Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-12-29

my precise moment, of young lady
dressed in a green mantle, whom / met
morning after morning. whose fresh.
pleasant face got to look for until
fancied that missing it would almost cast
a gloom upon the day. 1t was long be-
fore l did miss it, month after month,
through the.long winter, wet or dry, hail,
rain or snow, at twenty minutes to nine l
met Greenmantle, as called her in my
own thoughts, opposite the old church
tower. Very soon knew her as we'll as
any old house in the city. or out of it.,
and could describe every fold in her dress,
and every feature in her sweet face, but |
had no one to describe them to at that
time, and | am not going to begin now.
l was young man Of Gve-and-tventy
then, but as shamefaccd as girl /; if l
fancied that Grecnmantlc looked in my
direction, l colorcd to the top OF my
head, l believe, and FASTENED onward il
she passed without appearing to notice
me, was miserable for the day.
Gradually l put together little history
| iOA bS. OuV 40 ~ was ihSOliSSS SASVPt Ill
two Of its more significant particulars, it
need not be detailed here. She had
usually a roll Of music with her, SO l
knew she was govcrness somewhere,
and that was all could make out with
certainty. l wanted to know all about
her, who she was, where she lived, what
relatives she had, and above all, [ want
ed to know her. l had got to love her
before | had exchanged u word, or even
nod with her. Her face was the index
to all goodness. and felt that | must
win her or die. If | was shy as girl
I was every bit as romantic, and [ actu.
ally upset all the neighbors' equanimity
by starting from my lodgings ten munites
before my accustomed time, and so per-
suading them that every clock in the
street was ten minutes hehind time. Hut
I missed seeing Greenmantlc. | ran
back, indeed. just in time to see her
skirt disappear in the distant crowd /;
but that did not content me, for weeks |
became true timekeeper again. Then
tried being late; lett my lodgings at
the accustomed hour indeed but |
loitered upon the road, and Greenmantle
passed me at almost my own street end.
fingered and watched, but she went on
until could distinguish her no longer.
Then | turned and ran-ran at the top Of
my speed to the Office, which l reached
five minutes after nine, in time to find
every one, from the master downward
specializing upon my being seriously un-
well, or possibly dcfunct. Thus things
went on till midsummer l met Green
mantle without appearing to recognize
her, every morning. and spent hours
every evening in visiting places in which
| thought it possible to meet her; but,
except at the precise spot, at twenty
minutes before nine, | never had the luck
to find her.
| began to speculate upon the possibil-
ity Of obtaining a days hold y, in order
to discover where she went to, and possi-
bly, even. where she lived. | dwe.t upon
the idea delighted, but the obstacles APP
peared insuperable. Could say | had
urgent private business OF course.
But of what nature? l could not sum-
mon courage to tell lie, and perhaps
still less could have told the truth.
One morning Greenmantle did not ap.
pear.
1t was midsummer, and we were busy
with our annual balancc-sheet it was all
but complete, and | had signed it; in
stead OF Richard Naylo signed, "Grccn-
mantle" l toro off the corner sur
reptitiously, spilled some ink upon the
mutilatcd remnant, and toiled far into the
night to produce clean copy, which |
had very nearly signed "Grcenmantlc, "
again.
For the next week or two | was misora-
BILE that Greenmantle must be enjoying
her holiday knew well enough but il,
was no slight deprivation to find myself
alone, morning after morning, at the ac-
customed hour.
l determined l know not why; l
would speak to her; composed number
less pretty speeches one or two fresh
ones every day; | committed them re-
solutely to memory; | conned them over
as | walked, in the office even and l
make mistakes in tt books; my ledger,
which no penknife had ever touched, was
disgraced forever; and still Greenmantle
came out.
1t was the middle Of August, and |
ought to have started upon my annual
journey home.
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 60 into the country for
ten days.
obeyed l commenced a systematic
search for Greenmantle. questioned
everybody. cabmen. policemen, porters !;
many had seen her but not lately, and
none knew where she lived. was pur-
suing my search still, and week Of my
leave had nearly expired. when coming
suddenly into the market place | saw
Grecnmante | was sure it was she, but
some carts interviewed, aud before could
reach the spot she was gone.
Here was new life, new hope for me .
| spent long hours in the market next
day, with Bowen's spectacles always look.
ing at me and seeming to ask what did
there but was rewarded at last, | saw
Greenmantle coming, and pushed toward
her through the crowd. reached her,
and should have spoken; it was her
mantle, but the bonnet was different, so
was the face