The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-10-15

Bat Il you approve Of matrimony,
doctor, why have You never married T.
caught AuAt Lottie's eyes lifted re-
provingly 10 her face, but tho doctor
replied pleasantly, though I fancied
somewhat gravely
"Ihat is a question which has often
been asked me, and which / should not
object 10 answering, Miss Helen, only
that it involves q story"
a story oh, delightful Do, doc
tor, let as hear IL
my dear" fthe word seemed TO
come involuntarily, and in grandfath-
erly sort Of way My dear, the story
is rather sad one to hear, and eery
sad to tell, but as il may possibly ben.
eft you young folks. you shall hear it, "
Frank entered at this moment and
rather doubtfully took seat near Hell
en-, who turned her shoulder upon him
with little haughty toss OF her head.
The old doctor glanced at them both
and commenced
"A long time ago--that is the way
all stories commence, is ii not Miss
Helen when | was young man Of
twenty and thereabouts, was in love,
really in love, with a pretty girl of your
age, and indeed very much like yol al
together. / will call her Mary, though
that was not her real name
The family of this young lady was,
for some foolish cause, on i'll terms with
mine, and did not therefore consider
myself at liberty TO visit her in her own
home. We used to meet at the little
parties in our gay country town;
though when Mary's father and step
mother heard of our attachment, they
forbade her to go to these entertain
ments unless they we're also present,
when we were SO closely watched that
we rarely had chance tospeax word
to each other And at length there
came handsome young fellow on a
visit to her family--a relative of her
step-mother, | learned-whom it was
said they wished her to marry. He was
rich as well as handsome, and every
body predicted that it would be a
match.
Doctor Donne paused, and Helen
drawinga little nearer him, laid her
hand on his arm, and said gently:
"Please 60 on, doctor !"
He attended her eyerywhere-rode
with her, walked with her, danced with
her--until was nearly maddened, and
could bear it no longer. / saw that
Mary was looking pale and unhappy,
and | determined to speak to her--to
ask her if she was willing to marry MIA
and if she were 50 to make her my wife
at once, and IN face of everything and
everybody. But now TO communicate
with her was the difficulty.
"It was at one Of these usual social
gatherings that / made this resolve,
and / watched the whole evening
through for an opportunity of speak
ing with her few words in private, but
in vain. AS | have said, | never met
her except at these parties. Should 1
write to her openly, / knew that her
step-mother would request to see the
letter, or be informed of its contents,
and knew no one to whom | could en-
trust private note. How, then, could
/ communicate with her?
Love will always find out a way
and SO, while / stood Eliminating on
this dilemma, and feeling myself almost
desperate enough to then and there, in
the presence of the company, request
Mary to become my wife--a bright
thought suggested itself [ had that
morning beeD hstlessly reading an ar
ticle upon the qualities and manufac-
ture of sympathetic Ink. Happy idea !
| seized pencil and hurridly scribbled
upon bit of paper these words:
IF you receive note from me in re-
gard to Essays Ella, hold the prper 10
the fire before reading"
This managed, in the press and
confusion of departure. to slip into Ma
ry's hand unperceived by others. /
saw her glance at til saw her cheek
flush and her blue eyes brighten as she
turned them upon me, and went home
that night with the great thrill Of new
happiness in my heart.
'On the day following, | wrote tc
Mary brief and formal note of three
lines, simply requesting the loan of Q
volume Of Essays Of Ella, which she
had promised me some weeks before. =
And then took my precious sympa.
thetic ink and wrote inyisibly, on the
other side Of the sheet, words that ]
intended for her eye alone. ! told hen
how / loved her. / asked her if she
loved me sufficiently TO brave the dis
pleasure Of her family and become my
wife! II so, i would arrange every.
thing for our future happiness. I be.
/ sought her, since private interviews
were denied us, to wear on her breast
white rose when next we should meet
as a token that she consented to all
proposed Should the rose be absent
/ would take il as a token Of the re
lection Of my suit. Very romantic, and
perhaps boyish, you iaay think; but
God knows that nevera heart was more
Ia earnest than was mine
"Haying dispatched this letter,
counted The days, the hours. the min
utes 70 our next meeting. 1t came al
last and with beating heart saw
Mary enter. leaning on the arm Of her
lover. Hooked eagerly at her dress
E There WAS no white rose bat IN its