The Van Buren press., 1870-11-22
MISCELLANY.
The Third Bowl.

Tom clung close to her. One woul
have thought he was watching the yer
opportunity | was after myself. Nov
he rode a few PAGES forward, and as
was catching my breath to say "Sarah,
he would rein up End fall back to hi
place, and / would make some fiat re
mark that made me seem like a fool t
myself, if not to her.
"What's the matter with you, Jerry,
said she at length.
Jerry's in love-" said Tom.
could have thrashed him on the spot
"In love! Jerry in love- and shc
turned her large brown eyes toward me
In vain | sought to fathom them, anC
arrive at some conclusion whether or ne
the subject interested her with specis
force
The eyes remained fixed, till | blundcr
ed out The old saw, Tom judges other,
by himself"
Then the eyes turned to Tom, and h,
pleaded guilty by his awkward looks, ,ant
half-blushes, and averted eyes, and forced
laugh.
BY Heaven! thought I, what would ]
not give for Toms awkvardncss now
The scoundrel is winning bis way 10y it
"Jerry, is Tom in love "
The naivete of the question, the cor,
rectness Of it, the very simplicity Of tho
thing was irresistible, and could not re.
press smile that grew into broad laugh
Tom joined in It, AMI we made tho
woods ring with c. merriment
&" I say, rom, isn't that yom wnip ly
ing back yonder in the road 2"
"Confound it; yes the cord has brok
en- from my wrist and he rode back fol
"Jerry, whom does Tom love 2" said
she, quickly, turning to me.
"You," said /, buntly.
"Why, of course; but who is he in
love with, mean ?"
1t was curious way to get at it
Could be justified 1t was not asking
what1 had intended, but it was getting
at it another way, and Just as well, per.
haps. 1t was, at all events. asking Toms
question for him, and it saved me the
embarrassment Of putting it as my own
| determined this in an instant.
Sarah, could you love Tom well
enough to marry him p
81 Jerry what do you mean ?"
"Suppose Tom wants you to be hi.
wife, will you marry him ?"
81 don't know can't tell never
thought of such thing You don't
think he has any such idea, do youW
That was my answer 1t was enough
as far as it went, but | was no better of
than before. She did not love Tom, or
she would never have answered thus
But did she love me? Would she mar.
ry me? Wouldn't she receive the idea
in just the same way2
| looked back. Tom was on the
ground, had picked up his whip, and had
one foot in the stirrup, ready to noun,
again. | gulped down my heart that was
up in my throat, and spoke out:
"Sarah, will you marry meY'
Philip, she turned her eyes again to.
ward me, those large brown eyes, those
holy eyes-and blessed me with their mn
utterably glorious gaze, To my dying
hour shall not forget that gaze, TO al
eternity it will remain in my soul. She
looked at me one look and whether il
was pity, sorrow, surprise, or love, ] can
not tell you that filed them and over
flowed toward me from out their mmcas.
urable depths; but, Philip, it was the
last light Of those eyes ever saw-th,
last, the last.
Is there anything left in that bowl
Thank you. Just a aglassful. You will
not take any, Then, by your leave, |
will finish it My story is nearly ended
and l will not keep you up much longer
We had not noticed, so absorbed had
we been in our pleasant talk, that black
cloud had risen in the west and ohscured
the sun, and covered the entire sky and
even the sultry air had not called our at.
tenton to the coming thunder storm.
As she looked at me, even rs she fixed
her eyes on mine, flash, binding and
fierce, fell on the top Of pine tree by
the roadside not fifty yards from Is, and
the crash of thunder shook the fouuda.
tons Of the hills.
For moment all was dazzling, burn
ing, blazing light; then sight was gone,
and momentary darkness settled IN ouI
eyes The horses crouched to the ground
in terror, and Sarah bowed her head as
if in in the presence Of God.
All this was the work of an instant and
the next Toms horse sprang by MS on
furious gallop, dragging Tom by the stir
rup. He had been in the act Of MONT
ing when the fash came, and his horse
swervcd and jumped so that his foot
caught, and he was dragged with his
head on the ground.
There was point in the road, about
nifty yards ahead, where it divided into
two Tho one was the carriage track