Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-08-19
Grnrral 1Htstrllanp.
LOST ALICE.

Nor ebills one Whsi pcInapss tne sUangcst
character other age In her girlhood, could
not comprehend her and often think, when
| raise my eyes to her grave, quiet face, as she
sits opposite me at dinner, that do not com
prohond her yet. There are many thoughts
working in her brain ofwhich know nothing,
and flashes Of feeling look out at her eyes now
and then, and 20 back again, as captives might
steal a glance the outer world through their
prison bars, and turn to their blick walled
solitude once more. She is my wife. have
her and hold her as no other can. She bears
my name, and sits at the head Of my table
she rides beside me in my carriage, or takes
my arm and yet, know and feel, all the time,
that the darling Of my past has fed from me
forever, and that it is only the ghost Of the
gay Alice whom won in all the bloom other
bright youth, that fingers near me now.
She was not child when married her,
though she was very young. / mean, that
life had laughter lessons which are general
ly given only to the gray haired, and had laid
burdens upon her which belong of right to
the old She had been an unloved child. and
at the age of sixteen she was left TO herself,
and entirely dependent on her own exertions.
Friends and family she had none, so she was
accustomed laughingly to say but ! have since
found that her sisters were living, and in hap
py homes, even at the time when she accepted
that awful trust to herself, and went out in
the great world to fulfill it. Of this part Of
her life she never speaks but one who knew
her then had told me much IL was time Of
struggle and pain, as well it might have been.
Fresh from the life Of large boarding school,
she was little fitted for the selfish hustle Of
a great selfish city aud the tears come to
my eyes as | think, with kind of wonder, on
the child who pushed her way through diff
culties at which strong men have quailed, and
made herself name and position, and home
She was a writer--at first drudge for the
weekly press, poorly paid, and unappreciated.
By-and by, brighter days dawned, and tho
wolf went away from the door She was
admired, read, sought after and-above all
paid. Even then, she could not use the wis
dom she had purchased at SO dear rate
She held her heart in her hand, and it was
wrung and tortured every day.
Il may as well stop breathing as stop love-
ing she would say, with a happy smile
Don't talk to me about my folly. Let me
90 on with my toys and if they break in my
hand, you cannot helpit, and shall not come
to you for sympathy.
She was not beautiful but something
whether it was her bright, happy face, or the
restless gaiety OF her manner-bewitched peo-
I Pile, and made them like her Men did the
maddest things imaginable for her sake; and
not only young men in whom folly was par
donable, but those who should have been too
wise to be caught by the sparkle of her smile
OF the gay ringing Of her laugh. She did not
trust them; her early life had taught her
better but | think she liked them for a while,
until some newer fancy came and then she
danced past them, aud was gone.
/ 1t was in the country that met her first ;
and there she was more herself than in the
city We were distant relatives, though we
had never seen each other, and the Fates sent
me to spend my summer vacation with my
mothers aunts. in country village, where
she was already domesticated. Had known
this, should have kept my distance for
il was only fourteenth or fifteenth cousin
ship that lay between us, and had kind of
horror Of her. / hardly knew why. I was a
steady going quiet sort ofa lawyer, and hated
to have my short holiday of rest and quiet
broken in upon by fine lady. | said as much
to my aunt, in return to her announcement
of Alice Kent is here, with which she greet
ed me. She looked over her spectaces in
quiet wonder as gave her a slight sketch Of
the lady's city life, as / had had it from the
lips Of Mrs Grundy. herself
'Woll-live and learn, they say. But who
ever would think it was our Alice you are
talking of, Frank However, l will say no
more about her, in the month you mean to
pass here. And we are glad to see you, and
your bedroom is ready,-the one you used to
like
took up my hat, and strolled away to
have a look at the farm. By-and-by, got
over the orchard wall, and crossed the brook,
and the high road, and went out into the grove
behind the house, whose farthest trees were
growing on the hill which looked so blue and
distant from my chamber window. 1t was
an old and favorte place of mine A broad
wagon track led through the woods, out to a
clearing on the other side, where was a little
sheet of water, called the Fairy's looking glass,
and beautiful view of a lovely country, with
the stepped green hills lying down in the dis
tance, wrapped in soft heecy mantle otcloud
aud haze. | could think of nothing when |
stood there, on a fine sunshiny day, but the
long gaze of Bunyan's Pilgrim through the
shepherds glass at the beautiful city towards
which he was journeying. And it seemed
sometimes as if | could wander 'oyer the hills
and far away and lose myself in one of the
fair valleys at the foot of those hills, and be
content never to come out and face the weary
world any more.
K walked slowly through the woods, with
the sunshine falling through the green leaves
Of the young beeches in chequered radiance
on my path, drawing in long breaths of fresh
air, and feeling tingling in my veins and
glow at my heart, as if the blood were flow
ing newly there, until | came to the little
circular grove of pines and hemlocks that led
out upon the Fairys Looking-glass. Some
thing stirred as pierced my way through
the branches, and heard low growl.
A girl was half sitting half lying in the
sunshine besides the little lake, throwing
pebbles into the water, and watching the rip
pies that spread aud widened to the other
shore. great black Newfoundland dog was
standing between me and her, showing for
midable row of strong white teeth, and look
ing me threatoningly in the face She start
ed, aud looked sharply round. and saw me
standing in the little grove with the dog be-
tween us. She burst out laughing.
/ felt that was cutting ridiculous figure,
but put bold face upon the matter, and
asked coolly,
Are you Alice Kenti'