.
care ye ill, Miss K -" exclaim-
ed, rising. "Sit ye down, do. Let me
bring ye some'at warming It's sorry
getting out this weather, specially fol
such weak body. wonder yer folks
didn't send. Come in, do"
Annie was herself again, at the last wore
of this harangue.
"No," she replied, clearly, and, with
out another word turned to 90.
When she first used to come in the latel
summer days, the lame postmaster hac
been accustomed to limp to the doorstep
and take the rein of her pony, while the
old lady came out with cricket" a.
she called it, to assist her in mounting
Anne would smile abstractedly, but
graciously, sometimes stopping to ex-
change few words with the kind man, or
suffering the good woman to insert sprig
of evergreen, or of tansy, over the ears of
her pony, whom she characterised as the
darlngest grown-up colt that ever ye see !!
Latterly she had refused the foot-stool
and spurned the offered head gear, much
to the DANES chagrin but she had suf-
fered the post-man still to act the part of
groom. Tonight, however, she caught
the wet rein in her own hands, and sprang
into the saddle unassisted.
"Take care, Miss ~ vociferated the
old man from the doorway, where his
few gray locks were whistling in the
blast for the pony, startled by the sud,
denness of the shock, himself sprang back,
and nearly cut the acquaintance of his
mistress She smiled proud, bitter
smile, and, dropping her wet plume over
her forhead again, she drew up the bride
reins quickly, and dashed on down the
hill.
81 declare ~ soliloquized the post
master, gazing through the mist after her,
=" right t'other way from home. l do be-
lievo the gals Crazy"
"Man alive ~ shouted his wife, above
the roaring of the gusts, "ye're catching
yer death o. rheumatic out there, let alone
the beating in of the rain on the floor I
just mopped. Come away, there"
/" Well, | wonder ~ added her obedent
spouse, hobbling back to his three-legged
stool of Office.
Anne galloped down the hill, face to
face with the tempest. Oh, there was a
wilder storm within her surging breast
The black clouds sunk over her like pail,
and the mist goblins shrieked and raved
about her, shutting her in from human
sight. Once she dropped the reins to the
neck of her horse, and, clasping her cold
hands, pressed them against her scared
eye-balls, as though to bar out some terri
bic sight.
I" "Oblivion or deaMr she groancd, We
hemently.
But oblivion never yet came at the cry