The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-15

] nDiut Mlth hah'N
"a dance"
Certainly why not ?"
81 should think prayer more fitting
such an hour. You are going wher,
death will be busy, and no one cal
foretell what his fate may be--no hui
man arm can turn the shafts aside"
"What a little Puritan you are Yor
should have been among those who
first set their feet on the 'Blarney ston,
of New England, as somebody calls
Plymouth Rock"
"And if had, should have striver
to have done my duty"
81 don't doubt it. You are perfect
little heroine, / know, but that is not
the question now. VIII you come
with me to the green ?"
''No, / must be excused 1t would
but lily agree with my present feelings
to mingle in a gay revel.
Jessie Avery" and his light manner
changed, 81 had hoped that you would
have gone with me, for have much &c
say to you"
"To me?"
Eyes. You know that on Monday
We leave Tor Washington.
"And this night you would spend in
frivolity ?"
Let us drop that subject. Jessie
we have been playmates together since
our earliest childhood. In boy and
girlhood we were not separated, and
now that man and womanhood has
dawned upon US, shall our first parting
be in anger ?"
"In anger ? O, no-nop
Jessie, what may be my fate, God
only can tell. As boy you know
loved you, and must the man find
hackneyed words to tell how that love
has grown with my growth and
strengthened with my strength? Jessie,
should l return in safety, may not
hope that you viii be my wife VIII
You not pledge me your word-will you
not plight me your troth 2"
Edward Barber, have both dread
ed and longed for this hour l knew
that it must come, and vet l shrank
from its coming. But now it is press
ed upon me, l can but speak the truth,
though it may wound your self love
and pride, and sadden my own heart
/ can never be your wife
But the reason p
Press me not for it. J."
Il have right to know why love is
scorned"
Not scorned No, not that. The
love of the poorest aud humblest on
earth is far too precious to be thrown
idly away
And you will not tell me why / am
thus rejected?' he demanded almost
sternly, and with his lips trembling
with the passion he was vainly trying
to keep in check
1T is unmanly in you to ask, she
replied, rising and preparing to return
home
Is it? BY heaven 1 viii know
/ the reason"
IF l had no other, your words
would have given me a sufficient one.
My words And what did l say
that so offended your sanctimonious
dignity 2 he asked with a sheer.
He who can idly and impiouslv call
upon heaven to witness his almost
guilty purposes, can never be the hus-
band Of
I "Pshaw But you will sing diff
ferent tune when / come back-who
knows but n general But l am vast
ing time here. Hank the band are
/ playing waltz. Good-by, Jessie.
When | come back again, | will go to
Sunday school with you and read the
Bible, as we used to do when we were
children--if have time What, YOU
wont give me parting kiss Well, /
will have an hundred from the pretti-
est girls on the green So good-by,
and pray for me-" And the gay young
captain turned away He had striven
to hide his chagrin under a brnsque
almost brutal manner, and wildly en-
tered into the sports of the evening to
still conscience, and the baflied love
that was busy with both heart and
brain.
God be with him and save him,
here and hereafter p was the fervent
prayer that winged its way on high
from her lips, when his rapid footsteps
had long ceased to fall upon her ear,
and she gathered her shawl around her
and started homeward
There, at least, she would not be in
suited. There she, the only child,
would be safe-out of the way of the
gay music that was ringing through
her brain, in father and mothers
arms. There God was loved and wor-
shipped ''in spirit and in TRUTH" and
no impious lips ever took his name in
vain.
Jessie, said the good old lady, look
ing up from her work as she heard the
light step of her daughter when she
entered, Jessie, so you have not been
up to the green p
"No, mother, l have no heart to go
there. But how did you know that 1
had not gone ?"
walter Elmer was here looking af-
ter you, and he said"
walter Elmer
When she had talked to the gay
young captain in the shadow of the
willow, no flush of neck or cheek-no
crimson tell-tale blood-no tremble of
nerves revealed the secret of the heart;
but now she turned away to hide, even