Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-05-03

DuL why came you not DeiOEe, my NIL
dred ?" said the lover, with a slight lingering
tone of Representation you know not the bit
terneSS of those countless minutes of anxiety,
and doubt, and eager waiting"
II could not leave my father" replied Mil
dred more seriously =" although he knows and
approves our attachment, he would have child
me had he been aware that | come to have
speech you from my window and as it is, |
have done wrong to come. Besides he was
weary, and bade me read to him, and | sat by
his Side and read TO him the Bible, until, in
the midst of an exhortation to watch and pray,
heard sound that he himself might have
called an uplifting of the horn of Sion, and be-
hold he was snoring in his chair and then, IN
the naughtineSS Of my heart, / stole from his
presence, to come to my rOom-and-and-
tend my flowers" she added, with an arch
smile
" You thought Of me, then, and came though
late, to see me 2" said Gerald eagerly.
You Did | not say my flowers, Master
Gerald 2" asked Mildred, still laughing
Oh mock me no longer, cruel girl ! Yoa
know not all have suffered during this ted.
iouS watch-all the doubts and fears with
which my poor mind has been tortured Did
you know, You would console, not mock me,
and one word would console ALL Tell me you
love me still"
Zone word You say-what shall it be ?"
said Mildred, raising her eyebrows as if to
seek the word and then, looking down upon
him kindly, she added, Ever"
And you love none but me you have no
thought for any other Z" continued the lover,
with an evident spice Of jealousy still lurking
in his mind.
"What two words now " said the laugh
ing girl Are all lovers such arrant beggars?
give them a penny and they ask a groat.-
Well ! well but one other, aud that shall be
the last. None" and as Mildred spoke, she
bent herself over the balcony to smile on Ger
aid, and rested one tiny hand, Of course un-
consciously, on the outer frame work.
Thanks, thanks, my dear, my pretty, my
darling Mildred - exclaimed the young man,
and as he spoke he Sprang, musket on arm,
upon stone bench, which stood ont from the
the wall Immediately under Mistress Mildreds
window, and endeayored to snatch the white
hand that just peeped SO invitingly over the
edge of the low wooden balcony.
"Out upon, Master Sentinel - said the
young lady, putting back her hand is it
thus you keep your watch Another such
step, and shall sound the alarm, and denounce
you as deserter 20 your post. Look We
your prisoner will escape"
Gerald instinctively turned his head to the
old tower behind him, as he stepped down again
from the stone bench with somewhat of that
il-between-the-l lcgs-lock, which a spaniel
wears when repulsed from his mistress lap
But there was no one stirring. He shook his
head reproachfully at the laughing girl
NAY did but remind you Of your duty"
said Mildred " and yOu know my father sets
much store by the capture Of this prisoner
whom he suppCscs to be some one Of rank ard
note fugitive from the dispersed amy Of
the malignantS perhaps friend Of the young
King of Scots, and as such, aware of his re
treat"
| saw him as they brought him hither, after
capturing him in an attempt to gain the coast
replied the Young soldier :" He is an old
cavalier, Of a stately and goodiy presence, al
though cast down by his i'll fortune. But
enough of this Tell ne, Mildred But here
the ears of the young couple caught the sound
of Q distant bell as it came booming over tue
water Of the broad.
"Husb it's the curfew from the town"
said Mildred "The watch will now be chang
ed. Back back They will be here directly
must away
" Already" cried Gerald, with yexation.-
" But another word, Mildred-but one-some
token Of Your love until we meet again"
impossible !" replied the fair girl. How
can you ask me for a token 1t were very
wrong in me to give you such. You ask too
much" Then, as she was about to close the
Il.
wants trimming sadly Alack these early
frosts destroy all my poor plants :" and taking
up her scissors, which hung from her girdle, she
shipped at withered leaf. Perhaps Mldreds
pretty little hand trembled, for of course it was
an accident-the unfortunate scissors, instead
of cutting the withered leaf, closed upon the
very pretticst rose upon the little tree-that
lose happened to hang over the edge of the
balcony and so it came to pass that it fell at
Gerald'S feet.
Gerald seized it and pressed it, Ike all true
lovers from time immemoral, to his lips.
Thanks, darling girl r he cried.
"Thauks for what 2" rejoined Mistress
Mildred, putting on a very lamentable air
" Now, do2't suppose | have done this pur-
posely. My poor rose how you crush it and
tumble it in your hand How could be so
awkward y and with these words the window
was wholly closed.
Gerald still stood with bis eyes fixed upon
the window, when noise as of sharp rus.
Ting among leaves startled him. Immediately
upon the alert, he looked cautiously around
but there was no one ein the court He walk
ed hastily to the parapet wall and bent over it
all was still except the beat of the fisher
man, which he had before observed 1t had
apparently been rowed to another part Of the
river about the mansion, as a better place for
fishing, without having been observed by the
inattentive sentinel, for it was now floating
down the stream toward the opening into the
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