National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-01-04

ing 10 live for " b
L felt a pain so keen at his words
that l could hardly reply. Na ..
"YOu must forget her. What
can you ever do to hope to win her
proud fathers consent, even it you
win hersi Besides you will have
other things to do. Men must not
break their hearts. The world
needs strong arms. Think. With
your strong will, your hatred of be.
ing bound, could you enter that life
of fashion and wOrldliness, and not
feel out of placer
John hung his head like bash
full boy. IL know it well enough.
She does not love me OF dream of
my love for her. I could not be
sneered at by her father!'
The time had come to speak when
his pride was touched. "John, live
a noble life. One can wear out
these troubles No, donot go away.
Stay here and make your heart for
get its folly, if You can. Be a man,
and do a mans work, leaving the
rest to God.'
! 81 will Jenny. God bless you =
and John had gone.
The next day she came to take
leave of me. 1t rained dismally.
just think, Jenny-you little
brown wren--of NE. am actually
going abroad. Five years it is a
loup ne. But you look dismally
sober--as sober as girl over her
first love letter. May be it is low
er Jenny 2 she said playtully. 'Oh,
well, like John. he is worthy OF
you. l will bring you wedding
present from Paris.
She looked daintier than ever in
the plain little room; and her hair
clinging about her soft, white brow,
fitted for the luxury and beauty she
lived in.
Louie Irvingham, did you know
that afternoon how the rain, sObbing
outside my little window walled as
my own heart helplessly did, as l
thought how little the love that you
had would have been to you, how
to me-life itself!
When the soft, white face, in its
pretty framework of curls, faded
away in the rain, looked at the
hard lines coming on my face, and
the pain in my set mouth, and for
an instant the great difference be.
tween us was so keen that-God
forgive-the tears kept time to the
rain without!
There is little sun in the six years
after to tell. John bought vessel,
and was gone long whiles. Iknew
he was patient; he never spoke hel
name. All the good that life seem,
ed to bring h,m to do, know he
did. Sometimes ! lOnged to speak
of his sorrow, but | never did.
Once Miss Louie had played mt
sad, plaintive melody of some
great German composer MY lii,
seemed like the saddest part of this
little tune. / remember the har
nony rose and fell till the whole
ended in triumphal burst of sound
| and | used to wonder if my lit;
woula come to the joy notes, too.
One day John came to see INT
, with paper, a sort of smile on hi
quiet lips. His finger pointed m
: to a paragraph as he nntolded tn
/ paper, and read-LOuie's mar
| riage.
"A rich, great man, John sal
g simply. Jenny, l have Overcom
$ it. 1t was boyish thing. | kno,
e how vain, how foolish it would har
e BEEN . ....
n This was ali he said folding u
$ the paper and going away.
e The six years were nearly owe
j. Charlie and Joe had been a longt
G cruise than usual, and were comm
e back. 1t seemed as though my Iii
G work was pretty clear. l though
is as | spread the linen to air, an
'e klndled fire in the little room. III
y damp chill of evening came again'
It my cheek as | stood at the gate
II On the beach, a knot Of men ha
gathered. Perhaps the vessel W;
8 already in--and here came John
1t tell. He kept his face from me {
m he came nearer; and "a look, snt
~ as l had never seen on it exec
ir when his mother died, was the
when became to me.
Ie He led me in away from the sa
Ie smell and the chill air, to the litt
h parlor lighted and warmed.
Of Jenny am in trouble again,
n have come to you
| looked quickly up at him.
I've lost some dear friends, al
v, need you to tell me that Ged knO,
le best, and that it is right!
er Jthought of Louie and the Irwin
er hams: but a second look on join
IS face made me say:
Ill 1T is Joe and Charlie ! They W
I'd never come homer
be Johns face had fallen between |
y, hands.
Il One thing more and this lit
nd story is ended. It's no more TIN
h. what you who read have known.
nd When eight months later, Johl
vessel came back, l heard cain
ut the little he could tell me of {
d. wreck. He lay on the grass p
TO (sor it was simmer again, )his ha
q across his face.
a. Jenny it's a long time since I II
n yo,u my first real trouble. I've
~ oSther deeper, now; for with it
,o vt"o, I can hear nain and tai