The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-03

head and all such names"
HumphlD said Linney, should by sorry
to see through his eyes"
Mrs Hubert arose, stirred the FIRE, and
wound the clock; this was the time she had
always said something kindly about Willard
now she said, simply, 81 wish be had staid al
home " and seating herself abe took up her
apron, as if to screen her eyes from the fire
But Linney saw that her heart was sad, and
came involuntarily toward her, then hesitated
and said, as if unaware Of her emotion, "dOn't
get up in the morning till call you" And
so they parted for the night each feeling as
she had never felt before.
1t was difficult for the young girl to resist
the temptation of re-opening the old letter be.
fore she retired, though she said, repeatedly
"lf Willard is mind to be such great fool
don't care-I can live without him-and he
is not the only man who has been to college
eitbern
And with this streng theningo Of her weakness
svdity as strong swimmer would dash int
the cool waves of summer. But sleep would
not be wooed 30 roughly, and there had only
been an occasional restless forgetlulness, wher
the cold, gray morning glanted through the
window.
Mrs. Hubert was already briskly astir al
wonder she said, as she turned the smoking
ham, Il wonder how it would do to brile
woodcocks 2"
Linney answered that she guessed it would
do well enough, but that she didn't suppose
they would ever have any to be cooked AND
so they were friends again.
The irritation and pride which Linney a.
first leaned on, gradually gave way, and sht
found herself more dependent on habitua
hopes and habits of thought than she at first
imagined In musng about him, she was APT
to forget that he had not written to her or i
she remembered it, it was to think very len
iently Of the omission What did she know
about the life he led, OF the tasks and duties
required of him. He would have written 1
he had found opportunity, of course he would
And in this mood she one day wrote him q
long and kind letter, telling all the little news
and concluded by saying" You will be gac
to hear from me, know, though you have moi
written as you promised"
.Credulous, hopeful child she had quite for
gotten the commonplace and familiar way il
which he had called her dear CIR" in the
letter to his father, and his careless mention o.
the Bible, as though the giving of it were moi
the precious secret that it was.
The incest stockings she had knitted were
taken from the bundle designed for the pur'
chase of the new dress, and placed in the ward
robe of Wizards room He had been away
nearly three months; surely he would write tc
her soon and in two more, at farthest she
would see him.
II was rough, windy night in December
the stiff, bare boughs ratified against each other
the rufled cock made an unnatural and untime
ly cackle among his silent mates; the sheep
despite their woolly coats, bleated piteously
and sometimes the oxen's low sounded mourn
fully across the hills. The snow, which haC
fallen day or two before, drifted no longer ~
the wind went and came, but with its irozer
crust shining under the moon, lay hard an'
cold.
Linney was in her chamber, small cheer
less room, containing only few old-iashione(
articles of furniture. A heap of snow lay II
the open fre-pace-the unourtained window
was white with the fantastie figures OF tn
frost, and Immediately above it shelf Wa
suspended, on which there were few dust
volumes together with the copy-books whicl
Linney had used at school.
| 1t was on this winter night lonesome, cheer
less place enough, and yet the girl had bee
there an hour--seated on a low stool she wa
beside her burned tallow candle, and on ii
wooden chair on which it stood lay the Bib
open where her name WAS written, and in h'
hands she held the dear old letter. As st
read, coming step crushed through the sno,
and Linney hurried to the window, and locke
forth, or tried to do So for the frost prevente
her from seeing. Mr. Hubert had been gon
to the village since an hour before night; doub
less he was now coming home, and had brough
perhaps, news from Willard.
Hastily she placed the letter and book b,
meath her pillow, and, to say truth, it was nj
the first time they had lain there; and thi
done, she hurried below, and saw the doc
closing on Mr.. George Weldon. He bowe
gracefully, as though entering the most elegan
drawing-room, and his sleepy blue eyes, q
they encountered hers, had 10 them spark
Of pleasure not habitual to them, and ab0u
abe good natured mouth, as be spoke Their
was q sweetness which most ladies would hav
found winning, to soy the least
"You see my memory 10 less trcacherou,
than you thought" he said, addressing Linney
who stood blushing and smiling before him
and at the same time presenting not q brace
of woodcocks, but only common gray rabbit
aWby, Linneyp exclaimed Mrs Hubert, re
provingly, as she apprehended the cause of the
laughter, which the girl turned her face away
to conceal
"What funny red eyes it's got" she replied
ingenuously, and not needing the implied re
proof.
{" don't know" answered George Weldon
and taking the rabbit from her hands, HI
added, "the fellow is too heavy for you t.
hold
Now, ordinarily there would be nothing in
teresting or funny in the filmy eyes Of a dead
rabbit; but somehow it CHANGED that they
found an almost exhaustless fund Of interest
and mirth as they stood together, turning the
creature from side to side, examining his form.
alton, the texture Of his fur, &C. Certainly
no one would have supposed that both of them
had frightened one or more from their paths
on every morning walk of their lives
fro BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT