The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-03-08
A COINCIDENCE.

The fall rain dripped down drearily.
The brown summer roads were heavy
with mud. and the cutters were over
flowing, and the b0ughs of the elm trees
swung to and fro slowly, uOder their
Weight Of chill water There was q
moaning wind astir, and the rose vines
about tue porch Of Olive Hndson's home
were shedding their russet leaves, aud
tossing their bare branches as if in secret
pain. There seemed a vague distress,
and all the gloom of wind aud weather
were reflected in Olive Hudson's face
her pale cheek pressed against the WIN
dow pane, her heavy dark eyes, watching
absentIy tho falling rain, aud the con-
racted lines about the beautiful mouth
told Of sadness within and without
"A year to day." murmurcd the girl,
looking down the length Of the dark road.
oh, Dick, have yau forgotten me p
It was the old lovers quarrel \ mis-
understanding. recrimiDation, parting,
and unsp5akiug sorrow dragged through
/ the long space ot year.
OI7e Hudson vas a sweet grave girl
. "a farmers daughter aud an oaly child
She Lad grown up practical, high.minded,
,rue-he4gred, and with certain possibii,
ties of beauty. \ year before there bad
been q dlmp.e aud . rose flush upon the
cheek hat was nov too thin for dimples
and very pale. And in a year the large,
dark eyes had lost their bright light
Oul7 tue mouth retained its sweetness
of ezpressigu, and the forehead its calm
smooth breadth, and those charms were
Olive HaisyB's striking characteristics.
Her eve 5rows were well marked, and the
heavy 17a.is Of her dark hair had mar.
ve.9us glossy richness but yet her face
pressed against he cold pane Of the farm
house window would more likely have
been called plaiu than pretty.
"Oa .' murmured the girl, pressing
her hands to her heart "If he cyuld
Only know"
Only the sharp stroke Of the rain drops
against the window answered her moan.
Tho canary 10 the cage above her head
was startled BY the sudden gust aud gave
. sharp cry and & futter. Olive looked Up.
"Willy, Willy" she said, caressiugIy, .
don't be frightened. Here I am. l.
will take care of you. Oh, Willy, I love
you so, because be used to love YOU"
She put her finger between the wires
Of the cage, and the little creature sprang
to peck it. tugging at it with all its Slight
strength until his mistress suiied family
through her tears.
"Siliy pet, are you huary7"
The momentary diversion passed. The
smile died. The girl turned from the
bird and commenced walking the floor.
If | could see Dick for moment,
only moment" she murmured, Il am
sure we c0hld get al each others hearts /
and be reconciled. I want him so, and
| am sure be needs me. No one ever
loved him but me. l think 20 one else T
in the world can understand him as l do .
Then isn't it my fault We quarreled? I
saw where the mistake lay, but I vas 50 .
proud, and be thought me unjust, and,
and So"
She sank into a chair, covered her face
with her hands, and wep. bitterly.
1t was late in the afternoon and the
room began to Eli with grey gloom The
tinkle Of COW bell sounded up the road
as the cattle slowly came from the fields.
where the grass had grown scarce and
sare-and where, since noon, the rain
ha1 soaked the roads. The noise startled
her from her abandon of grief She rose
to her feet, glanced quickly through the
window to the barn, where her father was
finishing his days work, then turned
quickly to bathe her face and serve the
supper.
Like many another, Olive bore her
grief secretly; rot one of the many who
bad surrounded the girl FROM childhood,
and who sat daily with her at the same
board, dreamed that she had a grief OF
care beyond the moment.
When the days work vas quite fu-
lshed, and Der mother nodded over her
knitting, while her father went quite to
sleep over lis Bible, Olive took candle
and stole up to her own little room. Her
cheek was flushed, her eyes had some.
thing Of their own brilliant light, and her