The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-05-13

full Of light, her lips seemed double-dyed.
She wore white dress with cardinal flowers
whose bright hue scarcely rivaled her lips
and cheeks OH her breast and in her hair.
She talked and danced and sang, md still /
wondered whether her heart was not ach-
ing-whe.her all her sayety was not a
mask. She seemed in no hurry to retire.
She waited, indeed, until the the parlor Wa,
half cleared, and then as she was about to
60 her feet were stayed. Captain Saton-
stall was at the piano, and beginning to
sing. He had deep. rich voice, and it
seemed full OF tears, threading its pathway
through tender, tremulous minor cords, as
he sang:
'All the dreaming is broken through;
Both what is done and undOne | rue =
Nothing is steadfast and nothing true
, But your love for me. and nv love for you,
My dearest, dear little heart.
When the wild waves ebb, when the wild
waves flow.
When the winds are loud, when the winds are
low,
When the roses come, when the roses 60,
One thought, one feeling, is all know
My dearest dear little heart,
The time is weary, the year is old;
The light of the lily burns close to the mould;
The grave is cruel the grave is cold.
But the other side is the city of gold.
My dearest. dear little heart.
When he was through he got up and came
to me, where was standing beside Marcia
Good bye, Miss Armstrong;, he said. i
shall be gone when you come down stairs in
the morning. do not think you have ever
liked me very well, and fear when you
know all YOU will like me less. But do me-
the Justice to believe that | meant no wrong
ard would lay down my life at any moment
10 save Your sister one pang.'
He had spoken very low-so low that nc
one else heard him, unless possibly Marcia
There was a despairing gloom in his eyes
that moved me to pity in spite of my preju,
dices. could not refuse the hand he offer
ed. As he turned away from me Marcia said
something 20 him, almost in whisper, which
did not hear. | just caught the words fol-
his answer
4 believe It. God bless you, and forgive
me-
did not say anything to Marcia when We
we're at last alone in our room. thought
would wait for her confidence. Bat she did
not seem inclined to bestow IT, She undress
el quietly and mechanically, folding W
!, every article, and putting it away with un-
; wonted care and precision, as if she wanted
to proong the occupation. When all was
done She crept into bed still silently. 1t Wal
m hour perhaps that we lay there without
speaking. At length suppose she though
was asleep, for she got up cautiously, and
went and sat down al The window. There
) presently, heard her crying. very quietly, sc
as not to disturb ne, but ! could see how ths
r sobs sh- >lr0ve to suppress shook her.
' coulI bear It no longer. got out of bed
, and knelt down on the floor by her side, and
put my arms around her.
i love you,' cried, don't you know tha
love you Marcia? Why do you griev'
alone. ard shut me out of your heart?
, She turned and looked at ne and answer
: ed -
But sou do not like Captain Saltonstall
Ruth, ard will not Judge him fairly. Yol
= did not like him from the first: and yol
wanted me to marry Charley Cahill.'
i wanted You to be happy, Marcia; | onl!
wanted You 70 be happy; not to marry Char
I ley Cahill, or any one else, unless he coulc
V make you So
t At these words she was crying again, bu
t this time with her head on my bosom, he
, bright, bonny head.
That is past, Ruth. l shall never b
Z happy again. have had my dream, and i
| is over My day is dead
Then told her what had heard Salton
: stall say as they passed me on the shore, an'
t asked her if she was willing to tell me wha
it meant. She considered a moment ant
;, then she answered me.
Yes, your care and tenderness for me Civ
Il you right TO know all. do not think Cap
tain HaltOnstall ever meant to tell ME tha
y NJ loved ME. Perhaps he never realize,
t that he did until tonight. He just though
{ We were friends, and forgot how dangerou
such friendship was. Tonight he sal
d something about going away, and the chanc
there was that he should never see me agar
1t and somehow, don't know how, he saw tina
y loved him. He did not kiss me, Ruth, O
# talk to me like lover. He only told m
e once, in such words as | can never forge;
e what he felt fer me; and then he told m
t, that it was no use. He was married eigh
years ago..
k 'And his wife yet lives p cried.
+ sYes; in lunatic asylum. There was in
Il sanity in the family, and they concealed
h from him. He married her, liking her We
sr enough; not especially in love. 1t just hap
lie peaed, as half the marriages in this world d.
D In year she was insane. OF course he
bound to her for life
a. And, of course, he is a villain to com
y among women with free hearts, and lea,
such story untold.
- DO net be unjust Ruth. He could har
ID ly be required to parade such story ever,
r where; and he never expected to lcv. NE