Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-09-16

Ana fhhh lnlaMcchhH upc my heAit remove.
Two old men sat together over their wine
on New Years eve. Two old men so differ
ent rarely sit in social converse for one was
tall, and his shoulders were broad, and his
loud " IIa llal" rang out merrily every
now and then, and its healthy bloom was still
upon his check only the first frosts of liie's
winter whitened his abundant hair, and a
CHEEKY, good-humorcd light still beamed from
his bright blue eye The other, SO pale and
wrnkled, so bowed down, so humble in ad-
dress, in utterance so feeble and indistinct
that his companion turned his ear patiently
toward him in good-natured close attention.
Only a few scattering locks Of gray were left
to stray over his furrowed brow, and his dim,
hali-closed eyes, burrowing under the shaggy
eyebrows, wandered listlessly over the table
and the floor while his words fell hurriedly
and trembling from his tongue. The two
were talking over the storms that had swept
over the ocean of their lives; but while one
spoke of tempests safely out-ridden, and rocks
and shoals well scaped, the other told Of long
fruitless wanderings in far-off lands. under
scorching suns, tormenting spirits urging him
on, and vain delusive hopes smiling in mock
cry before him.
Come, come, Phil" said his entertainer, ,
s. you and / are too old now to mind much
the raking up of school-boy pranks. Pray,
now, what high crime and misdemeanor, or
what atrocious plot against the staid decorum
of yirtuous society was it that drove you forth
into this wilderness Of the world where, in
truth, you seem to have cullsd goodly bum
die OF sage experiences what was it, Phil,
that sent you on your travels2'
Phil Hopes nervous mouth twitehed more
than ever, and hia hand trembled as he raised
his glass and shook half the contents out up
on the marble table but he took heart when
the last drop was emptied down his throat,
and again the glass flowed with the dark-red
wne aud again it was drained to the bot
tom.
Then Phil Hopes eye was raised till it met
that Of his employer, and it wavered a mo-
ment and wandered off along the frescoed
walls, aud over rich gilded frames Of great
mirrors, and back again till it fixed upon the
Brussels carpet.
at is hard, Mr.. Willard "---he began thus,
low and tremulously--" hard to open ones
lips so late in life to secret they have kept
so long locked up within them; but there is
something within me now that drives me to
confess against my will, and that tears my
secret from me, though hoped it should be
buried in my grave" And his voice grew
husky, and once more the heavy decanter was
clutched in his feversh grasp, and a third
brimming glass followed the other down his
throat.
Il was far different, Mr.. Willard, from
what | am now, when went to pass my sum
mer vacation in a lovely village among the
mountains of Massachusetts. They called me
handsome young man then here shadow
Of smile fickered over his wan visage---
" and ! was in much better repute for leats of
agility and skill in the athletic games of col
lege-life than for any proficiency in science or
diligence in learning. With the last dying
rattle Of the chapel bell flew away all thoughts
of study, and cramming my layorite volume
into my pocket, and choosing out the safest
resting-place on the coach-top for my rod and
gun, | whirled out of the narrow valley. |
found employment enough in the beautiful
country | had chosen, and many were the
dark secluded pools sought out, buried deep
in mountain gens, where the trout lay still
and secure, or played coqucttishly with the
gurgling rpples that poured into the deep
quiet basin, or went whrling round and round
in whmpling cddies.
1t was early one beautiful morning, when
| was following up the coy wanderings of a
new stream, brushing away the sparkling dew
as stole along stepping lightly over bro zen
twigs, and softly pushing aside obtrudlng
branches that | might come unawares upon
my game. | had just left the meadows be-
hind me, and had plunged into the deep ohasm
between opposing crags, beyond which there
stretched away long narrow rayino that
formed here and there deep shaded hooks,
where the grass spread out in bright green
carpet, and many-colored mosses, elingng to
fallen trees, and gathering thick upon the
rough rocks, made Il soft and gaily-variegated
bed on which to repose the weary limbs
Just before me, carelessly reclining on one of
these luxurious eouches, just where the stream
spread out over its gravelly bed into shall
low pelucid pond, lay graceful female form.
Noselessly stealing, with heart bent on
mischief, over the softly-eushioned earth,
peered unseen over the shoulder But, oh
how changed were my feelings then, when
caught a glimpse, through the glossy brown
ringlets, Of bright eyes that danced under the
shade of long dropping lashes; Of red lips
that parted in hurried breathing, while the
white bosom, half-revealed by the negligent
morning-dress, heayed, painting with exercise,
and the flush of her cheek and the sparkle
of her eyes as the lids slowly opened, showed
that she had only now flung herself to rest
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