The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-08-15
"And so time passed on.

We were returning toward sunset, saun-
tering along the road, down the side of
the hill
"Philip, stir the fire little. That bowl
of punch is getting cold, it seems to me;
and 1 am little chilly myself. Perhaps it
is the recollection of that day that chills
me.
"I had made up my mind, if opportu-
nifty occurred, to tell her that day all that
L had thought Of for years. l had de-
termined to know, once for all, if she
would love me or no.
eff not, I would go cared not where;
the world was broad enough, and it should
be to some place where should never see
her face again, never hear her voice again,
never bow down and worship her rmagnif-
cent beauty again. would go to Russia
and offer myself to the Gar, or to Syria
and fight with Napoleon, or to Egypt and
serve with the men of Murad Bey. Allmy
notions were military, / remember, and all
my ideas were of warand death on the field.
4 81 rode by her side, and looked up at
her occasionally, and thought she was
looking splendidly. 1 had never seen her
more so. Every attitude was grace, eve-
ry look was life and spirit.
: "Tom clung close to her. One would
have thought he was watching the very
opportunity was after myself. Now he
rode a few PAGES forward, and as [ was
catching my breath to say Sarah he
would rein up and fall back to his place
and / would make some fiat remark that
, made me seem like fool to myself, if moi
, to her.
: "'What's the matter with you, Jerry?
said she, at length.
"'Jerry's in love- said Tom.
81 could have thrashed him on the spot
: ".In love! Jerry in Lowell and she turned
| her large brown eyes toward me.
E "In vain l sought to fathom them, ant
l arrive at some conclusion whether or ne
E the subject interested her with specia
e force. s
: s'fThe eyes remained fixed, till blum
e dered out the old saw, Tom judges other
1by HIMSELF x " rosa
! "Then the eyes turned to Tom, and h.
: pleaded guilty by his awkward looks, ant
, half-blushes, and averted eyes, and forced
!, laugh. I
/ By Heaven! thought I, what would
5 not give for Toms awkwardness now
e The scoundrel is winning his way by it
: "'Jerry, is Tom in lover
0 "The naivete of the question, the cor
0 rectness of it, the very simplicity of tn
i thing was irresistible, and could not re
press smile that grew into a broad laugh
"Tom joined in it, and we made tn
. woods ring with our merriment.
S al say, Tom, isn't that your whip ly
:? ing back yonder in the road?'
a "Confound it, yes; the cord has broke
d from my wrist and he rode back for ii
d "Jerry, whom does Tom lover sal
S she, quickly turning to me.
|. "You, said l, bluntly.
r "Why, of course; but who is he i
s love with, I mean?'
i alt was a curious way to get at il
e Could / be justified. 1t was not askin
a what I had intended, but it was getting a
S it in another way, and just as well, pei
Il haps. 1t was, at all events, asking Tom
J. question for him, and it saved me the EN-
If barrassment of putting it as my own.
e determined this in an instant.
it "Sarah, could youlove Tom well enoug
e to marry him?'
}. 81! Jerry; what do you mean?' a.'a
>, "'Suppose Tom wants you to be hi
it wife, will you marry him?'
pl 81 don't know can't tell neve
e thought of such thing. You don't thin
}, he has any such idea, do you?'
}. "That was my answer. Is was enoug
e as far as it went, but was no better o
d than before. She did not love Tom, Q
IF she would never have answered thus. Bu
did sheloye me? Would she marry me
]? Wouldn't she receive the idea in just th
J. same way? ala
d ~ looked back. Tom was on th
d ground, and picked up his whip, and ha
d one foot in the stirrup, ready to noun
again. i gulped down my heart that wa
It up in my throat, and spoke out
s Sarah, will you marry me?' saaasi
p Philip, she turned her eyes again to
d ward me-those large brown eyes, thos
b holy eyes-and blessed me with their un
If utterabiy glorious gaze. To my dyin
hour shall not forget that gaze; to a
n eternity it will remain in my soul. Sh
d looked at me one look; and whether j
was pity, sorrow, surprise, or love, / Cal
o not tell you, that filed them and over
It flowed toward me from out their immeas
It urable depths; but, Philip, it was the las
light of those eyes i ever saw-the last
# the last. t
> els there anything left in that bowl
Thank you just glassful. You will
u net take any? Then, by your leave.
e will finish it. My story is nearly ended
it and Iiwill not keep you up much longer
n We had not noticed, so absorbed hat
q we been in our pleasant talk, that blacl
d tcloud had risen in the west and obscuret
5 the sun, and covered the entire sky; ane
n even the sultry air had not called our at
S lention to the coming thunderstorm. -
r. sc e. leho ij,ol,ad OF, mo va,, 4,