Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-01-20

/ olu, tuTAeu 10 peoISe, anu asked III Lean
was Ill
/ No" said he gloomily, she is not ill.,
/ Then why wasn't shc-s"
! I'll tell YOU why" he interrupted. inpa-
/ tIently. Because you've seen her here for
the last tltae. sues never coming to chapel
/ again"
| Never coming to chapel again. = / fab
| tered, LAYING my hand on his sleeve in the
earnestness OF my surprise. Why, George,
| what Is the matter .
But he shook nv hand off, and stamped
with his iron heel till the pavement rang
| again.
Don't ask me" said he roughly. Let
me alone. You'll know soon enough"
And with this he turned off down a bv-
lane leading towards the hills and left me
| without another word ~
| have had plenty of bad treatment in NV
| time but never, until that moment, an angry
look syllable from George. / did not
| know how TO bear it. That day nv dinner
seemed as if it would choke me and in the
| afternoon | went out and wandered restlesslv
| about the fields till the honr for evening
| PRAYER came round. | then returned to the
chapel, waiting for George. l saw the con-
| gregation go IN by twos and threes; | heard
| the first psalm-tune echo solemnly through
/ the evening stiffness; but no George came
! Then the service began, and | knew that
| to expect him any longer. Where could he
! be What could have happened? Why
| should Leah Payne never come to chapel
| again: Had she gone over to some other
sect, and was that why George seemed so IN
| happy
Sitting there in the little dreary churchyard
| with the darkness gathering around me, |
/ asked myself these questions over and over
1 again, TIL nv brain aehed; for was not much
L.
/ times. At last | could bear to sit no longer.
/ The sudden thought struck me that | would
4 90 10 Leah, and learn what the matter was
from her own lips. / sprang to my feet, and
| set out at once towards her home
II was quite dark, and a light rain was be-
| ginning 70 fail. found the garden-gate open,
/ and a quick hope flashed across me that
| George might be there. | drew back for a
moment, hesitating whether to knock or ring,
when "A sound Of voices in the passage, and
the sudden cleaning Of bright line of light
under the door, warned me that some one
was coming out Taken by surprise, and
| quite unprepared for the moment with any
| thing TO say, | shrank behind the porch and
| waited until those within should have passed
out. The door opened, and the light stream
ed suddenly upon the roses and wet gravel
1t rains" said Leah bending forward and
| shading the candle with her hand
And is as cold as Siberia" added another
/ voice, which was not Georges, and yet sound
ed strangely familiar " Ugh what a eli
mate for such flower nay darling to bloom
in"
Is it 50 much finer in France :" asked
Leah, softly.
- As much finer as blue skies and sunshine
can make it. Why, my angel even your
bright eyes viii be ten times brighter, and
! vOgF rosy checks ten times roster when they
/ ara fr3r 4 "a - trixr
/ YOU 40 idea of the wonders Of Paris-the
+ broad streets planted with trees, the palaces,
| the shops, the gardens lit is a city Of en-
chantment
=. 1t must be, indeed Z" said Leah. And
You will really take me to see all those
beautiful shops -
Every Sunday, my darling. Bah don't
look 50 shocked The shops in Paris are
/ always open on Sunday, and everybody makes
holiday. You viii soon get over these preiu-
! dices"
- think it is very wrong to take so much
pleasure in the things of this world" sighed
/ Leah.
The Frenchman laughed and answered her
/ with kiss.
" Good night, my sweet little saint - and
he ran lightly down the path, and disappeared
IN the darkness. Leah sighed again, anC
fingered 4 moment, and then closed the door
Stupefied and bewilde. ed, | stood for some
| seconds like stone statue, unable to move
| scarcely able to think At length reused
/ myself as it were mechanically, and went
towards the gate At that instant . heavy
hand was laid on my shoulder, and hoarso
/ voice close beside my ear said
"Who are you? What are you doing
hcrc2"
1t was George. l knew him at once, il
spite OF the darkness, and stammcred hi.
name. lie took his hand quickly from my
shoulder
a. How long have YOU been here ;" said he
fcrcelv. What right have YOU to lurl
about, like a spy in the dark" Godhelp me
Ben; I'm half mad. l don't mean to be rasl
70 YOU
I'm sure YOU don't, cried, earnestly
Its that cursed Frcnchmen.n he went
on, in a voice that sounded ike the groan o
one in pain. He's villain. know he's
villain; and lve had Il warning against hin
ever since the first moment he came amOns
Us. He'll make her miserable. and break heI
heart some day-my pretty Leah-and l love
her so : But III be revenged; as sure as there
a sun in heaven, III be revengcdr y
His vehemence terrified me. | tried t
persuade him 10 go home, but he would no
listen to me.
. No. no" he said Go home Yourself
bov. ana let me he Nv blood is ON fire
this rain is good for me, and am bette
alone"
eff could only DO something to hell
you"
y ou can't" interrupted he Nobod,
can help me. I'm a ruined man. and | don
care what becomes of me. The Lord forgiv,
me my heart is full of wickeduess, and IN,
thoughts are the promptings of Satan. There
go-tor heavens sake, go. l don't know wha
! say, or what | do :"
I l went, for | did not dare refuse any longer
but | fingered awhile II the corner of the
street, ana watched him pacing to and fro il
the driving rain. At length l turned reluc
family away aud went home.
lay awake that night for hours. thinking
/ over the events of the day, and hating the
Frenchman from my very soul. l could no
hate Leah. had worshipped her too long
and too faithfully for that; but looked upon
her as a creature given over to destruction
fell asleep towards morning, and woke agair
shortly after dayhreak. When l reached the
pottery, | found George there before me
looking very pale. but quite himself and set
ting the men to-work - usual. l said aoth
ing about what mad happened the day before
Something in his face siIeuced me ; but see
ing him 50 steady and composed, I took heart