The Portland daily press., 1864-05-21
MISCELLANY.
A sEAsONABLE STORY.

Leap Yesr.
sEAsoNABLE STORY.
$ Nothing but private common pri-
vate!''
1t would be vain to attempt to portray the
Lady Macbethian scorn which curved Harriet
Deane's lips as she spoke the sentence. John
Carlyle, albeit he was confident of not deserving
the keen-edged contempt, quailed beneath it,
nevertheless.
''But, Harriet
"Hushp' said the imperious beauty, holding
up warning finger, 81 want to understand this
matter. Gilbert Armour was promoted to be
Second Lieutenant, was he not?''
"Yes"
" ..1as you are his equal in all respects r'
Might you not also have shared his
honors 20
q might, | suppose, Harriet, - said the
young soldier, fixing his calm, dark eye upon
her fair flushed face, ''if | had chosen to share
them at the expense of poor Talcott, who earned
his shoulder straps long ago. They should have
been his by every right, months since, but pow
erty and obscurity are not the best place-win-
ners Either Gilbert Armour or | must stand
aside to see wrong man righted. He did not
choose to sacrifice promotion TO a scruple. did
Harriet--was wrong ?"
"Oh, of course, it's nothing to me-" said
Miss Deane. "You were perfectly right in con-
sulting your own choice. viii You be good
enough to hand me that work basket %
John Carlyle sat looking at the pretty crea-
ture around whom the love Of his strong nature
had become entwined with fervor rare enough
in these matter-of-fact days, in wistful per-
plexity. Shining auburn hair, parted away
from low pearl-lke brow-deep blue ewes
like the velvety petal of pansy, and mouth
whose intense crimson reminded you of the
inside leaves of Lord Raglan rose she
was by no means disagreeable to look at,
and Mr. Cariyla WI ouifa caugihIo Of tha
fact.
tremor in the syllables, 81 came
Excuse me, sir" interposed Miss Deane,
with studied ceremony, {" | am particularly
busy counting these stitches-if you would be
so obliging as not to interrupt me 20
All IMMERSED as he was in the devious wine
ings of feminine nature, John Carlyle instinc-
lively felt that this was no suspicious season for
the furtherance of his suit.
"I'll try it again tonight he unused, walk
ing homeward. ssShe won't be doing crotchet-
work forever, and | cannot go away in such
torturing suspense as this: She is vexed about
the shoulder straps; wish, for her sake | had
them, yet would not wear them furnished by
the faintest stain of injustice or dishonor.''
The clear january sky was jewsed with
frosty stars, and the solemn old church clock
had just chmed the hour of nine from its dim
belfry, when he entered the BRIG bit room, with
It's messy blue carpet and hangings of azure
silk and Partisan statuetes hidden by vases of
vivid crimson roses.
II was not empty, however, as he had hoped
and expected. Lieutenant Armour stood in the
middle of the apartment, decidedly conscious of
his fine new shoulder-straps, and patronizing
half dozen pretty girls. He nodded laughing
ly to Carlyle. and went on with the sentence
which the new arrival had interrupted.
"Leap-Year TO be sure il is And may as
well state at once that I'm quite ready to
receive nrOnpstioug ladies have IN
make
" Nonsense. Gilbert y said Mary Elphin-
stone, his cousin.
Nonsense, ehy Well, I'm glad you consider
it in that light Il don't! think it great
shame the girls don't avail themselves of their
privilege when we men are ready with our
bushes and timid glances''
Helooked at Harriet Deane as he spoke, half in
earnest, jestingly. John Carlyle's eye followed
the direction of his, as by sort of fascination,
and saw the rose-tint mounting TO Harriet's
cheeks, aud the purple blue eyes hidden by their
white lids
How long he stood there, with a giddy pain
surging through his brain, and chill at his
heart, as Of cold hand grasping at its fbers,
he did not know it might have been five min
utes, or it might have been five hours; but he
was reused by the breaking up of the little
party, the sound of merry voices and playful
adieus.
Harriet Deane was standing under the chan
delier, one light hand resting on the carved
back of a Gothic chair-Gibert Armour lounged
on sofa, where the blue silk curtains swept
over the entrance TO u bay window. As John
Carlyle pressed forward, Miss Elphinstone laid
her hand on his arm softly.
.sNo, no." she whispered archy, "don't you
see it's understood with Gilbert and Harriet
Give me your arm home, for Gilbert will never
think of me again.
John Carlyle turned silently away with white
lips and clenched teeth, blind TO the wistful
glance that shone through Harriet's lashes, the
uncertain quiver of her lips.
He was gone. Yes, the field was clear for
the newly made Lieutenant He advanced, a
little neryously.
Harriet
But TO his horror and surprise she burst into
storm of passionate tears, through which her
violet eyes flashed with ominous sparkes
Don't speak to mep she sobbed; "dont
come near me Gilbert Armour Il wish you
TO 60 home and never come near me againl'
Harry
Glow dare you call me Harriet, Lieutenant
Armour, Not another word | don't want TO
hear what you are going to say -
She held open the door imperially, dignifed,
although the tears hung on her lashes, and the
auburn braids, escaping from their pins, swept
from her shoulder, and Lieutenant Armour
walked out, crestfallen.
swell, I've got my dismissali'' auoth he TO
himself, biting his long mustache in impotent
wrath. but who would ever have thought
she was such COMPOUNDED little vixen 20
'.You might take off the upper arm just here
without
What's the use He won't last out the
day any way, and we may as well let him 20
easily, even If we had time to waste in unneces-
sary operations -
'I'm not so certain about that. Give the
man chance for his life. Where's the ether p
"You want no ether; he is totally insensiblel''
The words fell like meaningless jangles of sound
ON John Carlyle's ear as he lay, one in q multi
tude Of wounded and dying men, in a weather.
beaten old shed. The busy doctor and the kind
hearted young cadet made no impression on his
mind; he heard what they said as if they had
been talking of some one else. There was no
voltion-no intellect. Life seemed ebbing away
from him as the sparkling tide goes creeping
creeping from under the stranded boat
All at once there came sudden, sharp pain
as the surgeons keen instrument cleft the arm,
and then followed insensbty.
"Ten TO one he'll de-" said the surgeon in
differently, as he replaced the glittering tools.
''There's no use bandaging il so carefully
But the young cadet knelt down TO fasten the
wrappings, wondering in his secret heart if the
time would ever come when he, too should
speak 50 carelessly of fellow creatures life,
God given.
John Carlyle did not die, the grim old sur
geon TO the contrary Notwithstanding
There had been a glorious thunder-shower.
Along the west hing heavy draperies OF violet
black cloud, edged with dazzling fringes of gold.
while the blue zenith, smiling through its brief
tears, seemed literally to swim in liquid light
And from far OH apple-orchards pink with bill
lows of tossing bloom, and sunny slopes all en-
III ...fb ,..sl1 -. 4