Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-10-06


You never loved me be exclaimed, with
all mans scldshncss and cruelty d" You
are cold and hard-you cant fcel.'
/ She only shyercd a iitle-her tears had
crowded back upon her heart, and refused TO
flow. 1t seemed to her that they were slow
| ly freezing there, and would press life out be-
Meath their ice.
Why don't you speak 2' he said You
see me going crazy before your face, and will
not speak work to me
| can't say anything more," she answer.
ed slowly.
Then you give me up2 you cast me off,
as everybody else has done have not lied
to you-l never pretended that was a good
man but you might make me what you
pleased"
o, Charley, Charley the uttomnce
Of the old familiar name was like a sob
if you cannot be all that you ought from
a higher reason, % efforts Of mine would
avail"
They would-thcy would ="
She shook her bead sadly retaining all the
while her forced composure, though inwarlIy
she trembed so that she could hardly stand
| They have made you hate me" he ex-
claimed. You look upon me as o monster
| After all, how am ! So much worse than 9TH
er men2 II the truth were known half these
sanctimorious PEOPLE who abuse mo have douo
things worse than"
She put up her hand pcadingy, and he
stopped. Sho could not bear to hear him at
tempt such seli-justitication With her re-
/ lgous Feelings, the cXccsses Of which he had
been guilty appeared much more terrible
than they would have done to a woman of the
world but she loved him n spite Of every
thing, for when did such doubts ever change
aaection2
80, Charlesr she said suddenly, for
your own sake, for your mothers, be true to
yourself make your life all that it ought to
be-"
What do I care for myself? As for my
mother she has a son 20 depend upou-I am
Of no conscquence-no one win care how
end"
You are breaking my heart. DO not
make us AN so miserable"
She wruug her hands with a sudden pas
sion which startled HIM She was usually so
| quiet that with his impetuous nature, ae-
customed to give vent to every feeling, he
had at times accused her of want of feel
ing
1t is my heart which is breaking" he
answered. Annie don't throw me Off
don't send me away utterly desperate"
If you had lost every hope in the world,
you ought not to be that can never be
anything to you-my father will never per-
nit it,
" And can you hesitate between us Is
this your love ?r
" My duty is stronger than my love" she
said, and shall obey Were | alone in
the world, might well hesitate before COM
mitted my hap ness to your keeping but
would do it-I would trust to your affection
to me to lead you Alright but now"
" Now you may do it. There is no one
loves you as | do you fear your father more
3 than you love him your brothers tyrannze
t over you. Only come with me--be my wife,
and let us be happy in spite of the whole
G world"
; DO you think could be happy with my
+ fathers anger hanging over me ?"
e He would forgive you in the end"
t You know him better than to believe that
= No, Charles, rather have patience aud wait
J Who can tell if you did as you ought, work
ed hard and made yourself good name, tina
he would not in the end yield?"
; He hates me too much for that. Their
is no hope"
The sunset was beginning to fade Auni
dared not remain, and she was growing S,
faint and weary that she longed to end tn,
pang of parting.
" You are anxous to 60, he said bitterlyi
you grudge me even this last half hour.
DO not fear, | shall never ask another"
" You will be sorry for such cruel words
when you are gone" she returned. " Don't
make these last memories so bitter
Then his wild love came up again, aud he
impored her with all the fervor of passion
not to leave him but though she wept in
agony, her frmness was unshaken. She could
die, but she could not take a step which she
felt to be wicked.
Then 90 !" he exclaimed shall new
er trouble you again. swear you shall re-
pent this to the last day of your life You
have made me utterly Desperate have
nothing to live for now"
" Your mother--rcmemher your mother
Sc | shall be better out of her way--l have
been curse to her all my life"
Then his mood changed He clasped An
ME for an instant in his arms and before she
could speak he was gone. The last look Of
his white face convulsed with mingled emo-
tons, terrified her so unutterably that she
had no strength even to pronounce his name.
After time she rose from the ground
where she had fallen rather than sank from
any will Of her own, and went slowly home
through the chill twilight.
For two days longer Charley Manson ling.
cred about the village then disappeared. 1t
was supposed at first that he had returned TO
London, but two days after his mother found
letter in the chamber which he usual y oc-
cupied.
1t only said that he should never trouble
her again--neithe. her nor anyone 1t was
better that everything should end.
/ At first she could not understand the 81 e
nature Of the haf-ilegiblo scrawl. Gradu-
ally it broke upon her mind that the leave
taking meant suicide. She grew almost mad
with the horror of the thought
The report went abroad, and everybody
formed a separate opinion; but when the
tidings reached Annie Linn, she could not
doubt, even for an instant, he was dead.
Mrs. Manson wrote to his city friends. He
had not been seen nowhere any tidings
She could do nothing.
More than week passed 1t was bright
delicious spring The trees were all green :
the crocusses and snowdrops were blossoming
in the little garden colony of robins haunt
ed the old apple-trees, and flew in at the
open windows, telling beautiful tales Of their
southern fight But there was no peace in
all its growing richness Of beauty and life,
1t was the middle of the afternoon. Tier
father and brother were out, and Aunie Linn
stood in the side door, looking across the
fields towards the river.
She saw n group of children rush wildly
up the path she had sttrodden with Charles
Manson, Out from the nearest houses of the
village ran several men, taking the path the
children had come up, which led to the cove.
1t was beautiful spot in summertime,
when the water was low, sheltered between
the high green banks Of the shore and the tall
trees of the island; but at that season of