The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-11-13

truly, as lovers always 10 believe their
fanr;es Aud il Lad grown to Jr another
! habit of his to walk toWard- nt, bone
upon those Colder aatuun evenings aud
| finding Eer upon the porch or in HE -.t'-
den. to join her, and sit taking Will her
for hours. His brother Jasper Was ,tten
with him, and with them also sat or walk
ed golden haired Eifio; hnt William
thought Of neither of these. nor IF the
portly Mr.. Graham, who would tiiin have
entered into theological disquis;;i0ns with
him, nor OF the placid Mrs. Graham, per-
petualy knitting beside them. He spoke
to all, and seemed to look at all, bat in
reality Caroline was the only one he saw
or listened to. Had he been less in .ove.
less deeply immersed in his own dreams,
he might not have been 50 blind 10 wla.
was passing before him, and might have
read the story which would have been so
plain to other eyes, and SO have spared
himself some pain.
He had other thoughts upon bis mind
beside. Jasper had always been trouble
to them, and was still. He was very wild
and reckless, and was often absent from
the village; and the-e We're bills for the
angry father to pay, ard stories which
brought tears to the mothers eyes, and
Will must soothe the one aild comfort the
other, and avert what blame he could
from the wild brother he loved so deaily.
And so the autumn passed, and winter
came, bringing long, bright evenings,
when the silver moon glittered upon the
bare branches of the old elm trees about
the parsonage, and he could see afar, upon
the nightly path, the red light from her
window shining out upon the drifts Ofnew-
ly-tallen snow, like beacon glowing there
to guide him into harbor.
1t was upon Christmas eve that Will
liam BetSwOrth started across the lonely
path to ask Of Caroline Graham the ques-
ton that had been on his lips SO long;
and as he marked the lamplight growing
nearer and brighter, lie thought that it
might glow on some future day, lighted
by her hand. "And the meanes5 hOvel,
the l0wlest hut, that could be bCiltin any
uncivilized land, would be home to me,
if her presence blessed it," said the young
minister, with tear-fled eyes and bend
ing his fair head in the bright starlight,
he thanked God who had taught ,.:l, to
love.
Jasper had been from home that even
ing, and as William opened the garden
gate, it startled him to see his brother
standing on the threshold, with something
unusual in his bearing, and in the express
sion of his handsome face. 1t startled
him yet more when, lingering in the
shadow, unseen by them, he saw Caroline
come out into the lamp lit hall and lay
her hand upon his brothers arm, and his
heart stood still as Jasper bent his head
above that hand and kissed it. They
spoke in whispers, and he could not hear
their words, but the meaning of that in
terview was plain to him, or he thought
so; and white, and cold, and trembling,
he leaned upon the little gate post, with
deadly faintness at his heart. He could
not move, even when he saw Jasper COM
ing rapidly towards him, SO they were be-
side each other in a moment.
"William!" exclaimed Jasper, in con-
fused, halt-tremulous voice, which yet
had the ring of happiness in its tones
civilian, is this you? Are you going
it?"
NOb HOW, i all IOb "Sli, w llllaIIl
just strength enough to say
His brother twined his arm around his
waist in boyi~h fashion. "Come with me,
then, > he said, 81 have something to tell
you. Perhaps you guess what it is al
ready, I think every one must know how
well love her."
There was fearful struggle in poor
Williams breast, but he kept slenc-, and
did not thrust away the arm that encircled
him.
"And SO" continued Jasper, ''although
1 have been so wild, and 50 little deserv-
ing of pure young heart like hers, have
somehow won it, and to-nigh ght she gave
me the sweet promise that she would be
mine; and am going to lead different
life, and study hard, and make both tame
and fortune; and just yet we are to tell
no one save her sister and yourself; and |
am going to the city, and come back to
claim her when I I'm what I should be to
be her husband; and then, when her
parents can no longer call me wild and
undeserving, and my own are as proud of
me as they now are Of you, we will tell
them all, and you shall marry us, and we
shall all be so happy together. Shall we
not, Will?"
And William forced his broken heart
into silence, and answered eyes,"
Alone that night he struggled with his
agony, standing in the cold midnight be-
side his chamber window, whence he could
see the white stones of the graveyard ris-
ing from the whittier snow which lay around
them. He had suffered, and he would
suffer in silence. He could not reproach
either Caroline or Jasper. How should
they guess his secret when he had not
suspected theirs? And she would be hap
py, and his brother would be led to seek
a purer and holier life, and his mother
would weep no longer for her youngest
! born, and none should know of the cross