Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-31

e ones while; all the first class girls ver
l dull and homefy all the pretty ones dreac
{ fully second-class. So kept myself, an
: enjoyed nature outdoors rather than a,
0 in.'
: Art, meaning their compilations, sur
a pose,' said Kate.
. Certainly; also their tricks and mar
ners.' One evening however, there was a
unusual stir in the house at a nartv :
: arrivals; and, lounging into the office t
: look at the book after they had registere
their names, / will acknowledge that m
heart gave thump when read Mr.. an
Mrs. Stanley, and Miss Laura Stanley, O
New York The next morning she an
peared at breakfast, looking like divnit,
in the prettiest white morning dress.
took one rapid, sweeping glance, as sh
came In with quiet. unembarrassed ali
though there wasn't woman in the room
whose eyes were not taking all in critical,
and could find no fault in her, from tn,
top of her head, where coquettish blut
bow fastened her lovely hair
- Wonder where she bought it p ask
Kate, wickedly. "a I -
Every spire of It was her own, madam
1t all lcame down-oAce when We were rid
ing horse back taestfsr. and it looked like
1sis mass ass. q go!a @ sgeslEi9s esl.sd
70 douit ysudi saSS tii sHntss<;s y !. !
As was ssa yingss CONTINUED the young
IMAM, notsdeigping TO- notice The remark
Y. she was fanftiess down. to the tips of sheI
] little bronze slippers, The table ct which
4 sat was directly opposite hers and when
! 10 my astopishment, during the meai. .sRe
Happened to catch me looking at her, :and
i4fcpgnized me at once with sudden light.
y ngRp Of her splendid eyes, and . charm.
tipg bow and smile, Pm free to confess,
Kate. that, SCARED old veteran sssT an,
Beinshed up 70 my eyes with pleasure.
like any boy of seventeen, aud Just fell
head over ears in love. with there and
then-Mr. John Kuler or any body else
notwithstanding. Oh, what weeks of en-
ehantment those we're that followed! Some
S.way we were wonderfully cOngenial, as we
found, in all our ways OF thinking, in our
tastes, and in our likes and dislikes. She
,lyas cultivated and clever, and it was a
pleasure to talk over my favorite books
with her. She had, too, as keen a sense
-ef the ludicrous as l. What a bond of
! sympathy that is, Kate | could MT love
EsnuR herself If she had no sense of hu-
NOR. And whenever any thing grotesque
or absurd occurred, my eyes instinctively
sought in hers the quick glance of amuse-
ment that was sure to respond. l am sure
| had no thought of a Irritation. 1t was
simply that could not keep away from
her and never came without meeting a
welcoming glance or a reproachful Where
have you been all the time ?-said time
being perhaps from breakfast to dinner,
when had resolutely kept away, lest 1
should weary her. So, at last, We were
almost inseparable. Oh, the long, merry
walks we used to take in the fresh morning
air, and the quiet, dreamy hours we spent
sailing on the lake at sunset-she looking
like picture, in her broad straw hat and
white dress, leaning over the side to dip
her little hand in the water while she
talked, and her cousin-a plump little chit
of seven. who always went with us for
propriety-lay curled up asleep at her
feet : The7 -shere were4 sunny afternoons
in the pine woods, when / read to her, and
glorious moonlight nights on the piazza,
when the mere enjoyment of being together
in such beauty was full of romance, and
dangerous luxury. Every day felt more
and more that for me, and perhaps for her,
it was growing too sweet-only sin and
snare-and l would resolve to break the
spell, and tear myself away; but could
not
Did you never say word about her
picture?'
A. zIl
though, that l must tell you. Her mother,
one day, was showing Inc her album--a
very fine one-when some one remarked
that the photograph of Miss Laura was
very poor. 'Ah!' said her mother, sigh
ing wish you could have seen the one
she had taken for Mr.. Kuler once 1t
was superb. He never got it, though,
poor man for it was lost in he most mys-
terious manner
My heart beat guiltily under the pic
ture, at that moment reposing in my breast
pocket-you see it had resumed its old
California place-and L will confess that
| felt like thief and pick pocket; but
calmly scrutinized the photographs, and
asked, What could have become of 1t ,
We suppose the servant must have left
it at the wrong house but though Mr..
Kuler made no end of inquiries and fuss,
it was never found She had another ta-
ken for him, but it was not half so good
Il wonder what lucky wretch did get
it?' said one of the gentlemen, laughing.
Some unprincipled scamp, probably
said [ and there the matter dropped
Il declare said Kate, laughing i
think YOU were brazen-faced villain You
ought to have given it up on the spot
Not L, said the young man. John
Kuler had one, and that was enough for
him, since he had the original too. This
was mine by right of possession, and was
highly gratiied to learn that of the two L
had the best, and meant to keep it
Kate shook her head disapprovingly.
John, you are incorrigible. But tell me-
Where lcas her lover all this time? And
then the gossips, the tabbies-did they let
you alone ?
: Her lover was in New York, l suppose,
attending to his business. As for the gos-
sips-well they icere busy with us, that's
fact, but she cared not one whit for them.
l think her mother used to demonstrate
with her sometimes, too; but she was head
strong and wilful, and as long as she was
happy in the present-and ! know now
that those were halcyon days for her as
well as me-she would not face the future.
All at once there came the end-as there
always does come the end, find, to every
thing sweet in this life.' And the sigh
with which John spoke the words was long
and deep.
We had just returned from delightful
walk, and were.resting merrily on the pi-
azza together, Laura tanning herself with
her straw hat, when her little cousin ran
to her wikb a letter. She opened it, and
| .lanooI 4L=ounh Il then 1 saw shade