Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-11-23
"What become of Robert Barnet,

father and mother. He did not men
tion Julia, but | saw that his errano
with me concerned her. | spoke O
her excellent department and usefu
lite, dwelt upon the extenuating cir
cumstances of her error, and of her
sincere and hearty repentance.
Doctor" said he at length, with a
heatating and embarrassed manner
"what would you think if | should tell
you that, after all that has passed, ]
| have half made up my mind to ask
her to become my wife ?"
Il should think better of it if you
mad wholly made up your mind" said
land if you were my son, 1 would
not ask you for a better wife than
Julia Atkins. Don't hesitate, Robert
on account Of what some ill-natured
people may say. Consult your own
heart first of ALL"
q don't care for the talk of all the
busy bodies in town" he said-"but
wish hther and mother could feel as
you do about her."
"Leave that to me-" said I-"they
are kindhearted and reasonable, and
dare say will be disposed to make the
best of the matter, when they find that
you are decided in your purpose.
| did not see him again, but a few
days after learned from his parents
that ne had gone on another voyage.
1t was now autumn, and the most sick
ly season | have ever known in Pee
awkin. Ensign Atkins, and his wife,
both fell sick, and Julia embraced
with alacrity this providential oppor-
tunity to return to her fathers house,
and fulfil the duties OF daughter
under her careful nursing the Ensign,
soon got upon his feet; but his wife
whose constitution was weaker, sunk
under the fever. She died better than
she lived penitent and loving, asking
forgiveness of Julia for her neglect and
unkindness, and invoking blessings on
her head Julia had now, for the first
time since the death of her mother, a
comfortable home and a fathers love
and protection. Her sweetness of
temper, patient endurance, and forget
fulness of herself, in her labors for
Others, gradually overcame the scru-
pies and hard feelings Of her neigh
bors. They began to question wheth-
er, after all, it was meritoriOus in them
to treat one like her, as a sinner be-
yond forgiveness. Elder Staples and
Deacon Warner were her fast friends.
The Deacon's daughters-the tall blue
eyed, brown-locked girls you noticed
at church the other day-set the eX-
ample among the young people OF treat
ing her as their equal and companion.
One mIdwlnter evening | took Julia
with me to poor sick patient Of mine,
who was suffering for lack of attend
ance. The house where she lived
was in a lonely and deSolate place,
some two or three miles below US, on
a sandy level, just elevated above the
great salt marshes, stretching far away
to the sea. The night set in dark
and stormy. The fierce northeastern
ly wind swept over the level waste,
driving thick snow-clouds before it,
shaking the doors and windows of the
old house, and roaring in its vast
chimney. The woman was dying
when we arrived, and her drunken
husband was sitting in stupid uncon.
cern in the corner Of the e-place.-
A little after midnight she breathed
her last.
In the meantime the storm had
grown more violent; there was q
binding snow fall III the air, and We
could feel the jar Of great waves as
they broke upon the beach.
"It is terrible night for sailors OF
the coasts" | said breaking our long
silence with the dead-"God gran
them Searoom.
Julia shuddered as | spoke, and by
the dim-hashing tire-light, | saw hel
weeping. | knew her thoughts were
with her old friend and playmate OIL
the wide waters.
Julia said |, "do you know tina
Robert Barnet loves you with all tn
strength Of an honest and true heart ?
She trembled, and her voice falter
ed as she confessed that, when Rot
ert was at home, he had asked her
become his wife.
"And, like fool, you refused hin
| suppose, the brave generous fellow.
"Oh. Doctorr she exclaimed, "ho7
can you talk so? 1t is just becaus
, Robert is so good and noble and gel
erous, that | dare not take him at hi
word. You, yourself, Doctor, woul
have despised me if | had taken az
! vantage Of his pity, or his kind remen
, brance Of the old days when we we1
children together. | have alread
! brought too much disgrace upon thos
p dear to me-" | was endeavoring
. convince her, in reply, that she ws
! doing injustice to herself, and wron
J. ing her best friend, whose happinei
e depended, in a great measure, upc
her when,-borne upon the stror
g blast, we both heard faint cry,
,, of human being in distress. l thre
up the window which opened seawar
;, and we leaned out into the wild nigf
- listening breathlessly for the sound
=, Once more and once only, we heal
a it, low, smothered, despairing CT
q "Some one is lost, and perishing
- the snow," said Julia. "The soul
r comes in the direction of the bea
,t plum bushes on the side OF the mars
Il. Let US 90 at once"
OF She snatched up her hood a
or shawl, and was already at the do'
xe | found and lighted lantern, a
be soon overlook her. The snow "
is already deep, and badly drifted, a
T II was with extreme difficulty that