Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-07-29

Oloen CaHington's Grandson.

Agnes was an early riser, and on the morn
Ing following the arrival of Captain St. John
she arose earlier than usual. She came down
the broad stairway with light step; but it
was not quite so swift as had been its wont,
nor did the air awake with any warbling Of
song upon her lips. The old butler saw her,
and was tempted to stop and inquire if she
was sick for Agnes Percy coming down those
stairs in the morning, silent and thoughtful,
was a thing he had never seen before.
The storm of the previous night had been
very short one, the rain having fallen only for
two or three hours, and when the sun rose
the only clouds to be seen were few feecy
masses which were swiftly passing away to
the westward. Agnes stepped forth into the
garden, murmuring simple prayer of thanks
giving, as the grateful breeze, loaded with the
aroma of thousand sweet-scented shrubs,
famed her brow.
Thus far Agnes had kept her thoughts with
in-her own bosom but she had not been long
seated ere her thoughts found words:
How different he is from the gentlemen
of his age who have been in the habit of visit
ing at the castle how different his looks, how
different his bearing; how different his speech
and how different he is in every respect
Surely this is one whom nature made gentle
man
The words were not particularly significant
but they betrayed the course Of the maiden's
reflections. She bowed her head in thought
and thus she sat until dim shadow seemed
to fit before her eyes, and with it came a sense
of uneasiness-a sort Of magnetic influence
suspending her reflections, and causing her to
raise her head.
A quick cry of alarm broke from her lips
as she beheld, standing directly before her, O
stranger. At first he was to her stranger
Ihss when she found that he seemed inclined
to offer no violence, she examined him more
closely, and recognized him to be a you'll
whom she had seen several times at the boat
landing, and whom she had met once or twic,
while visiting among the poor and needy Of
her fathers tenants. She could not be mis-
taken and yet, when she came to reflect, she
remembered that she had not seen him fol
several months,-aye, it had been almost
year. But where among the tenants had sh,
seen him? All she saw it now. She met
him when she went TO see old dame Calling
ton at the time she had the fever
But these thoughts and reflections were like
flashes of light-they all passed while mod
est man might have been framing words for 0
speech. And she had time for one thing
more She had time to observe that the in,
truder was not far from one or two-and
twenty; that he was quite well dressed
though the style of his garb was, to the pure
minded girl, disgustingly rakish and that
he possessed face and form of much come.
illness.
She tried to think that this man had only
Numbered accidentally into her presence, and
she arose and started to walk away, trying
very hard the while to appear calm and con.
hdeDt. But she was not to get away SC
easily.
Lady" said the interloper, advancing SC
as to cut of her retreat, al came here on
purpose to speak with you"
You must have fancied that | was an
early wanderer, sir" she said, with a slight
tinge of irony in her tone.
&C. knew that it was your habit to walk in
the garden on pleasant mornings, my dear
lady and came prepared to wait until you
made your appearance; but | will confess
that had expected to wal. longer than this.
There was something in the mans manner
that had alarmed Agnes more han his mere