The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-03-23

, VI Tie evening.
, There was lonely wooded dell close by
!, the riverside quarter of mile from the
family country-seat whose carpet of moss
s when summer time came yielded often to a
? mournful tread. Its wild flowers were wet
: with nightly dews but more by daily tears
Oh. Alice Clyde was in secret very wretch
! ed
So the season waxed and waned, and the
household prepared to return to town. AL
ice dreaded the removal for the change in her
habit which it must, despising society now
more than she had ever esteemed it, paid a
} a farewell visit TO the spot where she had
hidden her anguish as one might hide thing
coveted.
1t was sombre afternoon f,ful winds
rent handfuls of faded leaves from the trees
. focks of birds sent forth a wailing chirp,hov-
ering over flower stalks dead and rustling
the river frowned back to the frowning
clouds, coursing on between its .ere banks.
Alice took her familiar seat at the foot of a
giant tree, which seemed deep-rooted like
her sorrow, and there for hours enjoyed the
sympathy which nature offered
At last she heard-did she not hear a
sound "a sound like near football She
had sometimes thought she heard the same
when here on other days; but listening to
the stiffness, had concluded it mere fancy
or, if more, still but the bounding of a squir-
rel or a hare among the leaves. This time,
however, the sounds were repeated. and
there was sudden agitation Of tie encir-
cling shrubs densely festooned with wild
grape whose burdenins clusters had fallen to
the ground unplucked. Adelia. anxious lest
she was exposing her health, had sought her
out.
Thus thought Alice, but with tremor of
her unstrung nerves, and gasping of the
breath that was more and more drawn In
painful sighs. She had risen, with hasty
putting back of her disheveled hair. and Ia
king up the mantle which had fallen from
her shoulders unheeded. The vines and
branches were cleft asunder BY strong
hand, and to her feet advanced Arthur May
bury.
Alice sank into her sea: faint and bewild-
cred without the power of articulating a syl-
liable. Speechless as herself, Arthur kneii
before her, took both her hands in his own.
bowed his forehead to her knee and rested it
there. She bent her head upon his; and
thus their humble spirits communed ,ogeth-
er, bap,izing themselves with contrition be-
fore heaven. and rising to newness Of pur-
pose ard higher appreciation Of the moral
mission.
Stars lighted their pathway ont of the
grove. and seemed al alphabet of love which
they had never learned rightly til now. a
few days latter the broken band of Hymen
was reunited with deeper significance, with
better hopes, and holier aspirations on the
part of those whose experience apart had
been so rife with unhappiness.
Ii was on the anniversary of their divorce
that Arthur and Alice ohse their seats on
the deck Of the Golden Petrol, about to
weigh anchor for TIE shining shores of Cali
forna-their future home.
"One year" said the wife softly, "snce Our
hopes perished so violently. Our hearts
term Of mourning is over, for those hopes
have burst their cerements ard come forth as
by miracle"
again and again" returned TIE husband,
did follow YOU, Alice, to Your wildwood
retreat, watching. Oh, how earnestly. to read
your heart in secret as had never been able
to 10 in public, and see If it shared anything
of the regret which was consuming my life.
words cannot describe the JOY of that mo-
ment when at last dared to WOO YOU to be
my bride second time.
There was murmured interchange Of en-
dearing words and an interval of silence.
"Do YOU remember" said Arthur again.
'''he evening in the gay company when We
so suddenly met eye to eye? What an i'm
pulse | felt to revenge myself on the misera-
bic fop who referred to you with such bold
admiration"
Alice smiled as she recalled her own emo
tions on the occasion and compared them
with those just now confessed. Then forget
ting the things which were behind, they talk
ed hopefully of what was before And when
evening came, and the panorama was water
with only belt of land fast declining be-
yond it, while the new moon cast obioue
shadows over the deck and behind the flight
of the Golden Petrel, their rich voices min
gled in song whose burden was of affection
which is all unmeasured by ocean ,and which.
though suns set and moons wane, ever in
creases more and more. Then amid the en-
cores of their fellow passengers, both their
hearts responded have found
it.
! Where west winds bear the Pacific spray
like rainbow clouds, is little Eden home,
with the tree of Love zealously guarded,
growing in the midst. Two cherrb children
CT twin-birth, toddle forth hand in hand to
sheave bright flowers that cover the land
scape as robe Of splendor the person of
some eastern monarch. The gold which Ar