The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-12-19
LolsETTE.

set out TO walk to Summerfeld. and.
felt more hopeful of success than I hat
ever done before. had determined tina
day should determine my fate Al
through the winter and the early sprins
had loved Ioisette, and a hundred
times | had longed and yearned to tel
her 50, and to ask her to be my wife, ane
each time somethng-I could hardly tel
what-struck me silent.
She liked me, [ knew. but did she love
me Something in her eyes seemed Il
lead me to hope she did: such eyes the,
were 'ovlng and tender and shy. Whef
| looked into their soft depths all the
most delightful descriptions of ewes
hal ever read. used to come across me
lies rortes de l'amour,' ''des hluet.
doax CONNIE les yeux;" above all Calder
On tender refrain,
Sweetest eyes ever seen.
When she looked at me with those eyes
then i seemed to he | might tell he,
ai that was IN my heart, and take he,
to mine untorbidden. But the next mo-
ment- as # she guessed and half feared
my thought. she turned away slyly, and
her manner altered, and by heart shrank
back in fear and sorrow
Bat at last felt [ could endure this
suspense no longer. | must know the
best or the worse. If she were to be
mine, such a home and such life as
had Iianned, and hoped, and dreamed
OF ever since | knew her, should be pre-
pared 4 she were not for me, then
should leave England, and break -awav
isom that and all other home ties, and
try to bear it ike a man somewhere away
tre,n ali that should unman ME.
iS.,f
an !. walked along briskly through the IN
All down lanes OF the lovely Hereford
shire county, now shot i'll between, banks
1uIttd With ferns, oyerrun with the ex
qni~ite snai-leaved ivy, crowned with
"a ~ 81, -hay now emerging upon sweeps
OF hills and dips Of valley, crossing con,
mons abiaze with gorso traversing wood
i4ni paths where bluebillS spread their
sheets OF azure, and lingering primroseS
starred messy banks Heaven how I
remember it all. That Maytlay hope
SCENE as strong and as full Of spring
anu he and vigor as my own limbs I
stroic on, thinking OF the eyes that
wonld look up their Soft welcome to nine
ana 81 the warm little hand that should
clasp, and perhaps then claim as mine
my very own-wfle life should last. It
SoNii'~t ~ iAS tHQt SuCu 1CGlEyS cOulU
not bur he prophetic.
III | find her inthe garden" [ thought
viii look upon 1t as Il good omen !: |
will not let the time go by; [ will seize
the opportunity and speak to her az
one.
got to the cottage and onened the
farisfl gate. As [ stepned in saw her
listie way down the path, in her dainty
morning gown and broad garden hat. iii
Ing the tasket hat hung on her arm with
flowers, and softly singing to herself T
stepIe , on the lawn: | wanted to come
uton ilar uEaNares, and test the effect OF
my sl4dan appearance, which [ could not
dG i the sound OF MY foot on the gravel
should betray my approach thus [ got
close ~ her before she new was near.
she started violently. and the color rush
ca % her cheek. The slightest thing
world BRING it have seen her flush III
tie sudden rising Of a bird from the
tsi3skct. The next moment she smiled
ana ned out her hand. ''Oh, it is YOU
~ etart!ed me. | had no idea ANYBODY
was. near and the sweet eyes were raised
to mine trustingly. won youicome IMP
tired?'
On, no, | am never tired of being in
the garden, So you Il help me to gather
nv a1WerS; see. You can reach up to
those sprays Of honeysuckle get some
Of the best, the rosiest for me. .
Al, bow deieiousp' she said, inhal
ing the fragrance with deep ecstatic in
srlratiaus, and she held up to me the
blossom bat had just touched her face.
kissed the flower; took the hand that
he'd II, tol.! her all [ had to tell her.
So tod still. her head bent so that the
had hi her face from me, and knew
n.st III what spirit she listened, till a SIGH
that va half q sob chokecl me.
she looked up with a voice SO full OF
pam, Of plfy, OF perrlexjty, Of de,reca-
tag appeal, chat though the hone in nav
hca { sank down | almost felt more for
the sorrow III her face than for that in my
own soul.
Forgive me, she said, II am so
raeved. | ought to have told YOU.
did not know that yoa-that you cared
FIR jnc that way | have been engaged
these two years. He Is in India and com
lag back in AugUst. Oh, You don't
TANK have been co9uettish-that have
been knowingly leading you on to this
De yoI Ii her carnestness she laid her
hand on mine, and lifted her face with
tgamulous mouth and eyes brinful OF
tears.
II had died forit must have snatch
ell the consolation the moment offered
the last. the Only one. drew her on my
herr. holding her close, close: and | still
81 the qnWering of the lips with twenty
kisses
When I released her she turned he
Lack to me. hid her face in her hands, ans
sohhed till her frame shook.
''i.pIsctte, Loisette, forgive me
conli not help it ! | swear | could no
help i, Loisette =
She shock her head
i.nisette. think how I love YOU: thin'
what feel in knowing all the hope ha,
ior YOU Is gene-eone forever Loisette,
am going away. where | can never often,
you more. Think that what | have don
was IN parting with you for the last tim
"a last farewell, Loisette.
She tried to sneak but sobs made he
inayticulate; still knew she was bitter
reproaching me.
Yes, | have no right to expect for
giveness. | will go [ won't distress vor
further. But we have at least bee
friends, dear, and you cannot think Q
that and let me go forever, without on
word"
Still she was silent | paused an,
waited then | flung up my arms as
man does who has lost all: and with
great groan | turned to leave her.
heard her move, | heard her attempt t
speak and looked back Her face wa
still averted, still covered with one hand
But the other was held out TO me, an,
springing back | took it reyerently, an,
bent NV lips upon it.
God forever bless you, Loisette, tn,
one aud only woman in this earth 70
me