Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-10-16

sttS II ht1u tieHA tANii' Aaiiiiu4 hC Cdil-
ed, in a louder tone, and the girl came
into the old parlor and sat down on
stool in the freight.
a ike this young man, Elinor. He
isn't Parson Blake, to be sure butt
think he has the Spirit of God in his
heart, and there's no reason why you
shouldn't like him as well as another
You have not the memories of so many
years to bind you to the dead. He told
me this afternoon that he should start
B2ble-class next Sunday, aud want you
to join il, and see If you can't keep up
vour reputation as Parson BIake's best
scholar"
Very well, grandpa" )" and then the
girl sat there in the silence, while her
fancy made glowing pictures in the en-
bers, out Of which looked the dark. kind
ly eyes of the new minister. That she
could ever be any thing TO him never
entered her fancies she only hoped that
ignorant girl as she was, she might find
such favor in his eyes that he would i'm
part to her some of his wonderful knowl-
edge lend her books, perhaps, and now
and then eondescend to talk to her.
The next Sunday she Joined his Bible
class and that day, and for many quiet
Sabbath-days thereafter, the clear tones
of her singing renewed his strength, and
carried his soul heavenward; and the
approving light of her expressive eyes.
never by any chance turned away from
their steady gaze, filled him with calm.
and yet not always calm, delight.
CHAPTER III.
The slow, reluctant feet of the New
England spring came over the mountains.
Her blue eyes shone over hill and mea-
dow-land through many tears, and in her
footprints sprang up crocuses and violets,
to live their little day,and die their balmy
death. The plowman turned up the rich
loamy soil of the valleys, whistling at his
task. The larch hung forth her fragrant
blossoms, the laburnum dropped her long
sprays of gold. The old lilac bushes,
planted in MosesGrant's front yard when
Margaret was baby, put on once more
their liveries of green, and coquettishly
tossed up their purple blossoms, that the
winds might rife their perfume.
Walter Fairfield came very often, in
, these days, to the elders house. He had
undertaken to teach Elinor botany, and
the Study involved long delightful walks
? over the hills. The old folks were well
content that their grandchild should ac-
quire a little Of the learning they held in
sincere reverence, b / which they would
never have sent her out into the world
to obtain. She seemed to them so mere
child STILL that they never thought of
! the danger that she might learn another
t |lesson-that while she analyzed the
! blossoms which skirted hillside and brook
side her own heart might be unfolding
itself, petal by petal, evenio the golden
centre, whereon was written love"
s And Elinor was, like them, blissluIly
unconscious. She had never read a
p novel in her life. No one had ever talk
ed to her of love or marriage. How
should size. at sixteen, be able TO translate
= Alright the story which Walter Fairfield
t delighted to read in her bushes, her
r downcast eyes, TO hear in her tremulous
! tones which replied to his questionings
lie was an honorable man, and he
loved her with an honorable mans death
r love, moa's love, full Of passion, stronger
c than life, and yet he shrank from telling
her so-from awakening her heart from
its maidenly repose--changing sweet
hope into certainity-blnding her VOWS
d Of bethrothal.
e The time when he could keep silence
Il no longer came 10 him, as it does to mos
men, unexpectedly. They had beer
taking long walk. The sun had scarce.
? " set, but a young June moon was drift
2 ing, ike a tiny, glnlering cloud, up the
Is blue sky, and they stood watching II TO.
"a cether. At last Eliuor turned her wet
p face toward him. lie had never seer
p tears IN her eyes before.
e. have been thinking" she said show
d lonely my life used to be before you came
r. What mysterious fancies, which / haC
none 10 explain, haunted me at twilight
,s and uoonrise, and how your coming chan.
ged all and you eondescended to tall
: with me, and understand all my thoughts
0. and then, how this, too, must end some
.e day, and you viii be busy with other hap
- piness. aud I shall be all alone"
Then the words-the wild, loving, yei
; reverent words-gusbed in tide iron
e his fall heart, and overaowed bis lips
The story vas told-the old, ever-neH
p. siory-old as our first parents, new as 2
new dag. They loved one another
e The val vas lifted from Eiinore heart
? and she knew that, with all the auie
d nature, she loved Walter Fairfield. Sh,
J was silent from very happiness.
j A. her lover drew her close to hi
!, side, and pressed his 6rst kiss on be-
!. pure lips, be- said, ierTeHtly:
y Eiinor, you are al ever asked
e good, gifted, beautiful You fulfill my
II every gant, my snow-whiie lily, on whos'
I