Middletown transcript., 1868-03-14

letter to him, and you can make your
home with him at a triAing expense, du-
lug your absence from the store"
George was too thankful for the unex-
pected liberality granted to him to find
any fault with Mr.. II. IS selection of place
for spending his vacation, even if his rural
tastes had not inclined him to just such a
spot; and on the evening of the day fol-
lowing the conversation with the old mer-
chant, the H...... stage sat him down in
front of an old but comfortable looking
farmhouse, at the base of majestic hill,
with broad lawns and meadows lying in
front of it, travcrsed by many winding
stream. aie
He was received with cordial welcome
from the stalwart farmer, and grasp from
a brawny hand, which showed that the
heart went with it. "Come in, stranger,
said he, " come in-we amt exactly pre-
pared for visitors, though Mr.. Hayes did
talk some about sending up some young
flks to keep us old ones company. Come
ia-mother will fix up some place for you
to sleep" f
A supper of new-laid eggs, home-ma
bread and freshly picked strawberries, was
spead upon snowy table-cloth, and the
party of four sat down to the table. There
were the old man, his wife, George, and
fourth person, whose position in the family
George was at loss to divine. She was
clad in plain gingham dress, had evil
IDENTIFY been helping to prepare the supper,
and addressed the old farmer and his wife
as uncle and aunt, but surely George
thought that delicate tinge of rosy red
upon hor cheek was never acquired upon
country hillside, those hands could never
have been preserved SO soft and slender in
milking cows and washing dishes, that
aristocratic poise of the head, that dainty
curve of the neck and that perfect self
possession was the result of something else
besides country'training.
He went to sleep between sheets of
snowy whiteness, pllowcd upon yielding
bed of softest {" live geese feathers" and
dreamed of the farmers niece until he was
awakened by the sound of an opera air be-
meath his window and executed as none
but carefully trained voice of unusual
sweetness could execute it. He sprang to
the window, and through the half-drawn
curtains saw only the young girl in her
cotton gown and sunbonnet in the kitchen
garden cutting lettuce for his breakfast
lie dressed and descended with an ap-
petite sharpened by mountain air, and did
ample justice to the hearty and wholesome
viands set before him. George had come
to the country with the intention of enjoy
ho o1, G., fI,a
acquaintance of Julia, or July, as she was
called by the farmer, at once, and so sue
cessful that in half an hour they were
chatting like old friends. Spite of her
aristocratic air, he could not draw from
her any admission that she had ever known
the pleasures of city life, and George
was puzzled to know how she had become
possessed of so much information relative
to music, tho fashions, and the small talk
Of fashionable circles, which is supposed
to be the property of the favored few.
Soon ramble was proposed, and with the
grace of fairy and the light step of a
mountain sylph, she led him " through
bush and through briar, to gaze entranced
upon the beauty of the sylvan scenery.
George began to wonder how he had ever
been attracted by the stereotypcd smiles
and empty talk of city bellies, whilst list
ening to her glorious descriptions of Ma
ture's beauties, almost as it seemed, in the
presence of Natures God. This was but
a prelude to other walks, drives, fishing
parties, pic-nics, and rural excursions, in
all of which she seemed the queen.
One day. when the time allotted for his
stay was drawing to close, they were in
boat upon neighboring pond gathering
water-lilies. Julia had made for herself
a wreath, with which she had adorned her
beautiful head, and was fashioning another
for George, when, in reaching too far for
particularly fine lily, she lost her bal
ance, aud with scream, fell into the
water. George plunged after her, and the
boat foated away. Her rescue seemed
easy at first, for the shore was not far dis
tant, and he was an excellent swimmer
but soon, to his horror, he found that she
was cntanglcd in the stems of the lilies
which had formed thick network beneath
the surface. Vigorously he struggled ito
extricate her, but in vain. Then, in that
moment Of deadly peril, flashed upon him
the truth that he loved the girl who rest
ed, half unconscious with terror, upon his
left arm, while he supported her and him
self upon the surface with his right.
"Save yourself" cried Julia "if both
cannot live, ut least do1iot let two lives be
sacrificed
| "Never, Julia" he replied, firmly; "ii
you die 1 have no care to live, for, Julia,
you are my life. Tel me, Julia, here,
struggling on the brink of eternity do you
return my love?' a'
| al do" she softly murmured; and. as
their lips joined in the first kiss of a true
and fcrvent affection, she tainted.
i "Oh, God p cried George, D" viii nc
one come to our aid E? Must l die now
when hold in my arms all that can make
life dear to me? At least, kind heaven
save her, and let me be the sacrifice, i
sacrifice there must be-"
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