The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-09-23


doubtedly in better position, financially,
than | ever should have been had all my
bOyish prospects been fulfilled
During the latter part of my residence
in Melbourne, and when was seriously
thinking of returning home, curiously
enough came across an old SchoOlfellOw,
who, like myself, had been prepared for
college by Mr.. Mollett. He had gone up
to Oxford, where, however, having led a
wild life, he had come to most unmitigated
grief, and, at the time we met, was bound
for the diggings. With beating heart,
could not refrain from making inquiries
after the person still dearest to me, and
learned, without much surprise, but with
an indescribable pang, that she was mar
ried.
Eyes" said Jack Judder, I" she got over
it at last, old boy, or at any rate, seemed
to do so; MOllett drove her straight at the
matrimonial fence, and she was obliged to
take it IN her stride, as we might say in
the hunting field. Very likely he called
on her, with whip and spur, but anyhow
she answered, and came off an easy win
ner; won the Grand PriX' in canter,
so to speak"
"The Grand Prix ?" inquired.
"Yes," he replied, married the son of
a Mossoo fellow-Frenchman, l think
queer name, can't remember it Pombo or
BOmbo-something of that kind-rccollect
his bringing the young beggar over one
day soon after you were gone, and pretty
bad time of it he had, with his cOnfOund-
edly affected foreign ways-more like a
lanky girl than a lad-cOuldn't speak a
word of English; in fact, had come to
learn it, and as Miss MOllett was the only
~ 1~o -1x< ~~1v Il,
naturally he fell in love with her-desper
ately, l believe, and his governor (pots
of money, you knOw-made lace or
shawls, or had something to do with
silk-worms, forget which, was caught i'm
the trap which don't scruple to say old
Mollett, miser that he was, was always
batting with his pretty daughter. But she
was brOken-hcarted about you, L verify be-
lieve, poor child; never saw girl harder
hit,-only married the foreigner out of
desperation, not more than three or four
years ago"
This was Judder's sporting and spOrtive
manner of telling me the fate of my boy
ish love. / could hardly have expected
anything else, yet it was heavy blow, and
one from which did not easily recover
All my good fortune, hard work, and per-
severance seemed to have gone for nothing,
and for time was utterly cast down.
Accepting the news with outward calm
ness, however, did not even press Judder
TO try to recall with more certainty the
name of the man poor Bertha had married.
All my wandering, unsettled habits now
returned, and as no longer had the
vaguest object for making more money,
still held to my determination to come to
England; indeed, my arrangements for
that purpose were partially made, and
winding up my affairs, six months later
found me at home again.
The sight of the old country made the
many memories of former days only more
vivid still. The decay which had passed
away since gazed on its receding shores,
had, as l have shown, entirely failed in
Obliterating from my mind the one great
cause of my departure, and, now that
was back again, | confess that found it
more difficult thalever to drive away from
my thoughts the picture of Bertha as then
knew and loved her. / should not al
lude to. nor lay SO much stress upon
very curious circumstance. / had
never i'm my life dreamed of her.
Throughout the long wretched time
OF my controversy with her father, and for
months and months after had left Eng
land, and when thought of nothing but
her and my grief for her loss, l never once
had sleeping vision of her, and vet
would have given worlds for one. / used,
fOOlishly, to try to coax myself to sleep in
such a mood as could not fail, thought,
to bring it about often and often | have
prayed to see her and to pass in imagination
some few moments of happiness in her
presence, even though all that sense of
desolation and misery which rushes over
the soul that has loved and suffered as it
wakes from its dream of delight and peace,
must inevitably have been my lot. All
was in vain, however; the associations, the
surroundings of our love were frequently
present to me, but in Bertha's absence
from the scenes, they seemed to mock my
wishes for a glimpse of her. Now again,
after this lapse of years, and under my
changed condition, l found myself con-
tinually dreaming Of the old house, of
Berthas father, and of my own old family
troubles, but never, under any circum-
stances, of her. For long time my mind
dwelt constantly upon the popularity of
this fact, but, by degrees, the remembrance
only crossed me at intervals, and became
rs free from the old spell as was ever
likely to be-
My wandering, restless disposition,
nevertheless, still clung to me, and though
established in England, frequently betook
myself to the Continent, and travelling
hither and thither simply for amusement,
often passed the whole round of the
seasons abroad, lighting upon many lOcali
ties at the most Questionable periods 1t
WAS during one of those trips, late in the
autumn, and when nearly every tourist had
1ar rf hat 4
But few visitors fingered at the Schweit-
ger HoG although the bright October
weather might reasonably have tempted
many to proIong their STAY, as | did. by the
shores of this most lovely of the Swiss lakes.
The jagged peaks of Mount Pilatus for
days and days stood clear out against a
cloudless sky, whilst every scam and fur
row, pinewood, and silver torrent, were
plainly discernible on the face of its Op-
pOsite neighbor, the Righi. The lofty
chain of the distant Alps, by this time
with their snowy garb grown much more
ample, was reflected with marvellous pre-
cisiOn and beauty on the bosom of the
placid inland sea. My enjoyment of the
place was so great, that | could do nothing
all day but drink in its charms with eyes
and heart, and even when night came on,
| used to spend many a pleasant hour
slowly traversing th- old covered bridge
with the wooden piles, getting various
combinations of form and effect, as the
moon lighted up the scene The visitors
book at the heel now rarely received any
additional names. Here and there only
Mr. and Mrs. Smith and family jotted
down the fact that they were returning
from North Italy, and were " so sorry that
they had not time to spend more than one
night at Lucerene during such very pleas.
ant weaf'er'; whilst an occasional Mrs.
JONES'. stray Miss Tompkins or two
gave . s ort history of their holiday trip,
regretting that they had not come here
first, that they might have had time
to explore the very beautiful scenery of
the neighborhood," or made comment in
glowing language on the comforts of the
house, lhe ciyility of its landlord, and the
excellence of its cuisine.
/ wOu11 SOmpfinao opo,,oo ,,.xx.xrc