Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-09
ACTING.
BT JEsEETTE A TArE.
- would Hoilhhtmy love were iaiFer,
Butt uould hat ny love loved me-

LreAQ drought the blnkeE oFgE tuU
broad walk, disturbing the shells
and pebbles, and sending them la
all directions, in the tall grass.
The September moon began to
show q yellow disc above the rag
ged line Of trees ON the hills, aud
left the valley and farm yard in
shadow. The white and yellow
autumn flowers made a faint out
line Of the terraces, just making
out the spot where the waving
vines flowed over the trellises, be-
hind which Mrs. Faber, had caused
to be placed q comfortable rustic
seat capable Of ensconcing two-a
most delightful nook in which to
lie concealed, inhailing the perfum-
ed air, blowing up from the dark,
cool wood, and watching the moon
beams silvering the shallow waves
Of the stream flowing at the foot Of
the hill
So had thought the two young
men who had come out from the
city in early June, to make the
most OF q summer holiday by trout.
ing and raking hay for good farmer
Faber, but in reality 10 lie for hours
under the alders in a blissful, SOM
nolent state, with wide, white straw
hats pulled down low, 10 keep out
the heat and glare, while airy, i'm
possible dreams shot with cruel
leetness the drowsy hours.
On strolling up to luncheon from
the fields, they had tried TO come
to q definite understanding, George
Darrah and Leonard Maitland, try
ing 10 set a day for taking leave OF
the pleasant farm and it's hospita-
BILE inmates, q day on which all
must be yielded up-the glad, feet
summer, the messy banks, purlin-
brooks, the brown thrushes and
bObolinks, and above all the good,
kind faces up at the low, white cot
tage.
"Wife," farmer Faber had said,
standing by the open window,
looking down the stretch Of road,
"these young folks begin to think
of pulling up stakes. You know
it's nigh unto harvest, and tie
high time city folks were getting
home, but they hate it mortal bad,
they do, and Pm thinking tain'I
you, nor yet me, which makes II
solemn. All, but young hearts will
be young and silly, and keep going
on In the old way, wife, sweeping
everything before 'em." see more
of Nell's doings in this. ] wish
| don't know what l do wish"
"Don't be rash, Nathan" Mrs.
Fabcr had said, slipping her soft
hand in his hard palm "don't for
get your own young days. | re-
member plenty Of silly sayings and
dOings when we were going the
way of Helen and her sweetheart"
(Which do you call her sweet
hearth" A dark look, half frown,
crept into the good.natured face,
and the farmers keen eye wander
ed of once more to the idlers CON-
ing slowly up through the beeches.
Both tall 1.-THE and graceful, one
dark, the other fair, yet both faces
fall Of earnest purpose and energy.
"YOu must find Nellie in a favor
able mood and ask her." was the
unsatisfactory reply.
Leonard Maitland wore a heavy
frOwn on his fine face, and kept on
busily cutting down the willow
twig he carried, the quickness Of his
motion p~ortraying better than any
words his minds uneasiness.
George Darrah had plunged his
hands deep down in his pockets,
and though perhaps fully as much
in earnest as his companion, be-
trayed 1t Ouly in his eyes, which
gazed long in the intangible dis
lance without seeing ought of what
lay before him.
Their silent walk (for they had
ceased to converse) led them to the
low wicket, at which both had
stood on summer evenings, receiv-
ing in fitful showers the white Ia.
burnum blossoms, trying to read
hopeful things in the gray eyes OF
Nellie Faber.
She had smiled as pleasantly on
both, given an equal share of limo
aud attention, not culver betray.
ing any Partially, aud yet both
George Darrah and Leonard Matt
land knew that the pretty, graceful
Helen had visibly changed aud
grown to be shy and reserved 10
ward the end, when the purple
mantle Of autumn had begun TO
droOp upon the scene.
Leonard Maitland, with that easy
swinging gait natural TO himself,
passed under the old laburnuin, aud
up to the cottage, wearing a con-
querOr's emile. George Darrah
turned of aud went his way, crush.
ing the weeds aud nettles that rose
up before him. A blackbird whis-
tied overhead in the laurel branches
and the young man took up the bu.
gle notes in refrain, but there was,
Tor all that, a heavy hand upon his
throat, a shadow on the sun, q bit.
terness in his heart. He stumbled
on with unseeing eyes, startling the
notified cartridges in q body from
the copse and with a sudden whirl /
away to the smooth, brown mea.
dow.
And on he walked, this bright
faced man, battling and fighting a
fret heavy sorrow, going, he cared
not whittier, as all places seemed
alike to him, and finally dropping
down among q clump of green
osiers, George Darrah let his head
drop In his hands, while his mind
reviewed every moment spent In
the society Of that woman he loved
loved as he had never loved any.