Litchfield enquirer., 1857-08-06

anu threw aDOuC nlm clOak OI mystery, l which concealed direful and malignant passions. . Still, he was a fayorte teacher; he had fas- f cnating powers that drew the boys to him, | and made them subser.ient to his wishes, Flu ent in speech, clear and perspicuous in his ex- } plantations, he combined all the qualities of the teacher and the ease of the gentleman and : yet, he could not look us steadily in the face. l had seen him watching the sports of the boys from the window with painful, agonized ex- presson, as if their guiieess; innocent pleas } ures were horror to his mind and 1 had seen him start when no one was near him, as , if some horrible image swept his vision: He
 knew my feelings, aud never sought to concili-
 ate them To me he was as cold as statue i; and yet 1 knew he dreaded to meet me alone
 1 had known him to cross the fields to avoid
 enconntering me in lonely spot and he al-
 ways hurried through the recitations of the
 class to which was attached Twice had
 met him at the valley. I knew my uncle ad-
 mired his intellect and Lillian--I had made her blush by mentioning his name.
 That morning-that bright June morning.
 when the trees were so full of melody, was a
 bitter morning to me. It revealed the image of fearful reality. It showed me how deep
 'y could love, and how bitterly could hate.
 And o Lillian, Lillian, it robbed me forever of you /; it blighted as pure flower as ever open ed its petals and left a sorrow in a desoate household which was never forgotten. That
 day he won her and ere the aurels were
 again white in tbe avenue, the grave had closed over her broken heart.
 | 1 had walked perchance mile toward the
 homestead, happy in the thought of being with my cousins and near Lillian, when suddenly
 before me appeared the form of Henry Austin.
 He was leaning over steep bank, endeavor- ing to reach flower which I saw him at length obtain, and place in small boquet he care fully arranged. l stopped as if an arrow had pierced me. A pang of agony was in my bo- om-the bitter truth dawned on my soul. He is going to the Valley-aye! to sec Lillian crowned with roses-to laugh and sing with
 the children. He has plucked those flowers for her. Her white hand will take them from his. He will sit near her at the banquet 1
 will not go--I will not be there to witness it.
 There--he is picking more blossoms. How carefully he binds them! See he dips with
 his hand some water from yon spring to refresh
 them. Ha hate him now. will be there
 at the banquet. He shall meet the glance of my eyes--he shall see my frown--I will look into his heart--I will probe his secret Li- an shall see him drop his black eyes and shrink
 from her pure look. will be near hln--and
 1 hung noiselessly on his footsteps as the steathy tiger tracks with still feet his victim. At length the bridge appeared and a moment
 after, saw slowly approaching uncle Erwin,
 with Lillian leaning on his arm. They met
 Austin. l saw my uncle shake his hand fl- mlllarIy, and then relinqush her arm saw him pass on and leave them together. leaned against great chestnut tree that overshad- owed a huge rock. 1 sank Gown upon it, and bur, my face in my hsnds l thought i heard q tenn est uptossing the pine trees, and thunder muttering about the mountains on the other side of the river. raised my eyes again.
 and indeed tine clor,ls were darken, q, and
 black masses of gloom were rolling down upon
 the valley, Just then a figure passed me-a
 tall, dark female. She started, as she percev- ed ne sitting there, then laughed wild, va cant laugh, and fled on to escape the tempest
 Down it Came the tall trees bent before it |; the cattle fled hurryng from the hill-sides {; cddies, and then clouds of dust whirlcd through
 the avenue, then a vivid, binding Aash and a
 heavy, terrific report that seemed to rend the
 heavens, and roll on with deeper and deeper tMutterings. l saw the children hurrying from the wood: they had their hands full of the
 white china and linen, Then I saw Austin ;
 with one hand he dragged huge basket, with the other he was trying to shield Lillian from
 the tempest. l did not r:ove from my seat.
 bat watched them all pass, and then turned
 my back upon the storm, and once more passed
 up the avenue. Within the little schooI-house
 stood my uncle. He had sought its shelter,
 and perceiving me, called loudly for me to
 come to him. l was dripping from the rain,
 but needed it not, and would have passed on,
 had he not repeated his call What as you. : William ? he said. and how happens it you
 have not been with the children ? c uncle,
 1 replied, cannot tell you and yet it is all for Lillian.'
 For Lillian? What mean you, my son ? ; Q uncle, we shall live to weep this day,
 and bitterly, bitterly shall we lament the hour
 that gives her to him..
 ) An, boy,' laughed Uncle Erwin, and you 5 are jealous of the master and so would not come to the children's festival Who says S aught against him, my son ? o uncle his 3 own evil heart speaks for him. he cannot look l us in the face, he dare not look into LiIian's ? pure eyes and say II am worthy of you." , Uncle Erwin did not reply at once, perhaps he 7 had noticed all this, and was troubled at the way interpreted it. At length he spoke :: . Yes, William Austen is deep man, and have some times thought he was not deserving , of my Lillian <; but she loves, William, and it [ is fearful thing to be thwarted n love- ] I know it, exclaimed tearing open my = vest as if my heart was bursting, but he did s not observe me, he stood silently looking upon :; the storm as if his heart too was troubled. l Just then rushing through the tempest came
 the dark figure that passed me down the ave- n Hae, he stepped from the door to give her en- :; trance She had lost the shawl that before euveloped her countenance, and now her long raven locks fel wildly over her shoulders t She seated herself on one of the little benches,