Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-01-26

cious moments that | thought my last
How all its Joys, its affections, it's las
crowning love rose up before me thought
Of the pang that would rcnd Elliot's hear
as be saw m lying, mangled and dead and
thea the thought would come if he were
pursuing and trying to save ne, even, 81 he
had said, at the risk OF life and iimb re-
nemberd no more. felt a sudden shock, a
fearful rushing through the air, and knew
no more until, days afterward, woke 70 4
faint, weak semblance of life in my chamber
at home
/ never saw Captain Elliot again. The
last words | ever heard from his lips were
those Of knightly-d daring. The last action of
his life N connection with mine, was to fol-
low in the train Of frightened youths who
rode after me TO contemplate the disaster
/ from aigr, and as soon as he saw me lifted
/ from the shallow bed Of the river. INTO
which Lad been thrown when my fright
/ ened horse stopped suddenly on its bank, to
ride hastily of. That evening be sent to
make inquiries, and learning that | was
severely, but 1t was hoped not fatally iniur-
cd, he thencoiorth contented himself with
such tidings Of my condition and improve
ment as could be gained from mere rumOr.
At last it was known that | would never
recover entirely from the effects Of my injury
and that very day Captain Elliot suddenly
departed from the nclghb0rhJod. lie made
no attenpt 10 see me, nor sent NE any fare
well. " hen ! was once more abroad, and
beginning 10 learn the lesson Of patience
and csisuati0n that awaited ne, | received
letter from him, in which he merely
said that Ec presumed my own judgment
had taught lac, that IN NY altered cIrcUm-
stances our engagement must come 70 an
end but to satisfy his own sense OF honor
(hls honor } be wrote 70 say that, while
entertsinlng the highest respect for me, he
desired formal TenUnoiation OF the claim.
rlting on the bottom Of the letter, Let
It be as you WISH, | returned it to him at
once, and thus ended my brief dream Of .
romance.
had heard ere this Of E.liot's cJwardiy CON |
duct On that day but bow ! first bethough: I
me to inquire who Lad rescued me from that /
imminent death. And then | learned that .
James Frazer, his arm already broken by I
the Jerk with which brown Bees tore away
froa4 him as he caught at her bride, had
ridden after ne, and had been the first to
lilt me from the water. Many times daily
be made inquiries concerning NE his had
been the hand that had sent the rare flowers
that had decked my room his were tie lips
that hreathed words of comfort and hope 10
my poor mother his were the books that
| read during tie days Of couyIiysccnce;
and his, now, the arm that supported me,
as slowly and painfully paced the garden
walks.
I have been his wife for many q year. /
have forgotten that he Is not hand-1me-or
rather be Is beautiful 20 he, because / zee
his grand and loving spirit shining through
his plain features and animating bis awk-
ward figure. have long since laid aside,
ls utterly unteuahlo my theory that beautiful
spirit, dwell only in lovely bodies. 1t may
lie 4 prJviiential COmplnsatiJn that. IN deny
ing physical perfection, the soul is not dwarf
I'd or marrcd by Tetty vanity OF love Of the
world praise.