St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-09-20


which you have come in contact-whos,
society, if you see him constantly, doe
not soon weary you. The best and dear
est friends find a fresher and keenel
pleasure IN each others companionship il
they have been separated for some time
1t may have been only for days. 1t i:
very difficult TO choose friend. and still
more difficult to preserve through much
intimacy the same fresh appreciation Of
his good qualities possessed at first.
Taking these things into consideration
l esteemed myself particularly happy in
the man fortune had selected as my COM
panlon IN our ocean-bound abode. Will
lam Glsborne was man of peculiarly
quiet and gentle disposition, with abilities
which although uncultisated, were con-
siderable, and cheertulness of disposi-
tlon which seemed rather the result OF
some pleasant thoughts than of mere ami
mai spirits. We got on together remark
ably well, and had talked, as men will
talk under such circumstances. over a
great deal of our lives going into mi
mute details, as if mutually conscious that
IN such isolation and loneliness trivial
recollections Of the freer life were pre-
clous, because they brought the outside
world nearer to us.
But 1t was strange, and although We
had talked to each other without any
reservation of our past lives. and OF
many of our hopes for the future, one
subject was seldom mentioned between
us. and even when spoken OF it was with
reserve very foreign to our conversation
on other topics. need hardly say that
this subject was Lucy Wilson, or rather
the feelings | entertained for her. | had
limited at what believed to be the state
OF affairs between US very often to Will
lam, but he affected to misunderstood Inc.
and never gave me the encouragement
desired to describe my feelings Gis-
borne, too, had never spoken to me OF
any love affair of his own. and believed
him to be cold and urimpressible Us re-
garded women.
Lucy Wilson. ! say. had never been
spoken OF between us as the possible wife
OF any man and now, looking back up
on the result of subsequent conversation,
how | wish that that fair girls face had
never come across the smiling waters tc
he the unconscious instrument of ruin, OF
death. and of utter deSolaiion.
II was one autumn evening. when
WAS sitting fishing from oul WOODEN land
ngplace, thai | saw Wilson's boat COM
lnG over Tie water, and Lucy's handker-
chlet wavlng as a signal that she WAS tC
I.onor u. with visit | Immediately
put away lny tackle and stood ea.crI,
watching Tor their arrival. my heart beat
ing as only lovers heart can beat.
was - observed i'll watchin. them that
it was by accident looked up at the
lighthouse and saw William Osborn,
was aI>o on the lookout at an upper
window. only glanced at linn, foi
the boat was getting near liz, but | was
struck even III that casual look bv the e;,-
GER, imprisoned expression VI his face
/! seemed to denote a state of min,
strangely similar TO my own. Bat til,
boat gratcd on the landing-plac and il
the excitement OF welcoming our visitor.
| forgot Gisborncs face ana my impres
slons about it.
Lucy had never been kinder to me. ol
brighter, or more joyous than she wa
that evening She fitted about the va
riouS rooms like butterfly. even vent
uring up into the lantern aud the outSid,
gallery. We followed her about tol
some time, and then, As it was getlin!
dusk and | had some business relative t,
the stores to talk over with her father,
left William with her on the landing
stage and went TO the old man, who wa.
i'll the room that served lis both for sit
ting-room and kitchen. lie was engage,
iii taking down some memoranda | hac
made for him about the quality of til,
stores provided for us.
| In a few moments | returned. Com
inc round the platform. | saw that Lucy
and William were standing close togeth
er by the boat, William with one foot OF
the gunwalc, apparently in eager conver
sation, for | could see excitement in In
usually quiet face. She seemed, from
the gestures she made. to be di>>uadin.
him from something and Suddenly, q
ii to end the argument, she slightly ben
her head and kissed him.
stood paralyScd. My Lucv-for st
| had come to regard her-the woman
had intended to make my wife-show
inc such unreserved love for another man
For the action was done without tin
least sliynesS or hesitation it was evi
IDENTIFY too familiar a trick of tine lip
| had promised myself one day should b
mine, and mine alone.
| could not trust myself to speak, fo
the blood was boiling in my veins, and
was afraid my agitation might be observ
ed. | made a desperate effort to contrc
myself but how was to face the loy
er. afterwards | say lovers now. but
did not say that word to myself then
dared not acknowledge it even to my ow
heart.
We got the business concluded, an
went out to the boat. Lucy and Gi;
borne were still staining near it, and lool
ed perfectly unconcerned and natura
Lucy was pleasant and chatty as usual
but she must have remarked my embal
rassment, for she laughingly commente
on my strange looks as they pushed O
) to row home.
The boat got smaller and smaller, ii
plash of their oars fainter and fainter
they died away out of sound and .igE
into the shadow of the land. and | We
: left alone witt my love and her love
and the shadow that had fallen betwee
us torever-her kiss upon his lips.
: must have been certain consciousness
, ahtagoni>m, though as yet nothing ha
been said. that made us stand for son