The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-11-29

To winch | listened dreamily as Miss
Phillips played las she styled it, the
people ina strain he had been fond
of; and as listened the old memories
swept over me thick and fast / bent
my head upon the front of my pew.
and prayed that God might bless the
man / loved wherever he might be,
for after all those years, and my long
battle with myself there was no
change in my love.
When lifted my head stranger
was passing up the aisle A man of
forty, with an olive skin and Spanish
eyes-with crisp black hair hecked
with silver, and falling from the crown
tall, finely formed but walking with
slight limp Andrew Hudson, ten
years older than when / had first seen
him, but still Andrew Hudson yet.
j never hoped to look upon him
again with living eyes feasted them
now | was not quite sure that l
could live through that hour The
suppressed agitation seemed to be
killing me, yet the very sight of him
was Joy He sat above me in the side
aisle, and could not see me without
turning his head
Even then, with my mourning veil
down, he might not know me, and l
could hardly be the same at thirty l
was at eighteen.
looked and looked, great tears
swelling in my eyes. was not con
scious of anything going on around
me. | only knew ! saw Andrew Hud
son.
Suddenly there was sound of a
crash--a rumbling shaking of the
} church and screams from female voic-
es The whole congregation started
, to their feet at once and rushed door
/ ward the old clerk trying his best to
stop them.
: of there is any danger at ALL" he
5 made them hear at last ''its Just by
= the door The door has given away.
, Ihave said itwould these twenty years"
At that the crowd huddled back
= and formed themselves Mt a stand still
+ Just then a hand touched my shout
der A voice said,
S 'Do not be alarmed. The church
= will not tumble about our ears yet. -
: The only danger is rush over the
S weak spot of the floor
S 1t was Andrews voice and did not
e dare to look at him.
3 l stood quite still Some Of the
e holder souls had leaped the chasm
+ others had clambered through the
windows. The ladies were being
handed over 10y means of an extempo-
, raueous bridge, and the place was al
most empty.
, The new clergyman had come down
r. from the pulpit and stood with his
% wife on his arm, very near me. The
# clerk and Deacon Blauyelt peered in
: to the aperture
q "The beams have been dry-rotting q
n long time, said the latter Zone OF
n EN- is in two and the otherI say
4 there's letter.
e He interrupted himself by kneelinl
q down and thrusting his arm into the
n chasm There on the ledge, formed 10y
d the cellar wall, rested letter-dirty
; cobweb-covered but with the seal un
" broken.
d Miss Sophy Norroway," heread
slowly, why, Sophy, that's yours :"
saw Andrew Hudson start violent
ly and turn his eyes upon me with {
Is new look in them, and stretched on
my hand. How it trembled!
"An old letter, said II lost on,
before [ read it ten years ago. l
l. must have slipped through that cracl
Is in the floor we all knew Of" And
ss spoke calmly, though my heart wa
C. beating so that / could hear it.
W crossed the bridge with laugh
ID the next moment, chatted while Will
t. the clergyman's wife, and betook my
N self home. Halfway | heard stel
ii following me-a step knew so well.
Ie tried to 60 on and could not. / paused
&c He gained upon me. The soft BROW
IN hand, with its rounded finger tips
st caught mine.
60 "Miss Norroway Sophy, he almos
y seech you Sit down here, under thes
no naples, and read that note-read an,
/ answer it; not as it asks you but witt
y. word-a smile-a look. Life seem
9. within my grasp once more !"
g. He sank upon the grass under tn
TO naples, and drew me down besid
ov him.
ov In sort Of dream broke the sea
mt and glanced over the first words of tn
re page before me. 1t bore the date c
eleven years before, and read thus:
20, DEAR SoPHY-"
ay tried to read on; but the letter
ld danced before my eyes. ] glanced O
the signature and saw his name. TIL
lie letter futtered into my lap.
"a "Sophy," he pleaded, "read all, an
r. answer me-"
eS But there was no need The trut
II had flashed upon me. The lost lette
had been from him, asking me to
his wife, and he had taken silence fo
by rejection OF his suit Oh the ten lon
of years of hidden sorrow-years tha
he had changed me from n girl to VIC
Ial man, that had sprinkled silver in hi
of ebon locks What bitter payment fc
o. one careless act. He drew closer
of me.