The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-08

vi, YES, sue coulu say II, ana let ner
heart break upon the words. She
wanted to tell him how she loved him
as the plain man; how she should wor-
ship him rs the hero; how through all
the coming dangers her heart would
follow him. There was a moments 81
lence. Arnold gave a quick sigh
Yes, God speed you, she said as if
in answer to it,
And again they parted.
All that Lucy knew Of Arnold after
this was caught from floating rumors,
that he was in Washington, quartered
at the capitol; then that his regiment
was going into battle, and, weeks after,
when the suspense had grown almost
unboarablc, that he was safe and we'll
Another September came, bright,
rich and golden. The trees dropped
their crimson leaves rs of old; upon
the very paths and in the same places.
/ To Lucy this of all the year was the
saddest. TO the little world in which
she moved she was the same as ever,
bright, cheerful and happy. 1t could
not reach or fathom the new depths of
her heart when out ofsight the trag-
edy of her woman's life was indellibly
written The fruit was fair-how
should the world know that there was
a woman at the core
People wondered little, to besure,
when it was rumorcd about that Lucy
Torrcy was to accompany Judge
Brownies family to Washington for the
Winter. She had never been particu-
larly intimate at the Judges house
was very fond of home what induce
ment could have been held out to her?
1t was late in October when Lucy
reached Washington; but there it was
as soft and balmy as n New England
June The flowers ia front of the cap
itol were in full bloom the trees were
green, the grass fresh and soft 1t was
like o new world to her A happy
world, indeed, for she could look upon
the places where Arnold had been
She climbed mp one morning to the
dome of the capitol up where she
could sec the Maryland hills across
the river to Alexandria and Arlington
-afar off into Virginia where the
American flag was Just planted at Fair
fax, to Georgetown, and to the white
villages of tents that cirdlcd about
Washington She stood leaning over
the railing. her breath coming in quick
gasps, as if the rare beauty Of the scene
was more than she could bear, when
Mrs Browne said, close to her ear,
holding up her hands Indignantly
What a sacrilegc Look there,
Lucy, and there, and there
She pointed with the ivory nib Of her
parasol to the writing upon the dome
and the railing Whose name is that
As | live, Arnold Gray Oh yes he
was here last Spring, You remember
3 Then she went round, as hundreds
! have gone before her, searching fol
, some familiar name, spelling aloud and
to herself alternately, without expect
ING Lucy to heed or answer her
Spell-bound the girl stood, her eyes
. fixed upon the woll-hown handwriting
{ Above the name was written, (how hel
heart thrilled as she read it,, Oh, tho
lees of life are bitter let me die = Will
her initials, L. T., added to it.
The last composition of her schoo
! days ended with this line, and be ha(
, remembered it, She read it over anC
over again, forgetting everything in the
world beside.
+ Mrs. Brownies voice aroused her.
Come, Lucy, let's go; there's an
other party coming l wonder where
/ the Judge is Why. child, how strange
" YOU look-what's the mattcry
Lucy did not answer, and the gooC
, woman went on
Wen find the Judge, and go dow
the avenue shopping. | saw a silk a
Pei1y's that Just suits me-
p Please excuse me, Mrs. Browne;
$ want to 90 directly home.
Z Mrs Browne looked her over again
e Very well; but the carriage
Oh | had much rather walk, it is st
V beautiful
/ She could never tell why she too
t the route that she did in going home
B, or why she paused nyolmtarily befor
church which soldier was guarding
e 1t was all beyond her, above her. BE
f, fore she was hardly conscious Of wha
t she was doing, she was standing in tn
broad isle gazing abstractedly abou
her, at the white cots scattered about
Y the masses going to and fro, the con
n yalescent soldiers playing drafts in tn
- corner, neighbors TO one of their com
e rades who was lying stark and stiff o.
d his palate, the last great battle over
e Heart-sick she turned into a sid
" aisle A fair-haired girl was readin
If aloud to a dying soldier She caugh
the words, 4 know that my Redeeme
> liveth, and because he lives | shall hy
also.
+, She went forward A white face
a near the altar just then seemed t
S CLEAN out through the shadows. He
e heart stood still Ia all the worl'
IT there was but one face like that, In
: physician standing by made room 70
e her by the narrow cot, as though h
y recognized her right there.
II He cannot live, he said in answe
to her look of eager inquiry. He ha
II limb amputated fever set in.
1t Could not live She bent her chez
It to thepallid face close to the white lip
e clammy forehead, and soft, silken han