Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-23


! accordingly at twenty minutes b. Wore
precisely. passed the clock in the ol
church tower on my way to it. i b'
lieve that every clock in the back stree
in Strangeways,. IN which lived, wa
timed by my movements, much in TIN
same way in whichmy watch was time,
by the church clock as / passed. From
long habit this comparison had becom,
a necessity, and the only temptation
ever had to omit it was occasioned b,
the passing the same spot, al my pre-
else moment, of q young la.iy dressed
in a green mantle, whom I met morn
ing after morning, and whose fresh
pheasant face got to look for until ]
fancied that missing it would almost
cast gloom upon the day. 1t was moi
long before did miss it; month after
month, through the long winter, wet OF
dry, hail, rain or snow, at twenty min.
utes to / met Greenmantle, as I called
her in my own thoughts, opposite the
lold church tower.a0sVery soon / knew
her as we'll as any old house in the city,
or ont of it, and could have described
levery fold in her dress and every fea-
ttfre of her sweet face, bat / had no
-,
and am not going to begin now.
/ was young man of five-and- twenty
then, but as shamefaced as girl; if
fancied that Greenmantle looked IL my
direction, 1 colored to the top of my
head, i believe, and fastened onward
il she passed me without appearing to
notice me, was miserable for the day.
f. Gradually L put together little his
tory for her, but as it was incorrect ex-
cept in two of its more insignificant
particulars, it need not bedetaiied here
She had usually a rolPof music with
her, so ! knew she was q governess
somewhere, aud that was all / could
| make out with certainty i wanted to
know all about her who she was, where
she lived, what relatives she had, and,
above all, wanted to know her. / had
got to love before L had exchanged a
word or even a nod, with her. Her
face was the index to all goodness, and
felt that / must win her, or die. If
was as shy as q girl, was every bit as
romantic; and / actually upset all the
neighbors' equanimity by starting from
my lodgings ten minutes before my ac-
customed time, and SO persuaded them
that every clock in the street was ten
minutes behind time. But L missed
seeing Greenmantle. I ran back, in
deed, just in time to see her skirt dis
appear in the distant crowd; but that
did not content me, and for weeks be-
came n true time-keeper again. Then
tried being late. / left my lodgings
at the accustomed hour, indeed; but /
loitered upon the road, and Greenman-
tie passed me almost at my own street
end l fingered and watched, but she
went on and on until could distinguish
her no longer. Then turned and ran
ran at the top of my speed 20 the Of
fee, which i reached, five minutes after
nine, in time to find very one from the
master downward, specializing upon my
being seriously unwell, or possibly de-
funct.- These things went on till mid
summer; I met Greenmantle, without
appearing to recognize her, every morn
ing, and / spent hours every evening lii
visiting places in which L thought it
possible to meet her; but, except a.
that precise spot, at 20 minutes before
nine, l never had the luck to find her.
1 had even began. to speculate upon
the possibility of obtaining a days hol-
iday, in order to discover where she
went to, and possibly even where she
lived. 1 dwelt upon the idea, delight
ed, but the obstacles appeared insupre-
able. Gould say that L had urgent
private business? OF course But of
what nature? L could not summon
courage enough to tell lie, aud per-
haps still less could50I have, told the
truth. 'a @AA+.( 5@f 4 ttittssq
One morning Greenmantle did no APP
pear 1t was at midsummer, and we
were busy with our annual balance
sheet. 1t was all but complete, and /
had to sign it. Instead of Richard
Mayfair, signed 'Greenmantle." i
tore of the corner surreptitiously, spill
ed some ink upon the mutilated rem
nant, and toiled far into the night to
produce clean copy, which Ihad very
nearly signed "Greenmantle again.
For the next week or two I was mis-
Lerable. That Greenmantle must be en-
holiday i knew well enough;
but it was no slight deprivation to find
myself alone, morning after morning, at
the accustomed hour.
/ determmed--I know not what; /
would speak to her. j composed num-
bcIlcob picbOf SpCCcucS, OuC VI bWO
fresh ones for every day; 1 committed
them resolutely to memory; L conned
them over as walked, in the Office
even; and / made mistakes in the
books; my ledger, which, no penknife
had ever touched, was disgraced forever;
and still Greenmantle came not.
1t was the middle of August, and i
ought to have started upon the annual
journey home. Q I stirred not, and made
no sign.
At length was ordered off. was
getting thin and i'll, and my master saw
it, and told me to go into the country
for ten days. obeyed in part; but in
stead of going into the country, ! com
menceG q systematic search for Green
mantle. questioned Everybody, cab
men, policemen, perters; ! many had
seen her, but none lately, and none
knew where she lived. / was pursuing
my search still, and week of my leave
had expired, when coming suddenly in
to the market-place / saw Greenmantle.
/ was sure it was she, but some carts in
tervened, and before ], could reach the
spot she was gone. Afnfa LID -
Here was new life, new ope for me.
I spent long hours in the market next
day. with Bowen's spectacles always
looking at me, and seeming to ask what
L did there; but was rewarded at last.
I saw Greenmautle coming, and push
u l. a L