Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-08-06

III was not my last. Many sunshiny afternoon
was spent in the little parlor, with its wreath.
framed picture, its flowers of every hue, it,
vinc-shaded windows, and sloping terraced
doorway. | read to Lucy's aunt, but look
ed at Lucy. and made strange blunders with
my reading. I walked over the hills, and
traced out the spring of the dancing brook
and the little garden hat was always by my
side, reaching up to my heart, and no fur
ther, when It's owner stood beside me with
| her hands full OF flowers and moses, chatter
ing as fast as her tongue could run, about
her treasures. She treated me much as she
did Tiger and was only too glad to be his
iellow-slave Yet | am sure the frank child
never dreamed how dear she was growing to
me. To her | was Only james, or Brother
James only grave and serious man, too
old, even then, to be more than pro-
tector and confidential friend but not, alas
for 1t too old to love her, and that with a
strength and tenderness which young man
could never have felt. My staid manners
made me feel older than really was and
her aunt entrusted her to me. in all our ex-
cursions, as complacently as if had been
made of iron, instead of bearing about
living, beating heart, within my breast.
o, the golden days of that happy summer
fl d too quickly. Lucy met me one after
noon, at the gate, with as sad face as she
could wear
owe are going" she sighed "Aunt says
it is time to go back to the city and so we
leave Gan-Eden to-day spend few days in
town, and then return to noisy New York.
| am sure, if it was not for some we shall
meet there, ! should never want to see the
place again"
1t would have been well for me if had
attended m nrp tn ,rbat Sbo boJ
but the thought of her going away from the
only place on earth that seemed fit for her,
swallowed up every thing else.
Il thould like to visit the old place with
you to-day, Lucy
Come in then, and we will go. while the
servant is packing the furniture
The trees had just begun to put on their
glorious autumn coors, and banners of red,
purple, gold, crimson, russet, pale yellow,
green, and brown, were lung out on every
side. The September sunshine was vet warm
in the middle of the day and the smell of
the beeches and the rustic of the dead leaves
under foot remember them all. as it were
but yesterday But when the light began to
fade, and we turned towards home, looked
back at the lovely scene. and all was bare and
gray, and perfectly desolate. Even SO has my
life been, Lucy
1t was hard trial for her to leave the
pretty place. There were so many leave
takings Of old familiar spots, so many char
ges to the farmer who owned the house, to
let the oak wreaths hang as they were till a
new tenant came in, and 'Oh, to be sure and
feed the squirrels every day of his life; so
many hints after Tiger, who was always sup
posed to have been drowned in the well or
smothered under the luggage; and SO many
tInrsts Of ! G,,J;,,, Ca II
and generally fast asleep, that it was nearly
dark before | got her to take the last look,
and let me lead her to the pony carriage
which was waiting at the gate. got her
safely in at last, and saw her drive away; the
little garden-hat always turned towards the
cottage as long as it was in sight. Little she
cared about Camden, or all | was losing
with it. But | consoled myself with the
thought that l was inseparably connected
with it, in Lucy's mind. Never could she
thing of the flowers, and the sunshine, and
the bees. without also giving a thought to
the friend who had watched and loved them
with her. | went back and leaned against
the well, where had seen her first bent
down and kissed the rough board where her
hand had often rested. IF tear fell now
and then, and broke the image of the star
which shone 50 TRANQUILITY in the water below,
it was only known to me, and to that star,
and to Him who made us both
The few days she had mentioned fed like
so many moments, and after that evening of
moonlight and music, she was to leave us. |
stood with her in the parlor of her uncle's
house, about ten moments before the arrival
of tne stage. There We're curtains of some
transparent rosc-colored materials at the
windows, and she was festooning them back
with some waxen white flowers with green
lcayes-the last clippings of her aunt's con-
seryatory-and the warm light fell upon her
face as she made IL graceful courtesy to me.
- There Is not that pretty? When you
come to see us in the city his winter, shall
arrange our parlors in the same way, to make
you remember Woodstock and Gan Eden"
81 am not likely to forget either Of them
| SAID, looking fondly down at her, and in
another moment it would all have been said,
if she had not laid her hand upon my arm
and whispered
"Dear old James, l should so like to tell
you secret"
" Well ?"
'' But you must never let my aunt know
told you, or she would give me terrible
lecture, suppose it is very improper, and
all that-but | should so like to tell you my
self. ! want you to come to us on the second
week Of January, and stay till after the
twenty fourth.
"And why till them"
She blushed and looked any where and
every where, but at me.
Because, on the twenty-fourth am to
be married.
With strong effort, | mastered myself,
and turning my face from the light, prepared
to hear and answer her next question, which
soon came.
Are you angry ?"
"Not l." answered steadily. :" But does
your Aunt know this ?"
She opened her large eyes with innocent
wonder,
'Of course. How stupid you are getting,
my dear old James, Why, she made the
match :"
"Ahi"
Edward is scarcely older than am, but
his father wishes him to marry, to make him
steady, | believe, or some such nonesense-as
if such fyabout as ! am would not unset
tie him still more However we are very
fond of each other
But how comes it, Lucy, that after all
our familiar friendship, this is the first time
! have even heard his name? p
She shook her curls about her face and
laughed.
'Oh, / didn't LIKE was afraid you would
think it was silly. You are so grave and
wise, and / indeed never should have had
the courage now, only that am going away,
But would you like to see his picture?'
Yes
She took a pretty little case of blue velvet
from her pocket and, unfastening the golden
clasps, laid it open in my hand, looked
upon my rival \ dashing, handsome, au-
dacious boy of twenty, with a midshipman s
uniform, a pair of bright dark eyes, and an
incipient moustache-that was all He
looked merry and happy enough, but he
seemed more likely to be deeply in love with
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