The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1866-11-06


ths way without any definite result ma.
81 Fred received a sudden summons
homo on account 81 hia mother Illness
When be came back to renew has visit
be insisted upon staying q the oahyllle
H0te. rather than wear ont hls welcome
AZ our house. and finding rpmonstran-
ees una,ailiug, there he went The
landlord honest old DoNnsbur1 /
wonder If he lives gave Fred, al my
suggestion. has best bedroom, No 20
am particular ii mentioning the
number he shall have No. 20 said
Downsbury Any friend # yours,
Master Augustus shall have the best
have to give as longs I'm landlord
Ii was a pleasant room, looking out on
the distant hills and the beautiful wind
ing branch Of the Blackwateri but what
cared Fred for scenery he was IA the
hal,ds Of the blind god, and could not
see even as far as las nose, except IN the
direction Of Bellies cottage. 1 used to
so over TO Fred's room and smoke my
Cigar, while he poor wretch, expatiated
on his suierngs, doubts, and sohcitudos.
Did she love mm2 that was the qucs-
ton which disturbed every moment Of
his existence, and 10 which, with the
ciostest reasoning, he could not bring
himself satisfactory reply Some
times he thought word or a sign set-
tied the point beyond doubt in his
favor; at Others ne faneied he read a
GOODNESS and indifference in her eyes.
In tins condition Of uncertainty he dar-
ed not press the question lest n hasty
step might bring nm to grlet.
At Ereds earnest solicitation prom
ised to sound Belle as 70 her ersenunents,
il a favorable opportunity presented IT.
self or ut any rate To let her know, II
an indirect way, that Fred was languish-
ing IN distress on her account, ana thus
give her no excuse Tor unnecessarily
pr6longing his MISERY. 1t SO happen
ed, however, that my services were not
called into requisition. Belle Bronson,
because of the sudden arriyel ut her
mouse OF some country cousins, was
obliged to give up her room her moth
er's cottage being small one-a and to
occupy for single night room at the
hotel We woulu cheertully have Of
tered her guests accommodations at
our house, but We were III the same
predicament. An agricultural fair IN
the village had brought many strangers
INTO the place, and our own guests were
50 numerous that had gwen my room
10 two of them, and had intended ask
ing Fred Evans to let me pass the night
with him,
For this purpose ] went to the hotel
ut a late hour and proceeded at once
to Ereds room, but to my surprise
found no one there | did not even
notice that has trunk was gone, or sus-
pect the fact, which afterwards became
apparent, that "to oblige some lady
guest tor this night only, as the land
lord expressed it, Fred had consented
to give up "No. 20 and occupy small
room III the rear Of the bulidmg. The
gas beng turned up / took book to
await his return, and hearing at last
what appeared TO be steps approaching
the room, and supposing it to be Fred,
III momentary impulse to play Joke
on hlm / slipped under the bed, a large
and high one, intending to initiate a
cat (ot which animal | knew he had q
detestatlon as soon as he entered the
rooms The door opened, and ! was on
the point of indulglng in my yentrilo-
quial faculty by giving a long-draWn
mieow, when from my hiding place |
beheld Belle Bronson take qulet posses
slon OF the apartment
My astonlshment was 50 great, and
the sense OF morutlcation SO intense,
Jhat / did not, as | should have done,
maze myseltimmediately known to her.
mus the opportunly tor discovery and
explanation was lost, dared not move
nalr, but hoped sincerely that some
excuse might take her out Of the room
Tor a moment, and 50 facilitate my es-
cape She, however, locked the door,
removed the key and, as / knew by the
sound, prepared 70 reure. FINALLY she
kneeled down beside the bed, and clasp
ing her hands and bowing her head 50
tealiully near to mne that | could hear
tine soiG words III my very ear, she Oh
lered up her evening prayer IN a man
ner SO iull Of feehng, and with such
sweet accents OF wOmaniy tenderness
and devotion, that felt as if she was
an angel bending over the yilest OF NOR
tais. That prayer went to my heart
bat one poruon Of 1t went through IL
and held 1t captive. Never shall 1 for
get my feelings Of surprise and deep
emotion wAeu / heaid Aer utter these
words Bless my dear mother sisters,
and friends; bless all around me, ana,
. God bless him / love, Augustus Ey-
ergreen, aud shower down thy mercles
over hIn. Amen, -"Ah, Augustus,
SAID my divinity " herself; as sne rose
from her deyouonal altitude, II YOU but
knew that / named your very name III
my prayers, you would be less indider-
cat ~ Inc
iii breathed short before, after this
my breath seemed TO desert nae entirely,
aud / yeruiy thought that the beating
ot my heart would betray me Belle,
pure as an angel to me then, and Rhite
a. snow flake, proceeded 10 turn on
the gass and get INTO bed / felt her
soft pressure over my head, and shrank