Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-08-30

Clement fingered n momen, 20 bad fa-c-
vel. and a. he stooih the table. scattered
over the note he lcft there az the hundred
petals Of moss rose that he haa taken
from its vase and played With half an hour
gone Then he. too. wert. ard before
high noon they were steaming down the
harbor. leaving cold. White clouds behind
them a. they sped. meaning after they bad
reached their hrst destination 70 reach heir
anal Que by means of train and stage. and
SLOW dragging lumbsr-team.
They had been in the forest camp aboat
a week. meeting ~ith Indifferent success
from their rifles. and lost al The cheer and
novelty OF the scene. By day within CIV
en- radius. and accompanied By some trusty
guides. they secured the woods by night.
clustered around the immense frr. While
some slept. and some shook dice. some
boiled down the shining spruce gum. and
some handled a clumsy needle. they listen
Cd 10 the sild stories Of forest Efe. related
-iih hne relish Of lis dangers. tall the blood
curilcd in their veins.
10 NAson one such raw AMI windy NIGHT
that the teamster. who had been down 10
The nearest town for supplies. was heard
having and geeing has oxen. and putting
them carefully up for The night. Then. en-
ter'ng the long log hut. he vas net with
such warn welcome a. only those receive
whose coming means something. while
every one made room before him. Wb~n
he bad removed the vast boots. that could
have houndrrcd. one might have saia.
through the snow. % a dozca winters. he
proceeded. With slow tantalizatiou that be
enjoyed much more himself than anv one
else did. % unload bis capacioas pockets
Of their all and suniry dry commissions.
With package q tobacco for one. a pack
Of cards for another. parcel ofconiecsion-
cry for a third. jhck-knife for fourth. and
a. the very end Of al. rumplcd and
crumpled. be tossed little perfumcd note
into Clemcnt's hands. a little pcrfumed
note-tt vas the scent that Susan was %
fond Of. aad neither the neighborhood Of
tobacco. pipe. or PcPPermint. had been
able 70 ieAden It's faint s~eet pungency.
lt vas from Susan-he knew that before
be read the suPerscriPtion; Hervey. sitting
on The other side Of the rude stone hearth.
knew q too. a. be testified By bis sadden
start and bend. the fush upon bis face. his
qsick. glistening glance. drasing bis char
coal sketches on the great fat rock with a
1--we enber in the tongs. Il was from So
san; the answer 10 the note that Clement
had left on the table for her. scattered over
With its moss rose leaves. Truly be held
his fate in bis hands. She loves me-loves
me not. Should be put Il 20 the ties; ana
tear open the dainty seal before Hervey-
before al these others. rough bat kindly
curious eyes-rcad Der words IN any other
presence but his Own alone-learn whether
be va a solitary. unlovcd wretch. or wheih-
er Dc was most supremacy blessed Tor life
and for death. With 4 hundred faces 70
watch the changes Of hrs Own. its Joy or its
dcspairY But then. on the other hand. 10
wait fiil day-hght. perhaps 70 die n tbe
night. with this Panting headache. and
never 20 have knosn whether he loved or
hated. was BIS or another's. Waiting vas
impossible. He throw a pitch pine knot
into the Gre. bent forward With the sheet
bent scrceningly 50 that the blaze might
fall thereon. and whatever vas sriiten
there be rad ii. IL vas long about H.
Meanwhiie. tor thc life % bun. bend them
elsewhere a. much a. Be nighi. Hcrcy
could not keep his eyes away; back again
thcy came. a. Il upon some steel spring.
and tried their worst % read in The face
hcld low over the sheet. in the 6gure. in
the hards. sist Miss Aldus had 90 sav %
Clement. and shat hope there was for him
self Were The veins upon his iorchcad
from emotion. or from the vay the bead
"a ocnt above the bot FIRE? Was BE- %
long in reading because Co., words we're too
dear. too precious % part with any way
but hngcringly. or dii BE- hang there iiI
he should have recovered 81 control from
any pang Of disappoiniment, How could
llervey teil, Snidcniy Clement rose. and
before one could see his face bal gone oct
into thc night A. o. opened thc door
there came q wiii. shrili CIV like ths voire
of r. vomsn in arony or distress. Other.
started to their feet for a moueai. ard
Clement darted through the door-uav.
d" Ycs yes.- tboo-ht iiersey it seemed 90
h.rr tha' t uas ~usan's voice. and sbe
most be h.s. 1r vig should bc rush a. De-.
ani rot g. hal thc right to save ber2 And
uby Va te going oat into thc dark a. aII.
esaerf fhat . n .-i' not ree thc Happiness
b. .1ali n1t sxpfess, Add thcn he boweI
Lls t,al 1.sn on h.. knees viih De hanl.