The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-04-24

posters were pahltu up All pNtF HlH ANNH
aud our salary was increased 10 fifteen pounds
a week and the gentleman who writes about,
the plays in the Sunday snub, was pleased TO
observe that there was no performance In
London half so wonderful as that Of the Pat
agonian Brothers. for which | take this OPP
portunlty 10 thank him kindly,
We lodged (of course togelher) In a quiet
street on a hill, near Islington The house
was kept by Mis-. Morrison, respectable,
industrious woman, whose husband had been
gasGter at one Of fhe theatres, and who
was now leh a widow with one only daughter
just, nineteen years Of age She was very
good, and very pretty. She was ehristened
Alice, but her mother oallod her Ally, and
we soon fell into the same habit foT they
we're very simple, friendly people, and we
were soon as good f-icnds as II we had oil
been living together In the same house for
years a,,.,..
am not a good hand ottelling a story as,
dare say, you have found out by this time,
-'and, indeed, never sat down TO write one
out before.--so may as well come to the
point At once, and confess that loved her
| also fanced, before many months were over,
that she did not altogether dislike mel for a
mans wits are twice as Sharp when he is in
love, and there il not blush, or q glance, or
word, that he does not con,riye 70 build some
hope upon So one day. when Griniths was
out, went downstairs to the pnrlor, where
she was sitting by the widow, sewing and
took a chair beside her
ALLY, my dear" said !, stopping her right
hand from working, and taking il up in both
Of minei ALLY, my dear, want to speak to
YOU"
She blushcd, and turnGT pale, ard blushed
again, and ! felt the pulses in her little sofl
hand throbbing Ike the heart Of frightened
bird, hut she never answered a syllable.
"Ally. my dear" said |, l am plain
man. am ,hirty.two years Of age. don't
know how To nattcr like some folks. and /
have had very little book-lcarning to speak
of But my dear, love youi aud though
don't pretend that you a,e the first girl !
ever fnccd can truly say that YOU are the
first ever cared to make my wife SO, il
+ -
band to you as long as live
What answer she made, or whether she
spoke at all, is more than can undertake To
lrll for my ideas were all confused, aud ! on
ly remember that kissed her aud felt very
happy aud that, when Mrs. Morrison came
into the room, she found me with my arm
elasped round my darlings waist.
/ scarcely knew when it wus that | Grstn
-ticcd the change in John Griitthsi but, that
! Il WAS somewhere about TIN, time, am toll
crably certain. II is hard to put looks into
words, and to make account Of trihes that, af.
all -ale rl.atlera- Of failing more Than mat.
trrs Of fact but o,hcrs saw the change as
well as myself and no one could help obscrv'
ng that he grew to be more silent aud un-
sociablc, than ever. lie kept away from home
as much as possible, lie spent all his sun
days out starting away the first thing after
breakfast, and not coming back again I'll
close upon mitpight. He even put an end 10
ouRold friendly custom Of walking home to-
gethcr after our nights work was over, and
Joined a sort of tap.room club that was kept
-up by n tiozen-or so of idir r-trtiows, @hsiuug
ing to the theatre. Worse than this, he
scarcely exchanged a word with me from
morning ill night, even when We were al
meals lie watched me about the room as
if | had been thief And sometimes, thougl
| am sure | never wrongcd him willingly il
my life, caught him .~o!,:ng at me from un
der those black brows Of his as il he hatct
me.
More than once l laid my hand upon hi'
sleeve as he MAS hurrying away on SUNDAYS
or turning of towards the club-room at night
and said, " "Grilliths, have you got anything
against me Or, q" Griiliths, won't you com,
home to friendly glass with me tonight P
But he either shook me OF without word
or muttered some sulky denial that SOUNDED
more like a curse than civil answer So
got tired of peace-making at last, and let hin
20 his own way, and choose his own compa
ny.
The summer was already far advanced, nnC
our engagement at the Belyidere had well
nigh ended, when began to buy the furni
,urc, and Ally to prepare her wedding things
Matters continued the same with John Grit
fths; but, when the day was fixed, made ny
my mind to try him once again, and inyit,
him to the church aud the dinner. The cir
cumstances of that invitation are as clear il
my memory as if the whole affair had taker
place this morning.
1t was On the twenty-ninth of July Il an
particular about dates,) and there had been 1
general call to rehearsal at one o'clock tha
day. The weather was warm and hazy, anC
l started early that might not go in late oi
tired for knew that, what with the rehear
sal and the new piece, and the Terrific De
scent, should have enough to do before my
day work was over. The consequence wa'
TINT [ nrri Nrd nhnnt fMrntN minutes too snnn