The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-06-16

! its soft weight became sensble--not at al
because it was a woman's hand.
Do you believe that man and woman
can be truly friends2" she said, looking
up to mo, so that the moonlight filled her
earnest eyes, and could see that she meant
the question then and there to be set at
rest forever. Rather than to have enter
ed on a metaphysical discussion like this,
in the solitude of such night, and in such
company, l would gladly have foregath-
cred with the Sphynx, alone, somewhere
in the desert-perhaps on top of a pyra-
midland had that unreasonable animal
propose me riddles by the hour.
"I do not believe, l cannot believe it
possible" I answered hastily to her abrupt
question.
A ftful wind crept through the trees,
shaking their leaves stcalthily, and passed
away in deep drawn sigh. The debii-
tating influences of the night and its ro-
nance were gathering around me.
admit" continued [, that with
some pains the sexes may make plausible
kind Of a treaty, which will answer all
purposes of friendship for the time being
The feeling will be novel and delightful,
on both sides, and beautiful to look upon
But it will not lsst-will it?"
Perhaps not. And yet," I added,
touched by her gentle voice, 81 myself
have had friends among your sex who were
trucr and more unsel6sh, while they were
friends, than any man could be. But they
are dangerous companions, particularly in
the outset of life, while we have still faith
in our kind for one can scarcely refrain
from trusting them with every thought,
and even inventing a little dramatic conf
dence for them. They know how to sym.
pathizs so exquisitely now, when they
change as they must, for change is the
only immutable law of woman's nature
you have bitter enemy in possession of
every secret, the confident of every weak.
ness and the world at large meanwhile,
is convinced that you have been triAing
with young lady's affections"
Is it we whs always change?" retorted
my companion d" 1 am sure not. You
will not think me vain if I say it is my
experience. l shall never forget having
once made the acquaintance of a gentle
man, much older than,I whom liked and
respected. I was very young, and 1 own
that it fattered me to discover that DER.
son Of his standing seemed to find pleasure
in my company. We became very init
mate, and in little while he proposed
that We should enter into a solemn agree
ment to be friends, as the German students
do. He chose books for me to read and
sent his notes on the text written on the
margin. At first they were philosophical
works but very soon he brought me po,
stry, and sometimes even novel. At
last he would send me nothing but flowers.
Can you believe it," she continued, with
sorrowful simplicity, L" that, in spite of our
express agreement in the beginning, he
would become lover"
Indeed l believe it !" said |, shudder-
ing silently at the fate of this unhappy
gentleman, who in his declining years had
fallen into the young girls hands. How
endearinely she must have beguiled him
on, step BY step, to be lover and then
with what contempt she must have secuted
the abject victim from her presence, be-
cause he had approached her under the
mask Of friendship-the very mask which
she had compelled the poor old fellow in
the outset to adopt
By this time we had emerged from the
long avenue of trees and passed into the
bread moonlight which poured sanity
radiance upon fair innocent brow, and
soarkled along her hair with liquid CLEAN
wavering as it does upon ripping water.
She was of small stature, but her shape
was beautifully moulded (; and from the
slender waist upward her form swayed
with every motion, like water-lilly rock
ing on wave.
There was in her every attitude and
gesture an unconscious appeal to the chiv-
alric part Of ones nature; and she inspired
that kind Of liking, that temptation to
caress, which pet animal will excite by
its mere softness and prettiness.
It would be better for us all, she con.
tinued, in musing tone as though she
were talking to herself and the stars. Yes
the whole world would be better and more
pleasant to live in, if men and women were
allowed to form friendships. For my part
l sincerely believe that the intelligence Of