The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1865-08-22

iorehand that ! knew you would not,
knowing year dislike TO that delecia-
bic means for the promotion Of fiir,-
ing.
And after this il happened that
MlIy either went or was sen, for,
nearly every day up TO the Hollies =
where indeed she was very much IN
the habit OF going while /, who had
long ago ceased to care for any com
panionship beside my sisters, SAT at
home, with feyerish longing to see
Mark Sutherland once more, and yet
dreading with sickeniug dread, to
meet the careless, estranged glance Of
the dark eyes that bad looked once
into mine full Of love.
Il seemed that Mark not unfre-
quently accompanied Milly part Of the
way home but he never came near
enough TO our cottage for me to catch
even the most distant glimpse Of him
and my little sister had somehow ceas-
ed TO talk Of him after the first. So,
though | still knew that he staid at
the Hollies, be might almost as well
have been across the wide ocean as
far as was concerned. And yet
oh, no -the sense OF hls presence
seemed borne to me upon every breath
of the sweet summer air that floated
into my room. could not sleep at
night, nor rest calmly by day and
often, while Milly was with her friends
| used to wander out, scarce needing
where | went.
One day, when this terrible yearn-
ing was strong upon me, | took my
sketching materials, from force Of hab-
it, and set out TO walk to pretty
wood at some distance. The cool
green fragrance Of the leafy shadows
was grateful after the glaring sunshine
and Esat down to rest where they felt
coolest But sudden sound OF laugh
ter aud merry voices close at hand
startled me, and not waiting to see
who the speakers were, | got up and
fed swiftly down the darkest and
most tangled of the paths that branch
ed away into she heart of the wood.
| soon left the merry voices far be-
hind me and slackening my walk, !
wandered on, dreamy and absorbed as
ever, till, suddenly turning into anoth-
er path, | saw what caused me to
stand still and forget everything but
what my eyes looked upon. Mark
Sutherland yes, Marx, older, darker,
thinner, but Mark himself. Alb, how
the green marshes and the winding
sea- wall, and the lark singing high in
the sky, all tioated before my eyes, as
| saw the downward bend of his state
ly head to look into the face beside
HIM, the face that looked up again into
his, with those candid blue eyes, and
II smile on the soft parted lips. The
smile seemed to reflect itself upon
Marks grave face for an instant, and
then he took up the little hand lying
on his arm and kissed it tenderly. |
looked no longer. crept away /;
stricken with dumb anguish,a "a dread
tul sullen despair, | crept away and
went home,for | knew the candid blue
eyes, the sweet smile, and the floating
golden hair and they were my sister
Milly's. Oh, had | not done enough?
was my cup mot yet SO full but that
this bitter drop must be added to its
overflow.
So | cried out in my anguish, and
it was long before better thoughts
came to me, or that coming, | could
hold them firmly and take comfort
But by-and-by ! rose from where |
had flung myself down, and sat by the
window to watch Tor MIly. She
came along presently in the evening
light, and | looked at her with my
eyes freshly opened. ! had never
yet ceased to think Of her as chin I;
| realized in one minute now that the
child was woman. | looked at the
beautiful, fresh young face, and invol-
unfairly glanced at the reflection Of
my own in the mirror opposite. /
never could have been in my best
days what MiIly was; and now--l
turned away with sigh from the inn
age Of that faded woman, with pale
lips, and weary dark eyes.
Milly came in the next instant,
threw off her hat, aud, coming up be-
side me, took my face between her
two soft hands, looked into it tenderly
for minute, then kissed me, and sat
down with her arm round me.
'Het. my dear, have something TO
tell you, she began, with strange
tremble in her voice. though she was
smiling, too, wonderful thing, ] don't
think you would ever guess H.
! pressed the liule one close to my
throbbing breist
You never could and yet how
your heart is beating J she said, look.
ing up at me timidly ] believe you
really do Then, sinking her face
down to my shoulder once more, she
added, almost in a whisper, Hester,
be told me TO ask you whether you
would see him Tomorrow
lie, means Nj. Sutherland, Of
course
'Of course. Hester, do you mean
to say yes = asked Miily, stealing an
other Of those timid glances at me
My yes viii 90 with yours, Mil
ly dear.
God bless Won. Hester my dar.