National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-10-18

With this he crossed to the other
side OF the hearth, stopped over
dark object which until now | had
not observed, crouched in the corner.
and muttered word or two of unin-
telligible patois. The object moan,
ed, lifted up Il white bewildered wo-
mans face, and rose slowly from the
floor. The herdsman pointed to the
table, and went back TO his stool
and his former attitude. The wo-
man, after pausing belpleSSly, as if
III the effort to remember something.
went out into the dairy, came back
with Il brown loaf and pan of milk,
and set them before me on the ta-
bic.
AS long as 1--we I shall never for
get the expression of that woman's
face. She was young, and very
pretty; but her beauty seemed turn
ed to stone Every gesture was me
chanical. In the lines that fnrrowed
her brow there was a haggardneSS
of age. In the locking of her lips
there was an anguish beyond the eX-
preston of words. Though she
served me | do not think she saw
me. There was no recognition in
her eyes no apparent conscious
ness of any object or circumstance
external TO the secret OF her own
despair All this | noticed during
the few brlet moments IN which she
brought my supper, This done, She
crept away, a4cctly, into the same
dark conner, and sank down again,
a mere huddled heap OF clothing.
A. toI her husband. there was
Somctlln. l.rnaturaI ii the Singular
immobuity Of hi, e'Htude. There
he sat. his body hch; loro@1.!, us
chin resting on his palms, his eyes
staring GXcdly at the blackcncd
hearth. and not even the involUnta-
~ quiVer Cf nerve to show that he
lived and brcathcd. could not de
terminc his age, analyzc and observe
his features as | might. He looked
old enough TO be forty; and was a
tinn n,usculqr mouutoiuner with that
grave cast o. cuuntenaucc which Is
peculiar to the Nalaisan peasant.
! could not eat. The kcenunSS of
my mountain appetite was gone. !
sat as if fascinated in the presence
oftbis stranonnair. obsrrvino botb
and onnarrntIl by hotb os much
farrnttrn os III had never crossed
tbrir threshold W-nrrmainpd tLus
hy Tho dim Iioht of the lantern and
tho uonotnnGns ticlino of fine clock
fer ,oue forty minutes or more: : All
profoundly silent. Sometimes the
woman stirred as if in nain SOM.
fines the COWS stluck thcir holnS
AGAINST the mauaer in the outhousp.
Tie tcrd.man alone SAT motioulcss,
like n man cast in bronze. At length
tbe clock struck nine. [ had by this
timc become SO nervous that al.
most dreaded to hear my own voice
intcrrupt the silence. However, I
pushed my plate noisily ASIDE, and
said. with as mach show OF ease rs
( could muster:
Have YOU any pace, friend. ia
which can sleep tonight p
He shifted rlS position uncaSilN.
and. without IooNin. round. replied.
in the same form ot words aS before
"Ye,; vop can sleep, traveller"
Where I'm the lott above 2"
He nodded afnluatiyely. took Tia,
Lantern from the tau,c, and tmnc,
+ iowa i the DAIRY. As We raSs' q
the light >trcamed ier moment o.
the crouehIng form oi the woman i
the corner.
" Is Your wife IiI !, asNed' paua
ing and looking 5ack.
Ills eyes met mihe lor tue mrs
time, ana a sl uddtI pdNScu over III
body.
" Yes, ne SaId' with an ehort,
] was about to ask what aile' h'i
but something III MS lace a'l'7'''
the question ON my llpN:: l hu'N
not, to this hour W6at that som,
thing was. / could not 3'hi'e
then, cannot describe II now nH
/ nope may never see II III III
man iace again.
| followed hlm TO 'he 1901 OF
ladder, AT the iarther elio Vi 'he "'
ry ,
q" Up there" he Said; piacea u
I lantern III my hahd, ana S'ro'
heavily back INTO the darkness
| went M. and found myself in
: LONG. low urauery. stored with corr
:, cks. hay, onions. rock salt, chees
o,d ,,rmino unnlennuts. I'm ol