The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-05-15

voices below nut tlere was nothing
save the trampling of the steeds in the
courtyard, and the murmur of the sum
mer fountain that played beneath her
window.
Veronica spoke strangely thought
she. Have | been unmaidenly? Have
| given my love unsought? Have /
cherished other than Il sisters love for
Charles? ] cannot tell do not know
myself this afternoon. But | will be
cold and formal. Yes, my fathers own
child; and thus viii atone Charles -
The name was spoken with lingering
accent, rs her Teverie ceased nor was
the lady conscious how much that little
word revealed.
She rose, and stood before the mirror
to adjust her robe. She drew one sprig
OF starry white jasmine from a vase be-
fore her, to Irvine among her curls, and
in another moment had glided down the
old oak staircase, already dusky with
evening shadows, andstOod before the OBJ
ject of her thoughts. She gave her hand
lightly to a tall, dark-browed stranger,
so different from the Charles of her
memory, who bowed SO haughtily as
her father could have done, and led her
to "A seat
How coldly his formal inquiries fell
upon her earl the measured tone was
am unfamiliar sound. Her heart that
had iiuttered 80 Widely, sank frozen in
her breast. Poor Lillian, They had
parted rs brother and sister part, with a
kiss and a loving ciaspi she would have
shrunk from either now, ii is true; but
the kind letter hid beneath her silken
bodice had not prepared her for this
unloOked-fOr GOODNESS. The weary mo-
ments passed heavily, and Veronica sup
ported the tagging conversation, in
which neither of the Others seemed to
take interest. For once, Lillian was
glad to hear the firm heavy tread of her
father sounding in the hall. and She
sprang forward TO meet him; but a
thought seemed TO check her, and She
paused AZ the entrance. more embarras-
sed than ever before.
Mr. Vernon was, as Lillian had char
acterlzed him, stern and proud. There
was strength in his compact figure and
massive head. Masses ofthiek hair now
beginning to silver, were pushed back
from his square forehead and his mouth
had resolute compression, that did not
relax as he bid the young stranger wei
come. There was little sociability adj
ded TO the group by bis entrance, and
when, after a duh and formal evening,
they separated, all felt the relief of once
more being alone.
Dull enough and cold enough ~
muttercd Sir Charles, as he stood by the
open window OF his own apartment,
looking out upon the exquisite landscape
before him.
The moonlight shone clear upon the
dark recesses of foliage that enclosed the
beautiful lawn, and in soft fantastic shad-
ows lay On the velvet turf, quivering
with every breath of the summer wind.
The dun deer slept peacefully Ia their
sheltered coyerts, and afar Off the white
cottages Of the village We're visible.
mol no nothing else is changed,
went on the soliloquy, Except that
Harry, my old play-fellow, is not here
to welcome me. There is the spire of
the village church, where he sleeps. 1t
might be better if | slept by his side.-
This bright dream of love that have
cherished through all the long years of
my wanderings, has vanished. awake,
and find nothing but withered flowers,
where | expected to find sweet and fresh
blossoms. Poor Harry saw his smile
when Lillian sprang to meet her father.
How il chilled me- ] had hoped for a
woman's greeting; but pehaps l have
been among the children of the bright
South so long that have forgotten En-
glish GOODNESS. She might have one
smile for her brothers. old friend That
Veronica, she's not altered. The same
stcalthy tread, that quick, upward
glance. when she thinks herself unob-
served. She always came between Lii
liam and myselfin the old days; perhaps
this is why | have summed her. How
very, very beautiful Lillian has grown
those ccff alnefarin0 pIlrlc-tba He,t-,a
cast eyes-the floating, sylph-like mo-
tion-and yet so womanly withal She
Is like the hand | half worshipped in
Florence-that soft Gallo Dolce that hung
in the east window. wish her manner
and soul were more unlike her fathers.
She should have her mothers spirit
with her mothers eyes. All, well-this
tiresOme visit will soon be ended, and
then | viii lay down my dream, and
forget all, under SUMNER skies
LILLIA AND CHARLES.
And SO the days went on at Holly
wood-Sir Charles coldly, serenely cOur-
teous, and Lillian as distant as at first in
her stately bearing. Veronica lowered
like q shadow ever near them for when
business was over, Mr.. Vernon was in
visible, save at dinner, for the rest Of the
lawsuit, in which the estate of Sir
Charles had been involved, which had
called him 10 England. Perhaps his
heart beat a little faster when he heard
that Lillian was still unmarried. and
had far exceeded her girlish loveliness.
He may have had q dream of turning
from the gay, idle life in which he had
passed so many years, and making his
English home a paradise, whose Eve
had the sweet mouth aud gentle ways OF
his old play-felIow. But that was passed
now: and he fretted impatiently at the
chain in which the g laws delay " had
bound him for many weeks at Holly
land.
Nov and then he would fancy Lillian
less cold, and his own iciness gave way
before it. Sometimes, when strolling
side by side through the dim old paths
they had loved so well in years gone by,
they would speak of those old days, and
wish that they would return again.
Once they talked of Harry, and Sir
Charles felt the hand that lay on his
arm tremble, and thought the old con-
fidence might be again established. But
just then they came suddenly upon
Veronica, and both turned instinctiYely
from the theme of their discourse.
" Nay, do not talk to me of Charles"
Lillian had said to me that night; he
has brought his fine Italian manners,
and / like them not. My father must
see it, fol he shuns him and / o,
Veronica, he was not so onceW
And when the girl was gone, she took
q slender key from the chain she always
wore, and unlocked the Venetian casket.
1t was empty, save those few faded flow
eTs she hrd cherished. She took them
with ali impatient gesture, as if she
would have trampled them under her
feet but a tear fell on them: Then they
We're pressed to her lips an instant and
then returned to their hiding place.
mo, no. cannot destroy them now"
she said. +" Harry stood near when ne
gave them to me | will keep them for
mybrother's sake"
Sir Charles was already in the break
fast room, as she entered the next morn
ing. Could she be mistaken in think
ing that he smiled more kindly, when
he babe her " good morning ?' Certain
it was that he held her little prisoned
hand moment. and drew her towards
the opened window.
How very beautiful that far-off
winding road looks in this fresh morn
ing light said he. g was just think
ing how often we had cantered over 1t,
and wondering if the copses and the
heath through which it wound are as
leafy and green as ever. | wish 1t even