The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-12-29

Aoaug ladies al, take nay advice
Keep one sir,ag t. your bow. II find Il
a good strong scrwceAblc one, aud ID
not play with two until both break
+ For q fcw months Dora was lover.
less pbcn. At length. q third appeared
ia tie person of Johu Nanuole. and
/ after a shori, 5 very short probation,
was accepted; Tor time Was passing
/ with Dora, and both her former admir-.
or- had taken 10 themselves partners
less obdurate than herself. aud Dora
/ did not care to 1--we and die an old
= maid.
John Yannote and bis wife. too soon,
however, found out how unsu;tod they
we're for each other-tpo soon for their
happiness, too late, however to remedy
it. They were both alike IN their dis
positions, equally selfish, and each low
ing their own self the best
IL WAS ore and glieyous disap-
poinlment to both John and his wife
/ that no children blessed their union. --
God withheld this great gift and bless
( ing from them No little pratilng in
fsnt WAS given them to break the soli-
tude Of theif hFeside, no wee, toddhng
feet pattered over the floor This gol-
den link was wanting 10 unite the fast
rusting and irksome fetters with which
/ they had bound themselves together,
and great was the trouble Of both, and
! loud Dora's murmuring thereat. Aud
what should have drawn them closer
together for mutual comfort and SYM
pathy became an additional cause Of
dissatisfaction and discomfort.
And so, day by day, the love each
bad for the other cooled and was fast
dying away. Day by day each one
grew more intensely selfish, less and
less careful Of each others happnes
and comfort, and more miserable and
misunderstanding ever more and more
at the strength Of the chain which held
them together
! am writing no fanciful, childish sio-
~, God knows my purpose and tale
is serious enough, and one Of too fre-
quent occurrence. In every little act Of
their daily lives they very soon got to
thwart each other. Very quickly no
mutual concessions were offered. Scarce
meal passed By without some quar-
reling and squabbhng about some little
unimportant triho Each had the same
likings and each resolved to crafty
them at the expense Of the other. In
a few words their lives became griey
GUS and hardensome, both to them
selves and all connected with them:
and they very quickly grew to positive
y dislike each other.
And SO months passed until it came
near tue eve of St Mark. Now in the
north Of England there is a great deal
of superstition attached to his night.
1t is very generally believed that the
ghosts Of all who die the ensuing year
walk in sc.emn procession at the mid-
night hour down the road their coffins
will hereafter pass to the church porch.
Thi@eye falls on the Oath Of April.
Leading to the village church in the
place where these two lived were two
roads-tne one the public road through
the village, aud another, a by-path |
across some fields
When the 24th Of April came round. !
as in due course Of time it did. it oc-
CURED to John that he would 20 that
night and see if bis wife's ghost made |
its appearance. 1t 50 happened SINH
lar resolve possessed Dora. OF course
neither Of them betrayed by sign or
word their intention TO the other. The |
day passed aud night came. After tea
John idgeted about for some time, and |
then left the house for the ostenslble |
purpose OF fodderlng and looking after
tho cattle. Dora, as soon rs his back
was turned, put on her bonnet and /
shawl and went out too, on pretended
visit to neighbor The night was a
moonlight one, but the moons light
was obscured by passing clouds.
As soon as John had finished tending
the cattle, half ashamed Of his errand,
and fearing to meet any OF his neigh
bors, he made his way across the fields
to the churchyard. Dora, more timid.
chose at exactly the same time the road
through the village. The one arrived
at"the churchyard gate just as the 9TH
or reached the style from the fields in
to it. SilentlA and quietly they both,
unknown to the other, went into the
porch; they reached it, and Just then
the moon shone clear for moment
full and clear in each others face. They
both stared at eaee other--a long. steady
look, aud then the moons light was
behind cloud; and when
II again shone out the porch was emp
ty-both had as silently returned home
each thinking they had seen each 9th
ers ghost
The table vas laid for supper when
John Naanote came il, and wife Dora
sitting sewing by the fire. Some saus-
ages aud mashed potatoes were warm
ing by it-Ais iayorite supper. Aston
shed at tue unwouted attention 10 bis
comfort and taste, III silence Le drew
bis char to the tablc,and both sat down
10 eat One saase remained after each
lad been fairly and equally heiped.-
Each " them, heretofore, would have
,lamed and sought V have had il. 10
)ora's astonishmeut John very quietly
,ook il and laid i on her plate without
. word. As quietly she removed il
back - his. The servant looked on as
ou.s4ed az this unaccust0mel proceed
ng on both their parts, Again and
gam was the same thing done each
10 force on the other. and