Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-29


No ono wondered did not marry. They seemed
TO think that having been SO nearly mistress Of
the Hail, it was not likely should be willing 10
wed for less
The Hall Bah 1t was Willie loved, and
not hs house or lands.
One winter night, Christmas time was nearly
come, and | sat 10y the fire dressing dolls and
tying up sugar plums in paper horns with bits
Of ribbon for my neces' and nephews' stockings,
when there came loud rapplng at the door. |
opened it, and there stood an old man-servant
from the Hall
"I'm sent by Miss Sabrina, Miss said he.
" She is very i'll, and desires you TO come alone.
She has something particular to say to you"
Sltrna laslet send for me bought,
and thea my heart beat fast, and laueed
hardly knew what.
~, did you say - asked
Nery iii 8" said the man. The doctors give
her over
| went back TO get shawl and hood, and tell
my mother Wharo | was going and then came
out. iAe night was bleak, aud snow was fall
ing and lay deep upon the ground, and there
stood a sleigh with buffalo robes in it ready for
me. / stepped IN, ind wac whired away to-
ward The Hall II Was ike dream | could
scare iy bolieya myself awake. 1t was still a
dIean, when wo stopped A. the Hall and ! only
realized that al was true Whel stood IN Miss
Sabrina room, and saw her lying wan and pale
upon the pillow Oh, whata change had come
over h-r
You've come. Hannah Pantheon" she said
90 thank you for that. | thought you d refuse,
perhaps lisa long while since we spoke to-
getbe
a ong while" replied.
" Yet you haven changed much, said she.
" You look rs you did when you stood by the
hedge in the moonlight, and said, w That Is the
Hall to mel Twas Wiles love cared for.
| remember the words Hannah Pantheon,
They We stung my soul often since. Do you
know ! lied then
" Lied
" Yes, lied. wlllies heart never belonged
to any one but you. He was true as Heaven.
IL was who wanted him to wed Dorcas Oakley.
| thought poor girl like you beneath him. /
told him you Owed that cousin who came to your
home 10 often and when your letter came be
believed IT, | thought he would marry Dorcas
then. never meant TO drive him from home
and kin, but lie went, AID the last words he
saldswere, Sabrina, my Leart is broken And
all these years be has wandered over The world
a lonely, sorTowing man and | his sister, the
cause. And she-D Dorcat-oh, you know my
lover Tilted nc for her all the place knows
that.
looked at the po1r dying woman. l was
trying to forgive her but could not help speak
ing harshly.
" am only stranger" said. "What |
have suffered is nothing 10 you. But had you
no mercy on your brother You have had time
to repent
s. lime 80 she said Yes, Hannah Fan
thorn, It seems like eternity but ! have sought
Tor him in vain for years thought him dead
Yesterday learned that he is alive, and not
many miles distant. Old before his time. they
say, but be lives. Look she continued, draw
Ing packet from under her pillow " in this !
have written the truth. Is shall DO sent to-
IL is directed plainly. II die in the
night 1t can 20 all the same. VIII and you may
meet again, and be happy when am under the
turf.
Then she began 10 wall" Don't leave me
don leave me TO die alone
sat down by her.
Do not lelr,' said, "and try to think Of
other things Forget earth-look to heaven.
] never lelt her. Sitting by her side on the
third night saw change come over her face,
aud bent over her.
Hannah Fantborn, she Whispered, have
you forgiven mel
As pray God to forgive me-, | answered.
Then fainter still she spoke
BE kind to Will He loved you. Oh to
think that | should have lost my scul that you
might not be my slster-you who seem SO like
one now
And with those words there came look into
her eyes never shall forget and in the Christ
mas dawn she lay on my arm dead.
On Sunday they buried her The graveyard
was full. Every one came to see Squire Has
let's daughter land in the great vault. stood
near it, but though the solemn words of the
preacher rang in my ear, and the coffin was be-
fore my eyes, and should have though Of moth
ing else, my mind would wander away to the
past--and | saw Will as used to see him, and
myself, as in a mirror, young and bithe, lean
ing on his arm. Then | found myself praying
Tor the dead woman, and murmuring " God
forgive her, for she knew not what she did y
came back to the present with o start and
thrill They were closing the vault. And be-
side the clergymen, speaking to him IN whis'
per, stood tall man, with foreign look about
him and heavy hat slouched over his eyes a
man oil IN black, with hair dark as night, but
with here and there silver thread. Why did
my heart beat so as looked at him? Surely
had never seen that man before
turned away aud went homeward The
J. I... Ias Ia, .lN Ill 1
10 look al 1t. Every window was shut. From
the br1ad lron-dOor and from the neoks Of the
stone lions on the porch streamers OF Grape were
floating. On how often had seen every WIN
dow abla1o with lighs, and heard music and
dancing tees aud laughter from without And
now, 10 the winter twllight-lor at five the day
was nearly done, and tho clouds lowered heavy
with coming snows-now, how dark and cold it
was And yonder in the yard lay, in
th,it grim vault master and mistress, aud she
who had been the pride OF their hearts, the toast
and beauty OF the region--Sabrina Hssle And
WlliC-wheIe was hey
The gloom, the scene had Just witnessed i,
the memories, were all too much for me.
bowed my head upon the cold stone of the gate
way and wept. Gone, gone, gone - cried
and the so5bing wind among the branches over
head seemed to repeat the words, "Gono, gone,
gone
had heard no step on the soft snow ! had
seen no shadow never guessed any one was
near me until hand came down upon my shoul
der--a band large aud strong, but trembling like
an aspen leaf
looked up Beside me stood the tall, dark
man had seen in the graveyard. When
turned he removed bis bat, and saw the face
Of Willie lIaslet face altered and aged,
bronlcd and sad, but his, with love in it.
e Hannah" J." he said, Hannah
Aud |, rs though spoke in dream, mur.
INJURED,
i" llo has come back again lie has come
Ill n..n... I ~