Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-04-21


wha, a change could so much lie wahin
the narrow compass ofhuman life II we're
less had ,he been drad-vanished forever
Then would she have been Catherine Willie
still, the peerless in the eye Of imaRina'nn
but her gloomy reality put an ex'ingul'hcron 90
fancy The springs opening rose Of beauty
had mamred only to wither like the common.
est weeds around, and to drcop beneath The
unspaIng blast OF ages approaching winter
The vision OF long years has dIsenelinied.
Tn, romance Of life had waned away into the
cold and fricid truth and my heart bled TO
behold its long cherished idol moulded Of the
same pcrshable elements as the daily groups
around. She was plainly dressed. Care and
though, and the rayapcs oi time were visible
on her counienancr, that yet, in eclipse, be-
traycd Of wha, it had been, as the western sky
retains the lluminrd footprints of the depart
cd sun. She was luoking wislully into the
fire. as she leaned her check on her thin n, e
fingers. one of which was cnciTeled by a
mourning ring.
Dinner passed over, but no symioms Of re-
cognlion on hcrpart were perccplible. lhad
cnutriycd to place myselfby her eide : get ]
dared not enter into conversation with her.
Her cousin-our hostess, Mrs. Smith,
identified with young lady whom ] hal
seen a, her aunl's house in the days of yore,
aud who was special irirni Of Ca'hcune.
General topics were discusscl-morc e'lec.
iallythosc NJ serious and scdits na,urc--ht !
could take no share in either cliclling OF keep
ING up the no~ of thought. wv hear wis
full oi unuucrable things and o1sn, IN spite
Of every rrprc,sinr eiTni, an unmnnly tar
would gather itself In the corner Of my &c.
Happily an this vas uupcrccivcd, and nv
absence ofmnnn,r excited no attention. lIrc
were the lon. sundercd Corullou,ly brouh,
together, afcr seas had rolled between Us for
more than quarter Of century and yet
/, seemed as II wc had never met before
llayin, on our walk home becn Informed
by ms reverend friend tia, our hn,rcs, as
regular in her forenoon attendance on the
labours of love amid which We had forncrly
found her rusrosscd, | thought might sim
lrs,ly. ana without breach Friendship make
,isi, next forenoon, did so-ant found
Catherine at home.
She had not the least suspicion Of me. !
tried her on various topics, aud occniunally
vcrrrd very near the truth. But how could
1t he She was girl when las, We parted
Through long sequence Of years, 10 which
she had seen all the World changing, she had
heard nothing ofme, and the chan'r' were
=, one to five hundred that would yet be
alive.
"You mentioned Darlna.pou, Miss Wv.
lie, :" said care YOU acquainted With any Of
the nmuis, there" :"
"Oh yes" she ansWcrcd-"or rather, !
should saw, | once vas Indeed 3, is laen',
years since ln,, had fno, on 10, streets Our
bur,inc place. however, d, there, aud must
pay II vet another visit, when ! am uncon.
s,ious Of all "
"Mny it be long till then, MISE wy'ic'
1t is Hlll longer period since took up my
abode there but lately paid it visit
Do you know irany of the family Of the
G-s are still alive"
She turned PALE.
"Sclrccly ,hnk 50. c., did you sry ,
| knew them we'll, long. long ago. The two
daughters married. and s,ulc " II their "a
miles in London. James, the Youngest son,
wen, to India, when a mere boy. NV IN.
qujres have thrown no light upon his dcs'i.
uy since. Richard wen, out To mercantile
house a, Dcncrara. Bu, tia, is lhIry.lwo
years ago"
"Indtcd," said !, almos, trembling, as ]
took a small l"ckct from my Nalslcolt pocket.
IBID you ever see that belorer
"Msrciul heavens is ,possiblc'' she eN'
cllimed. GLOW came that into your posses
sion. and-and who ar. you' Does Richard
sill live or, DIVING, did he transmit
rha, remembrancer through you, to be given
to her who once owned II, ~
NAY. Catherine" | answered "look al
me. Am indeed changed so much that you
even you-Jo no, recognise nae ~
She started back, bali in agitation, and
halt in alarm, gazing at me for second or
Two. in brcalIlcss silence. then, sinking lnioa
chair, extended TO me her hand, which u
trust parjonahly) | pressed it to my lips.
I The hour was melancholy one-but Il was
an hour of the heart, and worth many years
living Tor. In it the mystery Of life was un'
riddled, and the Pahhy nucleus on which its
whole machinery may reyUl'e fully disclosed
TO view.
IL remember well, +" said she, "lhe evening
you alluded To bu, you blame me without
cause, when you say that ] dismissed you,
without Jeigning an explanation. had been
urged by the family whom was visiting Ia
extend my stay for few days longer but 40
Il held in mind your promise To mee, the,
aud all their entrcaue' were in vain. let me
add, ,ha, had been lha, every DAY told that
you were about to he married to another.
| This could scarcely lend an ear To; yet II
would be prudery in me at this distance OF
time to deny the effect on my excited feel.
ings.
"when | descended from the carriage tho
appointed spot, for would no, allow 1t to