Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-04-27

he said, gloomily, with an unconscious en-
phasls on the last word, "but you arc deeper
and sharpor-looking than You used to be.
y ou arc woman Of tho world now you
were a shy. domestic girl six years since.d
Years effect wonderful changes | an
swcrcd
"Not in me- he oxcaimcd-"nover in me.
You arc offended and perhaps altogether cs-
Tangcd, because / never wrote to YOU
would | could tell you, dearest, how my
mother, whom ! love only next to yourself.
mplorod me Co try what absence would do,
and how my fathers anger would have made
home miserable for her as well as myself
your kind heart would forgive mo stipu-
lated with my mother that she should always
ascertain how you were, aud tell me if YOU
changed to me so far as TO favor the love Of
another ! could rely upon her truth. and
heard that You continued faithful TO me.
How often when abroad, meeting only heart
less women Of fashion, havo ongcd to be a
poor man Tor the sake of my true, pretty,
home-liko Anna"
"Iou arc poor man" | said, scornfully,
with fresh wave Of my ruler "you arc de-
pendent upon your father for the very bread
YOU eat-you, man Of two-and-thirty years
Moreover, you arc a selfish man. for so long
never thought Of the disappointment and sus.
pcnsc ! might bo enduring"
Listen TO me" he continued eagerly
"when l left, home, ! was like the unjust
steward | could not dig and TO beg was
ashamed. had been brought up to a life Of
pleasure and indulgence, and so long as ! had
, hope OF my fathers consent to our marriage
/ ! was unwilling to relinquish my carly Gus
toms. But when | discovered that he could
/ be infexible, and that our future happiness
and my own trucst life depended upon my ex-
ertlons, sought to qualify myself for inde-
/ pendence. ! have studied the management Of
the banking business, and situation in a
Scotch bank is now open to me. | have come
home to acquaint my father with my plans,
J and If be will still not hear me, and if you
t yet love me, we will take our happiness into
our own hands. Another year Of waiting,
! and then, my Anna, will you not pardon my
long silence and give me the poor mans
home have so long coveted :"
stephen had drawn closer to me, for had
dropped my ruler and hidden my face in my
hands IN fearful gladness for my sister His
/ arm was stealing around my waist, when |
looked up and said, slowly
But AN not Anna. | am Mary :"
He recoiled to the opposite counter, and |
g. laughingly continued:
"lt is nearly the same thing, dear Mr..
Ellsmere | am the only person to whom
q Anna has confded her secret. | was very
jealous Of her, and wished to hear how YOU
could explain your neglect, bus can assure
you she is far too gentle and humble ever to
blame you. She is not very strong now, and
you must be very quiet and undemonstrative
in your manner to her, for she is a grave,
G modest girl, more sobered by the wear and
! tear of life than many are. Come into the
G sitting room she is alone there"
e After thus cautoning him, led him into
D the room, with simple announcement Anna,
here is a very old friend come to see you"
/ | expected timidity and hesitation and bushes,
but Mr.. Stephen opened his arms, and she,
overwhelmed with amazement, luttcred into
them like weary bird into her nest.
left the lovers together; myself mcdita-
ting on the singular anomalies Of the human
character, and viewing my sister in particular
! under a new phase.
q Our blind father could not refuse his ap-
+ probation Of Stephen and Annas engagement.
/ when Inc heard how admirably and dotermi-
natoly stephen had fitted himself for indie
T pondcnce. Mr.. Ellesmere was furious at his
, sons constancy and neither would give
o up his cherished plans they parted in anger,
and, in few days, Stephen left us for North
/ Britain.
Before Mr.. Trevor had been with us many
| months, it became evident to us all that Ettie
{ had given to him the warm, impulsive, first
love of young heart. 1t pleased him, and
he appeared to reciprocate it in less ardent,
= somewhat trihing manner. 1 had never
grown reconcled to him, and this manner,
which he could not conceal from me, increased
my dislike. We knew absolutely nothing of
his former life and associates his letters,
which would have given me some clue to his
friends and family, never fell into my hands,
} for he was careful to put them into the bags
without my observation. When at work in
f the office | never looked at him without meet
ing his eye, as if he knew instinctively that
suspected and watched him, and he wished to
battle me. So, as the second winter after my
return home came on, | procured a pair Of
thick blue glasses, under pretext Of the gas
light being painful to my eyes, and to his
evident annoyance | was thus enabled to no
tice him and his movements unseon NV
father was well pleased with Trevor declal-
ed attachment to Ettie he was almost angry
when | opposed it, and spoke Of the clerk IS
earnest piety in this matter had little in
fuence, as being of slight faint Of conti-
mental laNity IN affairs OF religion. Or course,
he expected to be the future postmaster of
Ionwell, and my father believed that his
business as bookseller would soon revive in
younger hands. Ettie and Anna were there
fore happy in their engagements, and but for
my porverse misgivings our family would have
had no troubles but those arising from very
limited means.
As one person could not discharge the night
duties, and the town postman was no longer
permitted to get up at three every morning to
assist Mr., Trevor. Anna was unable to con-
tinuc her exertions, and the work consequent
ly fell upon me. But our old nurse, who re-
mained as our only servant, was 50 much
scandazed at this necessary arrangement,
and she so cordially entered into my dislike
Of our head clerk, that she persisted in rising
Away at the same hour, in order to be near
at hand. Her kitchen was connected with
the Office by high, narrsw door, like these
in very old houses, and | resisted every inti-
nation of the deputy and surveyors that this
communication ought to be closed.
Affairs were in this condition, when ono
morning before Anna was up, there came Ste
phens sharp peculiar knock at the outer