Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-03-11

giving up my whole soul to the entice-
ment Of riches, my sin was in surrender
ing the sweetest thing life can give-a
pure affection for base material good.
Just as my uneasiness and discomfort
reached its height, the stores of gold in
! California were discovered. A vast flood
of emigration was poured toward the
Pacific. Almost without consideration
my resolution was taken. went to Eth
Give had been engaged then for two
years. unfolded my plans, sought 10
dazzle her with my golden visions; but
with what now remember seemed to me
womanish weakness, she clung to the
idea of separation.
Three years is such long time she
said, her blue eyes growing humid again
as she spoke.
"A mere trife, Ethel. 1t will be gone
almost b fore you realize it. Then |
shall come back rich man. / mean to
build a new house on the old place, and
lay out lawn and garden such as we
read of in novels, aud | shall keep my
horses and carriages, and we shall have
nothing to do but enjoy ourselves, Ethel
Still the shadow was not lifted from
her face. l had not much patience with
sentiment. My love for Ethel was feel
ing that had somehow crept into my heart
unknown to me. And now in the antic-
ipation of a golden future gave her up
almost without regret.
My home affairs were speedily arrang-
ed to suit a prolonged absence, and be-
fore many days | was with Ethel at her
home for the last time. l suppose this
thought was present to her mind as we
sat down together in the imly-furnished
parlor. ] think the meagerness of the
apartment had never struck me so forci-
bly, as now. The striped carpet, the hard,
wooden chairs, the moreen-covered sofa,
the small, mahogany-fr r N looking
glass over the table, the two tall, colored
glass vases upon the mantel-piece, and
the small attempts at ornamentation were
a shabby contrast to the magnifcently-
appointed drawing-room of my imagina-
ton. Ethel must have d i vi n ID my
thoughts, for as my eyes returned to her
face after glancing around the room, she
said, with little reproach in her voice
we have been very h happy here,
though we have been poor.
Yes, Ethel | answered, 'and we shall
be still happier when | come home, if !
am successful, l suppose you believe
one may be happy if one is rich,' l add
ed, jestingly.
Don't you know what fear, Andrew?
asked Ethel, gravely.
The tender sorrow in her face touched
me.
What is it, Ethel'' asked.
You know | would not say anything
10 wound you,' she replied, after mo-
ment's hesitation. Il don't mean to init
mate anything discreditable to you if |
say that l fear you may push your desire
10 grow rich too far; you know how ca |
gerly you throw yourself into anything
which interests you, and l have fancied
that ! saw in you al don't know what ]
10 call it.
a bit of the miser, eh ? ! interrupted. |
No, l would not give it harsh name.
2 Perhaps it is the desire for gain common
% every person of enterprise and energy |
only Yankee thrift. But am afraid |
when you are away in California, alone,
with nothing to draw you out in other d.
that you will concentrate your
whole mind upon gaining wealth, and
hen host of evils will ensue, of which |
your forgetting me will be the ! S t.
There, Andrew, I've read you quite a
eeture. Will you forgive me?
Very willingly. little preacher, for
lon't you see-though of course, being a
woman, you don't-that you look at life
md its affairs from a wOman's point of
7iew? That is, an entirely impractical
me, and that your sentimental refine
nents won't do at all in real life, though
hey're pretty enough to romance about,
md so your misgivings and forebodings
lon't trouble me. And as for forgetting
'ou Ethel, l tell you honestly that the
hought of coming home to enjoy my
,ain with you, is one that will do more
han anything else TO reconcile me to the
'rivations that | shall experience. If
here is real feeling in my heart it is
ny love for you, Ethel
And | was honest in this, for hard as |
fteward became toward her, loved her
hen.
In a few d a VS. / irod the deck of
lronged steamer bound for the newly