Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-20

dying for love of her; because | could MT
bear to live longer away from her be-
cause it seemed to me that, at all costs, |
must set eyes on her again; speak to her
of my love for. her, whole and true and
tender as it is, and entreat her to give me
some portion of her love in return. l have
been mastered by my love; it has pos
sessed met possesses me now, absolutely.
To what end ? What good has come of it
all You see how she treated me. She
shrinks from, loathes, despises me. l have
come home for that
You have loved her long?"
4 have loved her all my life. As a
child and schoolboy loved her,-years,
years ago. used to long, wtile we were
playing together, that some wild beast
might spring out upon her, so that | might
destroy it, and save her or perish for her.
| would have done anything for her even
then. Any mad task she set me strove
to execute. | was delighted to peril life
or limb in her cause. Any mischief that
she did | took the blame of, ever. | have
been horsewhipped for her many a time.
What did | care for the pain, so long as
Milly came afterwards to comfort me and
dry my tears? What suffering would not
yield to a kiss from her, smile, or a kind
word But | am fool to complaint
gave her my heart for plaything. She
has put it from her now with the rest of
her playthings, ruined and broken-quite
done with | had no right to expect she
would do otherwise"
She knew of your love -
How could she know of it? Yet
was wrong, perhaps, not to speak out. |
ought to have put it plainly before her.
No, she does not know of my love. | have
never dared to speak openly to her con-
cerning it. | was too poor when | came
home betore-or, rather, wanted to be
richer, and SO i'll some sort worthy of her,
before | spoke to her. thought she
over now Her love for me, if she ever
felt any, has quite died out of her heart
now 1t is hard, very hard to bear |
have toiled only for her | am rich now
Even her father, my uncle-he is an ex-
acting gentleman enough-but even he
would own that | am now rich enough to
think of marrying even his daughter And
now it seems ii is too late. What have
GOT by my tolls, my long waiting my for
bearance? Nothing \ great gulf has
opened between Milly and me, | know not
how or why | have lost all hope of her
| am the most miserable fellow on this
earth
And Mark Lance covered his face with
his hands
Il am, know, fool, weak fool to
talk like this" he said presently, recover
ing himself. What must YOU think of
me- What are my sorrows to you? What
can you care for a lovers troubles, and
longings, and despair What is my heart
TO you? What can you know or care
about it? Nothing, of course-nothing.
Nothing, of course not" the doctor
echoed, mechanically. 4" No, | know
nothing Of the human heart"
From the city DIR. Dendy having part
ed with Mark Lance, returned to CAL
thorpe street
As he entered the drawing-room, with
the cautious and noiseless tread of a man
well-used to sick chambers and acutely SEN
sitive patients, he heard faint moaning
sound
Milly Lance, with fearful eyes, was read
ing over once again her cousins letters
was contemplating once more the photo
graph contained in the ivory card-case
She started, with half scream, as she
found the doctor at her side.
Forgive me (" she cried, in an agonized
voice, II am going to burn them y
And then, hardly knowing what she did,
she seemed to be trying to fall on her
knees at the doctors feet. He raised her
up with tenderness.
Calm yourself, Milly," he said
She made an effort to throw the letters
into the fireplace, but her courage or her
passionate food of tears.
Have mercy" she moaned oh. have
mercy y"
You are i'll, Milly," he said gently
Don't be afraid of me my dear, |
wouldn't wrong you or pain you for the
world. Calm yourself; dry your eyes
Come, that's better But what a uIset
Give me sheet of note paper, | mus
write you prescription at once. Mind
you must obey my instructions to the let
ter" He scribbled few lines. Read
that Millv,' he said
She glanced at the paper, expecting &c
find the usual uninteligible medical hero,
gyphics, She started To her amaze
ment, she found she could understand the
prescripton-it was written in English
being the first and last prescription which
Dr. Dendy in the whole course of his pro
/ fessional career had written out of the
Latin tongue.
/ 1t ran something IN this wise
r. Take cousin Mark to church with
you as soon as possible, and make hin
your husband God bless you.
(Signed) JoHN DENDY, VI. D."
! How her heart beat
/ But-does he love me ?''
"You know he does. And you love
/ him. Tell him so when he comes th
evening. You needn't speak; only lie
him read it in your eyes"
'And my father ?"
He shall give his consent I'll tax,
care of that
With cry of joy, she threw herself in
to his arms. She could not speak he
thanks but this action of hers was suf
ficiently explicit. He kissed her on tn
forehead. She put up her lips to him
but he did MT, or wouldn't, or couldn't Sc,
what she meant
lie went away signing, very grave il
aspect, and yet lightened and comforted b
the thought that he had acted rightly.
perhaps [ shall be able to finish tha
book of mine, now," he said, gravely. at
time it was done. One thing-I kno,
more about it than | did. It's but a poor
weak, troublesome organ, after all, tn
heart; and its ache is very hard to bear