Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-09-06

s;dering this may be your first acquaint.
ance with him.
She laughed, blushed, and threw back
her beautiful golden hair
No, don't know that have: he de-
/ voted himself to me good deal this even.
ing, and l couldn't help forming nv opin-
ion, you know There is to be a croquet
party to-morrcw at the Hollies, and Mr..
5atherland made me promise to come up,
and bring you if you would come, and |
to him before hand that | knew YOU
would not, knowing your dislike to that
delectable means for the promotion of
flirting
And after this it happened that Milly
either went, or was sent for, nearly every
day up to the Hollies-whero, indeed. she
was very much in the habit of s,ing;
while ], VINO had long ago ceased to care
for any companionship besides my sister 5,
sat at home, with feverish longing to
see Mark Sutherland once more, and vet
dreaded, with sickening dread, to meet
the careless, estranged glance of the dark
eyes that had looked once into mine fu |
Of love.
1t seemed that Mark not unfrequcntlv
accompanied Milly part of the way home
but he never came near enough to our
cottage for me to catch even the most dis
t"nt glimpse of him. and my little sister
had somehow ceased to talk of him after
the first. So, though still knew that he
stayed at the Hol les he might almost as
we'll have been across the wide ocean as
far as | was concerned. And yet-oh,
no!-the sense Of his presence seemed
borne to me upon every breath Of the
sweet summer air that fIoated into nv
room, | could not sleep at night, nor rest
calmly by day; and often, while Milly was
with her frieads, ! used to wander out
scarce needing where | went, impatientIy
only of rest
One day, when this terrible yearning
was strong upon me, | took my sketching
materials, from force Of habit, and set out
% walk to a pretty wood at some distance
Tie cool green fragrance of the Ieafy
shadows was grateful after 5ho gIarinc
sunshine, and sat down to rest where
they feel coolest But a sudden sound OF
laughter and merry voices close at hand
startled me, and, not waiting to see who
the speakers were got up and fled swift
ly down the darkest and most tangled Of
~ lat
heart OF the wood. ] soon left the merry
voices far behind me and slackeninr nv
walk, l wandered on, dreamy AID absorb
Cd as ever, TILL suddenly turning into
another path, I saw what caused me
TO stand still and forget everything but
what my eyes looked upon Mrak Suther-
land yes, Mark, older darker, thinner,
but Mark himself All, now the green
marshes and the winding sea-waH, and
the lark singing high in the sky, ell Ioated
before my eyes, as ! saw the downward
bend of his state head to look into
the face beside him-the face that looked
up again into his, with those candid blue
eyes, and smile or the soft parted Inns.
The smile seemed to reflect itself upon
Marks gra'e face for an instant,
ard then he took up q little hand lying on
his arm, and kissed it tenderly / looked
no longer. ] crept away; stricken with a
dumb anguish, dreadful su len despair,
crept away and went home For ! knew
the candid blue eyes, the sweet smile, and
they we're my sister Milly's. Oh, had |
not done enough? had | not sacrificed
enough? was my cup not yet so full but
that this bitter drop must be added to its
overflow.
So l cried out in my anguish, and it
long was before better thon4hts came TO
me, or that coming. | could hold them
firmly and take comfort But by-aud by
I rose from whore | had flung myself
down, and sat by the window to watch for
Millv. She came along presently in the
quiet evening light, and l looked at her
with my eyes freshly opened had never
yet ceased to think of her as a child;
realized in one minute now that child was
woman 'ooked at the beautiful fresh
young face, invo urtarilly glanced at the
reflection of my own in the mirror OPP
posite / ne er could have been in my
oest days what Milly was; and now
/ turned away with sigh from the image
/ of that faded woman, with pale lips, and
weary dark eyes.
MiIIv came in the next instant, threw
of her hat, and, coming mp beside me
took my face between her two soft hands
I looked into it tenderly for minute, ther
kissed me, and sat down with her arm
round me.
"Het, my dear, l have something to tel
you" she began with strange tremb IL
her voice, though she was smiling too
wonderful thing. | don't think you woulC
ever guess it, Milly, dear? | asked, press
ing the little one close to my throbin!
breast
You never could; and yet how you
heart is beating T. she said, looking up a
mo timidIy. {" believe vou realIv do