The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-10-19


ruth. +. h shalt b ssnt tomorrow. - Il b
directed plainly. MI die in Ibs,.niGis y
can 10 al ybe same, ;, Will, and you may
meet agnio, and bo happy when sm n upder
Then she begnn to will" Don't leave
mo sodie alone y'isi: h'Iomyg siS-' Il =
/. Il sat.down by hcs.3 - AL L..s as..s
"Do not fear," ,lssid, sand try 70 think
q 9! other things Forget esnh-look to
n never efi her. Sitting by her side on
the thirl night saw O change come over
her face, and bsnt over her. .u..h E,ps
aHannah Fantborn,' she yhispcred,
=" have you forgiven me 7" -.
AS 1 pray to God to forgive. me-, !
answered. Ni'P - H'nH -s
,s!Tben faintsr still she spoke, ,ro1 ''sr
aBe kind to Will lie loved you. Oh |!
to think ! should have lost my soul lbst you
might q! no. be ny ny sister you who seem n,E 80
And with these words there came . look
into her eyes never shall forget and In
the Christmas dawn ,sl,s' lay on my arm
dead. ,.,...,,,...t %. .... =
On Sunday they hurled bet. Every ono
came to SEQ Squire Haslets daughter laid in
the great vshit. ! stood near h but though
The SOLEMN words Of the preacher rang in
my ear, and the coffin was before my eyes,
and shou,d have thought Of nothing else,
my mind would wander awuy to the past-
and I saw Will rs used 10 see him, and
myself. as in mirror, young and blitbe,
leaning on his arm. Then found myself
praying for ,he dead woman. and munnur.
Ing, +" God .forsivs her. Tor she knsw not
what she did" .,.... .........s.r
Icnme hack to the present with q start
and q thrill. They were closing the vault.
And beside the clergyman, speaking 10 him
in whisper, stood tall man, with for
eign look about him and heavy hat slohch-
ed over his eyes a man all in black, With
hair dark as night but with here and there
q silver thread. Why did my heart beat 20
as ! looked at him? Surely had never
seen that man before
] turned away and went homewarl. The
path lay by the old Hall. ! paused mo-
mcnt to look at Il. Every window was
shut From tho broad front. door and from
the necks Of the stone lions on the porch
streamers Of Grape were floating. Oh how
often had seen every window ablaze with
lights, and heard music and dancing feet
and laughter from within and now, In the
winter twilight at FIVE the day was
nearly done, and the clouds lowered heavy
with coming snows-nOw, how dark and
cold il wns And yonder in the graveyard
lay. IN their grim vault master and mistress,
and she who had l'een the pride Of their
hearts the toast and bcauty Of the region
Sabrina Haslet. Aud Wllly-where wns
hc9s - T..
Tie gloom, the scene I had just witness.
ed, the memories, were all too much for
me. bowed my head upon the cold stone
Of the gateway and wept.-" Conc, gone ~
D cried, and the sobling wind among the
branches overhead seemed to repeat the
words, Gone, gone, gone ~ -
\, ! had heard no step on tho soft snow; ]
had seen no shadow. lnever guessed any
one wns near me until hand came down
upon my shoulder-a hand large and
strong but trembling like an aspen leaf.
! looked up Beside mo stood the tall.
dark man had seen in the graveyard.
When j turned be removed his hat, and ]
saw the face OF Willy Haslet. A face sI.
tered and aged, bronzcd and sad, but his,
with love In II. .
@llannah," he said, Hannah"
And !, Ms though ] spoke in a dream,
mnrnnured. 81. .. .-' '.'s '. so
"lIe las come back ngain He has come
hack ngain .. 81. e.,
Eyes, Hannah, back agaiii, said tho low,
sweet voice that had been In my memory
70 many years. "lier letter brought me
hack. She was my sister and & dead.
Hannah you know all ?"
"All,' said.
He looked ut me, ! felt that though I
dared not look at him. We were silent for
moment. Then he spoke. ..r.... ..
I" have not crossed that thresboh.-lt
rests will, you whether ] ever shall. !
shall not be mister Of the Hall unless you
will be my wife and its mistress"
The Hall. the Hall" I cried, " Did
the Hall WOO n'e1 Did l love tho Hall
You speak Of Il first as all do. Oh. Will
iinslet. if you had been a poor farmer's
son all might have been different never
thought Of anything hat your love" ....
forgot" no said, tis not yo,iug win
iinslet now. Ny iair gray, the time Of
wooing is past"
"And ] am old aIso," said. sThis 10
not Hannah Fanthorn. I sometimes think
but another with tho same nane.
1There Is no change In YOU" he said.
1" oh Hannah. must ! 90 ?"
lie opened his arms. took one step
forward, and my head was against his
breast az Il had been ten years before, and !
wus his ngain.
Thirty years ago, hat I remember how
the bells ring when we were wed, and how
the people crowded to the church to see
And who 20 proud a. mother? For her girl
was the Sq,Iire's lady nmI mistress Of the
Hall, where they sat by the fire many long
day, and died IN peace and hope almost to-
gelher a, last.
So may ws die-Will and for we love
each other s,ill, though bo,h our heads are
white as snow to-day. But amidst the
changes that have come In all these years
We have never changed to each other.