The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-09

we're kindly received, but always declined. NO
body could read to him so well as Miss Boyle
Nobody else understood his moods, his humors
his whims; she knew his tastes with ominous
exactness. 1t was she who arranged his meals
on the salver with such care and grace, nay
even cooked them at times; for 10 believed
ike rational woman, that intellect and cult
walton increases ones capacity for every Office
that a woman of intelligence should be able to
excel an ignorant servant in every household
| duty BY inst 80 much as she excels her in mind.
In fact, this was a pleasant life to two persons,
| but harassing enough for me. Had been con.
| 6dent of Arthur Warnings integrity, I should
have regarded him with friendly and cordial in.
terest; but / had every reason to distrust him.
perceived that he had 30 far insinuated him.
self into JOS confidence, that his whole srtil-
lery of expressive looks, broken sentences, even
caressee, were received by her with entire good
faith but when asked her seriously if was to
regard Mr.. Waring as her lover, she burst into
indignant denial, colored scarlet, and was half
inclined to be angry with me-thoush q certain
tremulous key, into which her usually sweet and
steady voice broke, while she declared he had
never spoken to her OF love, it was only friend.
ship, Witnessed against her that she was appre-
hensive, sad, perhaps visited with tinge of that
causeless shame, which even in pure and good
woman conventionslity constrains, when she has
loved man before he says, in plain English.
love you," though every act, and look, and
tone of his, may have carried that significance
unmistakably for years. Thank God, there is q
day of sure judgment coming, when conven-
tions and shields of usage will save no man
from the due vengeance of truth upon false
hood, justice upon smooth and plausible du.
plicityI
In due time Mr.. Waring recovered. If there
vas any change in bis manner to 10, it was too
slight to be seen, though it was felt, and was,
after all, the carelessness of person certain Of
bis foothold in her good graces, rather than the
evident withdrawal of attention, which would
have par9oDed even then, had it been the re-
suit of honest regret for past carelessness,
and stern resolution to repair that past. What
ever it was, 10 perceived that her ideal man
was become q real man but, with q tenacity
of nature for which in my fate telling had
not given her credit, she was as constant to the
substance a. she had been to the dream; and
while she lost both health and spirits in the
contemplation of Arthur Warnings 6tful and
needless manner toward her, and was evidently
panied BY the discovery of his selfish and pol.
ltic traits-to call them by no harsher name
it was inexpressibly touching to hear the ex-
cuses she made for him, to see the all .shiedng
love with which she yelled his faults, and kept
him as a mother would keep her graceless yet
dearest child from animadversion and reproach.
In the mean time, heard often from Lefty,
no good news of her husband, but that her
child grew more and more q comfort, that her
friends were very kind, and always in q tiny
postscript some such phrase as this-"I try to
be patient, Sarah" or II don't scold Harry 90
much as l did, dear" / hoped for Lefty, for
she persevered.
mi
That summer We saw less than ever of Mr..
WariDg; he was very busy at the mill, in order
that it might be far enough advanced to resist
the inevitable spring freshets and, besides, we
we're absent from the Valley some weeks, en-
deavoring to recruit JOS failing health at the
seaside. But this was a vain endeavor; that
which slapped the springs of her life was past
outward cure. She inherited her fathers deli.
cate and unreliable constitution, and q nervous
organization, whose worst disease is ever the
preying of doubt, anxiety, or regret. As win
ter drew on, she grew no better; dim, dreamy
abstraction broodsd over her. She said to me
often, with vague alarm, Sally, how far off
you seem Do come nearerl" She ceased TO
talk when we were alone, her step grew languid,
her eye deeper, and its bright expression, when
you reused her, was longer in shooting back
into the clouded sphere than ever before. She
sat for hours by the window, her lovely head
resting on its easement, looking out, always
out and away, beyond the hills, into the deep
spaces of blue air, past cloud and vapor, to the
stars. Sudden noises startled her to an extreme
degree; quick step flushed her cheek with
hre and fiuttered her breath. How longed
for spring l hoped all FROM the delicate min.
lstrations of nature; though the physician we
called gave me no hope of her final recovery.
Mr.. airing himself seemed struck with her
nd mo r.
est came from him. AS often as he could, he
returned to his old haunts; and while the pleas.
ure of his presence and the excitement of his
undisguised anxiety wrought on her, 10 became
almost her own self for the moment-gay, cheer.
full, blooming-alss with the bloom of fever.
ishness and vain hope.
SO spring drew near. The mill was nearly
finished. One day in March, a warm south
wind "quieted the earth" after long rain, the
river began to stir, its mail of ice to crack and
seave under the suns rays. persuaded 10
to lake little drive, and once in the carriage
the air terminated her; she rested against me.
and talked more than l had known her for
weeks.
What lovely dayI said she; chow
blamy the air is there is such an ex expression of
rest without despair, such calm expectation |
l always think of heaven on such days, Sally |
they are like the long sob with which child
finishes weeping. Only think of never more
knowing tears-that is life indeed"
keen pang pierced me at the vibration of
her voice as she spoke. / thought to sooth
her little, and said, 4" Heaven can be no more
than love, 10, and We have great deal of that
on earth"
"Do vel" answered she, in tone of grief
just tipped with irony, and then she went on /:
IL believe you love me, Sally. would trust you
with-my heart if need were. / think YOU
love me better than any one on earth does.3
-! love you enough, DEAR" said / more words
would have choked me in the utterance,
Soon we turned homeward.
Tell John to drive down by the river" said
Josephne-"I want to see the new mill ~
But you cannot see it from the road. 10 +:
the hemlocks stand between"
Never mind, Sally; l shall iust walk
through them don't deny me want to see
! all again; and perhaps the arbutus is in
"Not yet, Jo."
u can get some buds, then want to have
some just once"
We left the carriage, and on NV arm IL
strolled through the little thicket of hemlock
| trees, green and fragrant. She seemed unusu.
| ally strong. began to hope. After much
searching, we found the budded aover.. s sSa
loved most of all wild bcssoms-no AGENT
breathed from the closed petals; they we're not
yet kissed by the odor giving south wind into
life and expression; but 10 looked at them
wi ad, far-reaching eyes. think she silent.
| ly said good-by 70 them.
Presently We came out on the steep bank Of
the river, directly opposite the mill. A heavy
timber was thrown across from the shore to the
island, on which Tie workmen from the west
side had passed ard repassed; it was firm
enough for its purpose, but now, vet with the
mornings rain, and high above the grinding
| ice, it seemed q hazardous bridge Al xs