The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-11-15
TIE FIRST LOVE AND THE LAST.

M 1t Is an ED story | am about 10 tell;
Chat story which, thank Heaven! people
Enever tire OF listening to, any more
than we do OF seeing the buds swell and
kthe leaves unfolding, and the world
Xmade young again by the coming OF
&spring-to Which as we listen, our o#a
Eyouth comes back, and once more the
Eilowers bloom, and The skies are blue,
kand our hearts are beating joyofslg,a
fit is May.
[ am not young now, neither is the
day ell which / am soberly writing this
Elittle record Of a long past period, q
kballny one of spring, or anything like
hit; and yet May comes freshly back to
6me as / recall that day of which / am
Egoing to speak.
d \ lark vas singing lar up in the blue
Esly, a few sheep were pasturing in the
4 lei cen distance, and q tail figure dressed
Eor Two dogs frishing around it, was
looming leisurely along the sea wall.
/ had been fully intent but the minute
Ebefore upon the sketch of al old boat !
making; but now / felt but the
beating Of my heart, and saw nothing
/ but Mark Sutherland coming leisurelv
along the sea-Wall, with his dogs playing
1 around him.
The llt6ie picture was never finished,
| for at the instant that ! became COZ
] scious OF the advancing figure, | drop
/ ped my brush, and hopeIessly ruined
my distance by a great smear OF van
dyke brown. 1t WAS never finished, no
but / have it yet, and, / mean it shall
/ be laid beside me in my coffin.
He was a long way off when [ first
saw him and yet it seemed almost the
Enext instant that he was standing beside
/ me speaking. My heart had not left eff
/ beating, and | could feel the color hot ia
my face as [ looked up, but my fiery
] little terrier took exception to his dogs,
l and flew at them with tumultuous dis
/ approval, taking his attention of he
/ for the moment.
When this little fracas was quoted he
/ put his gun OH the bank, made his re-
| trievers lie beside it, and sat himself
| down by me.
'sHave you had good sport??a ask
/ ed, by way OF saying somethlnS-aAy-
! thing.
"No,n he answered, "but l don't
comprehend. | didn't expect any. |
l came out here because | thought [
4 should see you, and | wanted to tell you
It piece of news and ask youa question:
'sNeWs is Il precious commodity in
4 deed, IN these Wilds; but please re-
member my Scotch blood, in expecting
4 an answer to the question:
N He did not seem to be attending to
what / said; he had taken UP one Of my
sable brushes and was absently playing
1 with it, but he threw it down the next
Il minute, and said softly
Chester, | have got an appointment
4 that I have been trying for, and | shall
/ leave for India next month-tlat's my
| neWs.a
Ny heart, had been beating 50 wildly,
seemed to stand suddenly still and drop
l down-down. The water and green
/ marsh rocked, blended hazily into each
other, and the sky, and then voice
that sounded dim and far off, but was
my own, too, said, " 1t is good news, [
suppose
GOOD news! Well, yes, 7 hope
500
He stopped minute here. His voice
was a very deep one, for he was a large,
/ broad-chested man; but when he spoke
again it had a soft undertone in it that
used to ring in my ears afterWards-lt
does now.
Il thought it good news this morn
ing, for without it | could not think of
wife. That troubled me little enough
till lately-till, ali! till knew you,
j Hester. My dear, I think you have
guessed my question"
Guessed it. Ay yes. But my face
was down upon my hands; he could not
hear the cry that was sitting in my
heart, and he went on gently, pitt
4 Icssly-
=" But | shall not get an answer to it
so. viii you go with me to lndia?o
. / did not answer could not. All !!
those who have had deliberation to Kill
their own happiness 10 raise up them
selves the barrier that shuts them out
from hope, and love, and life, will know
how hard it is-will pity me.
"Will you be my wife and so with
/ me to India ~
| cannot.n And no wonder that he
made a movement of surprise, for my
self wondered to hear the hoarse passion
of my own voice.
You cannot. What fool have
been then; | hoped hoped-Hester,
is it possible that you have not known
What | have been thinking OF all this
time? ''
Knowing what he had been thinking
about! All the light and life, and JOY
q II. i 4.