The weekly standard., 1869-09-08

breath hot on his wrists the whole night.
and the grasp of his will centered on her
physical being. Every now and then the
snowy eyelids would tremble and half raise,
| and through his whole frame would run o
thrill, as if it were some delicate musical
| instrument reused to action by . note struck
upon another in perfect unison. b
| When the morning began to steal through
| the window, he withdrew his almost stiffen-
ed fingers, and, laying his hand on the wavy
| masses of hair, bent low over the sleeper.
| Did his lips touch her brow Mrs. Everett,
| in her chair by the fire, almost thought SO,
but the next moment he was tlptoelng MS
| way out of the room. aslil 8i31risng.t !,
| "Can know the outward cause OF all
/ this 2n he asked, the next morning.
| 81 do not think the knowledge would
| guide you at ALL" replied Miss Euo. "There
are details, of course, of time and place,
persons and circumstances but the thing
| itself. the shock-for it was a shock-was
not peculiar" fgy
| al beg your pardon b Everything that
happens to you must be peculiar" I iT
| "You are mistaken. am not an uncom-
mon woman" said Miss Emo.
"I do not know answered he. II have
| not seen great many people, begin to
| think have never seen any," u o
"Doctor,n said she, your fattery is sweet
because it is so unconscious"
II did not mean to fatter," said he, look
| ing even graver than before.
| Immersed in his profession, DIR. Amman
had heretofore no time for love; in fact he
had regarded it as only a school girls past
| time. But now, after weeks which might
| have been Hasheesh dream, he awoke sud-
| denly to realize his folly.
One morning Miss Emo announced to him
| her departure the next day, and was start
| led by an abrupt, hoarse ayowal OF devo-
| ton, such as the knights of old felt for the
bright. particular star of their idolatry.
| She turned around and looked at him stead
| ily with parted lips and wondering eyes.
| Then she raised her hand and lifted away
the masses of brown hair from his brow,
| and let the soft, warm weight rest there,
| while she continued to gaze wistfuly and
intently.
"Do not try me too long," said he, his
lips quivering.
'"No, ought not" returned Miss Emo,
| {. and ought not to do this, taking her
| hand away; but I was thinking, I was
| wondering, whether I could rest upon such
devotion, whether it alone would be enough
| for me-"
81 know have nothing else to offer you,"
| said Amman, bitterly.
81 thank you for it sincerely" said she,
while happy smile broke over her face.
" But" and her face clouded.
DR.. AMMAN understood it, and took up his
| hat. rr
,"Give me something of yours to keep"
he said. hesitatingly.
She took from her arm little fancy
bracelet tied with knot of amber ribbon.
He placed it next his heart.
The next morning in his office, DR.. Amman
heard the rumble of a carriage. He step
ped out upon his little wooden stoop and
saw the enchantress pass. She waved her
hand to him. He gazed after the carriage
till it turned the corner to the railroad sta
ton, entirely out of sight: then his eyes
| wandered vacantly to the hills across the
river. How low and dim they looked. How
dry, matted and dusty the grass at the side
of the street How shabby the little yel-
| low houses How mean and pretentious
the smart glistening Gothic villa at the end
of the row. He turned into his den again
and drew the bolt.
Five years rolled around. At the high
window of the ST. Nicholas, in New York,
stood Miss Emo, in sad and weary attitude
| She had Just returned from Europe. She
was looking at the CLEANS of light spring
into the windows around, and speculating
on the riches gathered inside; watching the
human stream below-in particular one lit
tie body with wooden hood and bundle,
who threaded her way eagerly, but without
nervousness, and with certain, happy,
cheerful gate, which told that she was going
to a home, and had loving heart to rest
upon. Miss Emo suddenly turned to her
companion and said, "Ernina, you know 1
believe in impulses! have one to go and
see Mrs. Everett, the minister's wife, in Gro
ton, for few days. You will not be afraid
to stay here alone without me?'
Ernina Starr turned slowly around. "Now,
lara, there is something behind this! a
scheme of some kind"
81 never thought of it till within the last
five minutes, Ernina. I'll be back, perhaps,
in two days"
"And perhaps in"
Zarah turned and went into her bed room
and the next morning was on her way.
DR.. Amman was sitting down to supper at
night after long, cold ride among his pa
tients. Suddenly the bell rang.
"Well," he said, looking up YEARLY, as
the servant entered. The girl put small
parcel into his hand, and went out again.
| The doctor paused a moment. There
was something in the dainty way in which
the little parcel was tied up-a delicate fra.
grance that reminded him of his one dream
of happiness
"What fool am r' he said suddenly
chat is dead and buried long ago. And
yet, and yet"
He did not finish the sentence: but
thought how different it might have been il
Miss Emo could have loved him. Mechani-
cally he united the parcel and opened lit,
tie box it contained A bracelet, tied with
yellow ribbon, lay before him.
Alter few moments he rose and went to
a desk, which he opened. In this desk was
a secret drawer, and from that drawer he
drew forth second bracelet, also tied with
yellow ribbon, the exact counterpart of the
first
Where did the parcel come from 2" he
asked, as the servant, whom he rang for
entered
| From Mrs. Everett's."
"Was any message left with it 2"
"None.n -n...
The doctor put on his hat and strobe rap.
idly down the street. He seemed ten years
younger than an hour ago. Very soon found
himself in the presence of Miss Emo.
She rose, fiurriedly, to receive him. As
for him, he was trembling like boy.
II have kept the bracelet" he said
"See! And have never loved any one but
you. You have come to reward me?"
"Yes, have come"
| That was all.
| A few days after Miss Emo went back to
New York.
| II am going to be married." she said, to
her friend.
| "And that heart-break, which happened
just before you went to Groton, five years
| ago2"
| There is the secret found at Groton
one who spoke as if his love was real, and
not the sham we have offered to us in the
world here But my wound was not yet
cured, nor my new found disbelief in all
men. went back after five years and found
him waiting for me- II think at last" she
said SOFTLY" II shall be happy"
Dr. Amman is now celebrated practition-
er In New York. His wife is one of the
queens of society. Both are brighter, and
better and happier.
Was it impulse, as she thinks, that took
Miss Emo back to Groton? Orwas it some
thing deeper of which she is not conscious ?
Blind chance is but poor explanation.
AT any rate, impulse or not, two lives but
Tor 1t would not have been married.
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