Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1861-08-07
Yes Agge, and | must bid you now good.

She grove!y came to my side and kissed me,
and | left her.
" ! know you are thinking, Charley, that this
( is the most eccentric affair which ever occurred
in the life Of that eccentric person, Phil Rivers,
and you are right 1t was strange, and | Won
der now why | was induced to engage in an
affair which might have ioresecn would end
as it did. But to return to my story, as The
novel writer's say.
IL left Aggie Lee that night, and, owing to
unforeseen circumstances, | did not meet her for
a year or more. After that | visited her ire.
QucntlE till at length she reached the age of
sixteen.
" | cannot describe her to YOU as she then
looked to me- only that she was more beautiful
than any can picture Charley. | loved her
madIy almost worshiped her; and She well,
she said she loved me, and believed her She
promised to be mine, and her eighteenth birth
/ day we decided should witness our marriage.
When she was nearly seventeen went to
the West and began my career as a lawyer
For time every mail brought me letter from
/ Agatha, aud she grew deurer than ever to me.
\, length her letters were less frequent and,
though wrote and begged to know the cause );
lsoon ceased to hear from her. Surprised be.
yond expression at this, | made arrangements
. return aud one fine summers morning, but
lew weeks before the time appointed Tor our
marriage, l walked up the little gravcIIed walk
,nd stood before the little white cottage Of Mrs.
Lee. | rang the bell impa;enlly. A moment
passed, and heard no answering footsteps |
looked up at the windows and noticed, Tor the
first time, that the shutters were closed, apd an
air OF loneliness and quiet prevailed, which
caused me to feel an involuntary Shudder.-
Percelvlng, just outside the gate, ragged dir
ty.taced boy, who was pecring curiousIy at me,
L slowly rctraCed my steps.
80 Docs Mrs. Lee live here | asked
Miss Lee |, dun know. Say Dick,
who lives IN this ere house " replied the boy,
looking up with saucy srimace on his dirty
face.
Yes said a voice, apparently issuing from
u hedge close by but immcdia,c'y the voice
was followed by the appariijon Of the boy who
had been addressed as Dick.
Yes, | know who lives th'ro-just nobody
And laugh followed this cbuition Of wit
Look here said !, dropping a small coin in
his hand. \ comlcoI ccr came over his face,
and he said
Oh ! see you wants to know well fold.
ing his arms comPIa;entIy, Miss Lee has been
ana SOFA out TINS ere place, aud has gone oil to
bosto or some Other place. That's all know
aoo4t It, mister
put MISS Agatha, Whcrc Is She | asked
eagerly.
on! ana ne gave Shn'I whistle, Miss
Aggle is the one; say, Bob, that's Il good 'un
come ana inquire Tor the ola lady, when it's
pretty A@sle he wants to see.
lrowned, and some &hat subdued he went
on
Well, that Is how Miss Lee happened to
sell her daughter Aggle got married 10 Il rick
OLD teller, who had bushels OF gold and dia-
mondS, and brought Aggie thousands Ct pres
ents
Married Agatha married ! exclaimed
The boy looked up in surprise.
yes, she's married.
IL did not speak again, but like one in y
dream, walked back into the street. For some
time felt utterly bowiIdercd the report had
Just heard, together with tht fact that oar ccr.
reSpondence had SO suddenly ceased, combined
to induce me to believe that Agatha Lee who
had deemed as true and pure as an ancpl j, had
in6eed deceived me, Still | determined to think
it all mistake, ill learned the truth from
some other source. With this determination
stopped at the door of one whose acopairtopce
| had made while a teacher at n"
"Why, Mr. Rivors!' was the surprised ex.
clamatlon which greeted me. 80 YOU have re.
turned"
A few moments were passcd in tbo inter.
change Of commonplace remarks then I asked
-"Aud what of my old friends %
An enumeration of the various cbonccs !, tho
village was made but had no interest in
them, until the words fell on my eorer ear
Then there was Mrs. Lee and Apcie-thcy are
rome Argc is married. and they-Mrs. Lee.
Arcie and Mr. Waldron. think tho nomo is-
have conc away"
"Mr. Rivers, thought once that vou wou,d
l. I: l,l..,L i I -,