Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-01-23

"Fll tell you why" he interrupted, impa-
tiently. Because you've seen her here for
the last time. She's never coming to chapel
again"
Never coming to chapel again y fall
tered, laying my hand on his sleeve in the
earnestness of my surprise. Why, George,
what is the matter p"
But he shook my 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 by
lane leading towards the hills, and left me
without another word.
have had plenty of bad treatment in my
time /; but never, until that moment, an angry
look or syllable from George. / did not
know how to bear it. That day my dinner
seemed as if it would choke me; and in the
afternoon / went out and wandered restlessly
about the fields till the honr for evening
prayer came round. / then returned to the
chapel, waiting for George. | 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
punctual as his habits were, it was of no use
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 I'M
happy?
Sitting there in the little dreary churchyard
with the darkness gathering around me,
asked myself these questions over and over
again, till NV brain ached for / was not much
used TO thinking about anything in those
times. At last / could bear to sit no longer.
The sudden thought struck me that i would
90 to Leah, and learn what the matter was
from her own lips. l sprang to my feet, and
set out at once towards her home.
1t was quite dark, and light rain was be-
ginning to fall. found the garden-gate open,
and a quick hope flashed across me that
George might be there. l 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
cd strangely familiar. "Ugh what a eli
mate for such flower as my darling to bloom
inw
els it so much finer in France ?" asked
Leah, softly.
As much finer as blue skies and sunshine
can make it. Why, my angel, even your
bright ewes will be ten times brighter, and
your rosy cheeks ten times roster, when they
are transplanted to Paris. All | can give
you no 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 ~ said Leah. "And
you will really take me to see all those
beautiful shOps:"
Every Sunday, my darling. Bah don't
look so shocked. The shops in Paris are
always open on Sunday, and everybody makes
holiday. You will soon get over these preju-
dices."
:" think it is very wrong to take so much
pleasure in the things of this world" sighed
| Leah.
The Frenchman laughed and answered hel
with a kiss.
Good night, my sweet little saint ~ and
he ran lightly down the path, and disappeared
I
| fingered a moment, and then closed the door
Stupefed and bewildel ed, stood for some
seconds like a 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 a heavy
hand was laid on my shoulder, and hoarst
voice close beside my ear said
"Who are you? What are you doing
here?"
II was George. / knew him at once, il
| spite of the darkness, and stammered hi:
name lie took his hand quickly from my
shoulder.
4" How long have you been here?" said he
| fiercely ''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
to you"
"Pm sure YOU don't, cried" earnestly
ats that cursed Frenchmen," he went
on, in a voice that sounded like the grOan o
one in pain. "He's villain. know he's ;
villain; and I've had a warning against hin
ever since the first moment he came anon!
us He'll make her miserable, and break he
heart some day-my pretty Leah-and Low,
her so : But I'll be revenged; as sure as there
a sun in heaven, I'll be revenged y
His .vehemence terrified me. L tried t.
persuade him to go home, but he would no
listen TO me.
"No. no." he said. "Go home yourself
boy, and let me be. My blood is on fire
this rain is good for me, and | am bette
alone"
eff could only do something to he'll
you"
"You can't" interrupted he. "Nobod
can help me. I'm ruined man, and | don
care what becomes of me. The Lord forgiv
me nv heart is full of wickedness, and m
thoughts are the promptings of Satan. There
go-for heavens sake, go. | don't know wha
j say, or what / do ~
i i went, for l did not dare refuse any longer
but fingered awhile at the corner of thu
street, and watched him pacing to and fro il
the driving rain. At length turned reluc
family away and went home.
| lay awake that night for hours, thinkin;
over the events of the day, and hating thu
Frenchman from my very soul. / could no
hate Leah. had worshipped her too Ion:
and too faithfully for that; but looked upol
her as a creature given over to destruction
i fell asleep towards morning, and woke agail
shortly after daybreak. When reached th'
pottery, found George there before me
looking very pale, but quite himself, and set
ting the men to work as usual. / said moth
ing about what had happened the day before
Something in his face silenced me; but see
ing him so steady and composed, | took hear
and began to hope he had fought through thu
worst of his trouble. By-and-by the French
man came through the yard gay and off
hand, with his cigar in his mouth, and hi
hands in his pockets. George turned sharpl.