The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-10-20

tors give her over.
| went back to get shawl and hood,
and tell my mother where | was go
ing, and then came out The night
was bleak and snow was falling and
lay deep upon the ground, and there
stood a sleigh with buffalo robes in it
ready for me. stepped in, and was
whirled away toward the Hall. 1t was
( like a dream. | could scarcely believe
myself awake. 1t was still dream
when we stopped at the Hall, and |
only realized that all was true when /
stood in Miss Sabrina's room, and
saw her lying wan and pale upon the
pillow. oh, what change had come
over her you've come, Hannah
Fanthorn," she said; "thank you for
that. thought you'd refuse, perhaps.
1T is long while since we spoke to-
gether"
"a long while" I replied.
yet you haven't changed much, -
said she you look as you did when
you stood by the hedge in the moon
light, and said, What is the Hall to
me? Twas Willies 1--we l cared for
| remember the words, Hannah Fam
thorn. They have stung my soul Of
ten since. Do YOU know | lied then ?"
Lied ?"
eyes, lied. Willie's heart never be-
longod to any one but you. He was
true as Heaven. 1t was l who wanted
him to wed Dorcas Oakley. l thought
a poor girl like you beneath him. l
told him you loved that cousin who
came to your home SO often; and when
your letter came he believed it. l
thought he would marry Dorcas then.
| never meant to drive him from home
and kin; but he went, and the last
words he said were: 'Sabrina, my
heart is broken, and all these years
he has wandered over the world a
lonely, sorrowing man; and l, his sis
ter, the cause. And she-Dorcas- oh,
you know my lover Tilted me for her;
all the place know that
looked at the poor dying woman.
was trying to forgive her, bat l could
not help speaking harshly.
81 am only stranger" / said,
"what I have suffered is nothing to
you. But had you no mercy on your
brother? You have had time to re-
pent.
"Timel" she said Eyes, Hannah
Pantheon, it seems like eternity; but
= have sought for him in vain; for
years thought him dead Yesterday
| learned that he is alive, and not ma
! ny miles distant Old before his time,
they say, but he lives Look, she
continued, drawing a packet from un-
der her pillow, ''in this have written
) the truth. 1t shall be sent tomorrow.
1t is directed plainly, If die in the
{ night it can go all the same. VIII
2 and you may meet again, and be hap
. Ply when am under the turf.
Then she began to wail-"don't
r leave me, don't leave me to die alone r
sat down by her.
[ do not fear" l said "and try to
E think of other things. Forget earth
2 look to heaven"
l never left her Sitting by her side
on the third night l saw a change
r come over her face, and bent over her.
5 Hannah Fanthorn,' she whispered
1 "have you forgiven me p
"As l pray God to forgive" I an
swered.
Then fainter still she spoke:
BE kind to VIII. He loved you
r Oh to think that | should have lost
my soul that you should not be my
sister-you who seem so like one now
e And with these words there came
= into her eyes look | never shall
I forget; and in the Christmas dawn she
q lay on my arm dead.
y On Sunday they buried her The
a graveyard was full Every one came
1 to see Squire Haslet's daughter laio
e in the great vault. l stood near it
but though the solemn words Of the
|, preacher rang in my ear, and the cot
i fin was before my eyes and | shoulo
' have thought Of nothing else, my
r. mind would wander away to the past
/. and | saw VIII as | used to see him
2. and myself as in mirror, young anC
g blithe, leaning on his arm. Then
e found myself praying for the dead wo
/ man, and murmuring, God forgiy'
her, for she knew not what she did =
/ came back to the present with
start and a thrill They we're CLOSING
G the vault; and beside the clergyman
e speaking to him in whisper, stood