Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-10-20

But with the last burst of the storm.
amidst its wild rawlings. and between
the flashes of the lightning, comes
faint recollection of the melody, just a
suggestion of what might have been,
to tantalize the lover, and intensity
the horrors of the night and the de-
spair at his heart. This was the po
EN- she played me, and I read the po-
EN- to her in whispers as she played.
1t was our own story exactly, and
we both knew it. They made her
play it again, the flmy-eyed authori
ties over their whist, in the other
room.
She looked toward me piteously.-
[ had never seen her look like that
before. But she nerved herself for
the struggle, and dashed into the first
storm-scene. She fingered lovingly
over the melody, playing it with a
softness and tenderness which was on
ly too terrible to me. But the last
storm-scene, which contained the re-
collection of the air, was too painful,
and hardly knowing what | said or
why | said it, these words were whis-
pered il her ear,
Gillian ! love-"
And then the hot scalding tears
burst at once from her eyes, falling
over the keys and her hand in my
hand, which trembIed lovingly over
hers.
She broke down utterly, and one
hand fell from the notes into mine.
There was a slight rustic, and a
sound of impatience in the next room,
and in an instant | upset the music
book and put out the candles.
| was only just in time, but we
were saved,
| The next morning [ had to leave
for London, but before | left | heard
from her lips the sweetest words that
a man can hear, and received from
them the gentlest touch that q man
can feel.
was loved by her, and in spite of
all, and [ returned to my work new
man, and-as | thought-a hero.
We parted bound, as [ imagined,
by indissoluble ties. [ prepared to
fight for her with all my mans
strength, she willing to support me
with all her woman'S cooperation
and sweetness.
And how long do you think we
kept our compact?
In six weeks from the dreary, wet
morning on which | left Craven Court
our sec was discovered, and in less
than seven weeks from that day had
received a note cold as ice and short
as an epigram, telling me that | must
and signed LILLIAN Lee.
Perhaps In such cases men are apt
to Judge women somewhat harshly.-
/ ! certainly own that my verdict was
harsh and bitter one. A fair fghr
would have been very well, but she
had laid down her arms without the
shadow of struggle.
| know perfectly well what miseries
she had to endure. They were al
against her, She was in the camp of
the enemy, with every sword at hel
throat; but she denied her country
for the sake of her life.
1t is easy to realize such a posi-
ton, and guess how many womer
would have yielded. A man woulC
have been worse than a traitor or &
coward to have given in without fght
for it; but woman-well, poor wo
men, we must not be too hard on them
, And yet, when | thought it over,
counted on my fingers how many
brave women, would have endured
, more suffering than that for a mar
they loved, and | thought that Lillian
: Lee loved me.
1t was hard case for her; I owr
it. But in my heart | could find nc
excuse for her then. | suppose ra
ted women too highly trust not.
But, after what had happened a
the piano, heart and soul | believed
IN Lillian as the best, and bravest, anC
truest woman | had ever known, anC
it was little hard in six weeks time
to see my idol dashed all to pieces.
But there was no use in crying fol
split milk. | was stabbed, to tht
heart. The wound seemed deeper
and more to be regretted, because i
was done ia The dark.
[ should have liked to have had &
chance for scuffle.
The most painful part of the matter
to me was, that | knew if we were tc
meet-if for instance. had gone dowr
to Craven Court and seen her the
very instant received my dismissa
she would have been mine as mucl
as ever.
My pride would not allow me tt
stoop so low. Once near her, | coul(
have done anything in the world will
her; and with me by her side sh'
would have defed legions of enemies
But | was not near her-hundreds OF
miles away, in fact-and that altered
the case considerably.
| had nothing to do, therefore, bu
take my threshing without murmur
preferring her to take the responsible
ty of what she had done, and to pas,
her unnoticed whenever | saw hel
again, than to risk the chances of &
fresh humiliation, intimately allied as
it was to the chance of the resump
tioD of our dream.
They sent her to England, and sht
remained away for about a year.