Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-08-20
.1FTY CLNTs IN ADVANCE.
VOLUME 25, NO. 80.

der be don write. u hopc Ho " hot III
bu, he would have been sure TO let me know
IT he was. Perhaps he isso busy that he
has no, time to write to me. / will send
him a long, sweet letter, and pos. II my
self"
Little did she know that at that moment
Frank wa. approaching the village, way
worn. hag,ard, hungry. and alnO', shoe
ls-.
In the morning, as was usual with her,
Lucy, looked out Of the window for the
po.tman. and. as the window commanded q
view Of the chureh.yard, she observed .
meanly. y.clad person leaning on the .an-dial.
deeply absorbed. Surprised at
such an occurrence. for the villagers were
by no means addicted To such contemplA-
tiOn, she regarded him with great attention.
"Soms poor highway pilgrim" she
thought; =" II he comes this way will give
him half.a-erown for Rrank's sake, for 10
was there we parted. Bot had better
send IT," And forthwith calling her maid
Of sll.work (ior Lucy Dixon now kePts
scrvant) she despatched her with the coin.
Frank web-ter-for a- the reader may
have guessed. 1t was he-was leaning on the
pillar in a sad reverie.
My words were prophetic" he aid to
himself my destiny Is but destiny; !,
bcgan and Is ended and there !. an end Of
it. Shadows begin at nothing and end at
nothing Three times three hundred and
sIty.fye suns ha. this dial recorded, and
vet there il the shadow s,ill-silent, sombre
slowly moving as ever. - with myself,
have gone the round OF the years. and
have come back only to gare on on the SYM
bol Of my own fate. Roll on, shadow -
time and tide 10 thee are as nothing. Thy
dumb authority end, where it b"san. and
begin. where it ended"
While be was thus morbidly melita,iug.
girl addressed him. saying, "Plelss slr,
nis.us seut You this" aud she presented
hali.a.crown.
I" Aims" he cried, as the rci blood man
tied hi. forehead, " take It away" :"
Iii. look frightened the girl; -, throw
Ing down the coin. she .campercd away.
And has it como to this2" he groaned.
and On thi. spot, to, sacred to the memory
of my happie.t days oh, Lucy, dear
Lucy, may you never know the misery tia.
has fallen on me ="
lie was about To hasten away when tho
girl returned, saying her mistress did Dot
mean To aIront the gentleman.
"who is your mistress" ?" he asked.
Miss Dixon. .ir," replied the girl.
"Mlss who?" shouted Frank Webster.
Miss Dixon, the miIliner," said the
girl.
"Lacy Dixon ?" exclaimed Frank, inter-
roagltiyely.
"Misus', name /. Lucy, sir" replied
the girl.
"Sot married not mArricl =" exclaimed
tho fallen man, "anl true % me. And
what ava |? A wandering yagabond, about
u enlist a, the nearest &cPot Ny shadow
i. now black indeed"
| lie could no longer restrain himself, 50
leaning on the .un.dal, the hot tears gashcd
from hls eyes, and he sobbci aloud.
! The grrl stood pctrIded; bat in Few see
end. Frank, mastering his emotion bya
grca, saJr,, picked up the half-crown, and
! pressing il pa,sionately to his lips, turned
10 the servant; and said. Tell Lucy-l
mean t,ll your mi,trrs.-that will wear
thi. next my heart, in remembrance Of her
goodness, till my dying hour. Is Miss Dix.
On well?'
"Yes, sir" was the reply.
And happy" he asked.
"Ye-, sir, she's go, nice shop" said
the girl "yonder it ~"
Frank looked in the direction indicated,
and perceived neat little shop.winiow,
gnccd by some choice article, OF feminine
attire.
IL would not see her for the world. She
would despiss ms," he muitsred. "Teli
her, said hc 10 the girl, " that the 'tran.
ger will ask for blessing on her head every
hour of his existence" Aud - saying, hs
walked out of tho churchyarl, and took tho
road tha, lei away from Lncy'' abode.
The girl. incohercnt account, couplei
with what she had witnessed ia the church.
yard, threw Lucy into state Of violens
agitation. The strangers knowledss OF
her, his extreme emotion. anI Fcnxs lon;
silence. raised an extraordinary suspicion
in her mind.
"It must be Frank :" she exclaimed, and
hurricdly putting on her bonnet, she ran
down the rad with the speed Of flwn.
she som overlook the wanderer, and ono
glance a, his face, although pale and cna-
ciatcd, was sufficient.
Prank. dear Frank ;" she cried, as sh,
laid her hand on his arm.
Lucy =" he gisped, and fell sensolcss on
the roai. The shock had exhausted his
strength.
Loudly calling for assistance. some labor
ers approached and carried the insensibls
form of the withercd but once handsome
Frank Webster to the nearest inn, where hs
was speedily put to bed, and Lnsy de'-
patched messengers for medical assistance.
For weeks poor Frank lay lowering between
life and death. Lucy. the gentle, hopeful
n - - ~ A. ..., A. z. ,.,1ar .nd Ioy