The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-11-25


almost sorer still to part with Marion,
who had been more than sister to
me ever since | saw her. Stephen
and | were nearly overcome with emo
ton; but she was calm and silent,
with an intent, with an intent, wistful
look about her lovely face that has
haunted me all my life since | can
SCI it now when 1 shut my eyes, though
it is fifty years ago. Need l say that
J never saw her again?
= l went to my sisters house, and be-
. gan the fashionable life / used to
work for. 1t was not all that 1 pic
tured it, though it was pleasant enough
to occupy me in the daytime; but at
night longed sadly for my darlings.
Stephen wrote letters full Of hope,
and talked of returning after spend
ing two years in Intaly. Marion, too,
wrote favorably of herself and my
; anxiety began to lessen. There was
, another reason for this at the same
time my hate husband, the friend and
partner of my sisters husband, was
; at that time beginning to pay his adj
dress to me; and the tender troubles
of my own ease made me careless OF
! others. Summer came round again
and one day as was half wishing for
my country home again, a letter ar
rived from Stephen. Marion's COM
i plant was at crisis, and a great
{ change would take place, one way or
the other, in few days. l was to go
? home, put the place in order to re-
, ceive them. l did not know till after
| wards that Marion had begged to be
t allowed to die at home, if the change
+ were for the worse, if it had been for
the better, there would have been no
reason Tor her staying abroad.
4 Well, went home, arranged every
1 thing, and waited for them. Three
/ weeks passed (the usual interval) and
: no letter; a month, and l supposed
e they were travelling slowly to avoid
l. fatigue On the day five weeks after
t had received the last letter l was sit
: ting alone, rather late in the evening,
Q when quick step sounded in the road
/ outside, and Stephen came to the gate
I and opened it, entered the house and
e sat down in silence. He was dressed
G as usual, and looked tired and travel
= stained; but there was no sorrow in
o his face, and l felt sure that Marion
d must be safe asked him where she
It was he said she was not with him.
;, "Haye you left her in Italy,"
$ asked
l "She is dead" he answered without
, shadow of emotion.
If "HowP Where ?" I was begin
II ming to question him, but he stopped
n me.
n GIVE me something to eat and
J. drink, he said Il have walked from
y London and want to sleep
II drought him what he wanted. III
* babe me good night; and as l saw he
s wished it, I left him and went to bed
full of grief, but even more of wonder
" that he, who truly loved his wife i
h ever man did, could speak of he
t not month after her death withou
or his voice faltering or his face chang
s. ing in the least. Tomorrow vii
" solve the question" | said to myself as
st weary with crying, felt sleep COMING
at over me. But tomorrow did not solv
n the question. He told me as before
lie without emotion, what he wished m
OF to know, and from that moment "
W spoke no more on the subject. In ey
to cry respect but this he was my owl
lg Stephen of old, Las kind and thought
re full as ever, only altered by a rattle
al absent and distracted manner.
lie thought at first that he was stunne
ut by his loss. and would realize it mos
4 painfully afterward; but months passe
v on without a change. He used Mar
at on's chair, or things of her work, Q
sat opposite to her drawings withou
st seeming to notice them; indeed,
I'd was as if she had dropped out of hi
as life entirely, and left him as he wa
On before he knew her. The only differ
le, ence was, that he, naturally man
20. sedentary habits, took a great deal
IS exercise and / knew that he kept lar
'e danum in his bedroom.
III. At this time my lover was pressin
er me to marry him, and with much diff
,r- Guilty consented to tell stephen aboI
ly it, though | had no intention OF lea
m ing him, To my surprise he SCENE
to pleased, told him that would ne
go er leave him alone, not for all the hu
,re bands in the world but he would NJ