The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-11-11

past. IleN Ntlc OhiD OilV SuDuutu
mutterings which, when the tempest is
hushed, we hear from afar.
But now a great change was about
to take place in the situation of the
: Major; his daughter was going to be
! married. She was botrothed to vii
liam Munster, a Government forester;
they had known each other as chill
dren, and had grown up together.
At the moment that our story COM
mcnces, the young man was alone with
; his father-in-law, completing the ar
rangements for the approaching mar
riage
THAT is settled" said he, pushing
! aside his papers which NJ Loffen had
presented to him, and at which he had
not even glanced we are to take the
house by the water
"Snce Dorothy likes it, replied the
Major
And beside We shall be more com
Portable there than here.
Lotfen sighed
Does this removal vex your de
manded William, quietly; "ahl if that
is the case let US remain here.
NO, my son, answered the old sol
der, laying his hand on that of the
forester, 81 do not regret this dwell
ing"
"Wba. do you regret then3 For
some time past l have observed that
you are sad Ali conceal nothing
from me, my father Have I done any
thing to displease you?'
NO, No, my dear son; but this mar
riage YOU see, recalls 50 many memo
riesl Then am jealous Of YOU
"Yes, jealous" continued the Major
smiling, in reply to Williams look Of
astonishment, FOR you are going to be-
come the first attachment for Dorothy
Oh, do not deny it, it ought to be so,
and l am far from complaining Of it.
Bat habit has made me selfish, You
see. Till now l have been the sole OBJ
iect of my daughters cares. She has
had only me to love andto plcase; now,
her time and her affection are to be
shared by another, l cannot have her
always at my side, and the hours OF
solitude brighten me"
Your fears have been OWNED by
Dorothy" said William; "tho other
day she communicated them to me
with tears in her eyes.
Us it possible interrupted Lohen;
"ah l viii hide my sadness thon; /
viii not cloud the happiness Of Doro-
thy. Never mention to her what l
have just told you, William, it is an
old mans weakness piece Of nom
sense. Am I not going to live with
You: shall ! not see you every day? l
have but TO learn new habits i VIII
learn them
William did not answer and there
was a silence of some moments. At
length, casting furtiye glance at the
Major:
There might be a way Of prevent
ing the isolation which you dread, said
William, hesitatingly.
How"
"a person who was once dear to you
lives in Egra.-"
Enough enough, Williaml" inter
rupted the Major, rising hastily, Dor
othy must have told you the answer 1
gave her on that point It is not well
to stir the ashes of dead affections.
Never speak to me again on this sub
ject William: I entreat it Of You as a
friend and ! exact it as father"
Munster bowed sadly and Lohen
left the room.
Now the person who lived in Egra,
and to whom William had made allu-
sion, was no other than the mother Of
Dorothy. Married very young to the
Major whom she loved fondly, she had
at first found thousand joys in this
union; but, by degrees, the character
of Loffen had destroyed this happi-
ness. Charlotte, high spirited and
sensitive, could not endure bursts Of
passion which to her seemed unjust.
Far from dealing cautiously with this
failing of her husband, she had irritat-
ed him by resistance, raproaches, and
discomfort; the i'll feeling increased,
until at length GOODNESS had taken the
place of affection. Then they con
cealed from each other what they were
suffering, and buried their SORROWS in
: their own hearts, where each days
I grievances added to those of yester-
day Excess Of anguish led at last to
an open rupture. Charlotte went to
Egra, where she had relatives, and
T,offen came with his daughter to live