Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-04


draw up his resignation of his PROFESSIONAL
char Mr.. Meredith endeavOred in vain to
lnduS him to alter his resolution.
L. lou Will do me the Justice said poor
lheoeore, very sadly, " to believe that
have solid, good reason for what do, al
though can't tell it even to you just now.
You say come to know it sometime. 1t is
ndt rtstlessness. l have had enough of un-
reft, aad would gladly linger here if could"
! ms friend looked at him curiously.
= CAerches Ia femme -" murmured Mr.. Mer-
edith . Has this not something to do with
a love business -
Theodore WINGED. " Well, then, il has.
Don ask me any more .
Mr' Meredith pressed his hand and was
silent He had no CLEAN of suspicion as to
the re-l cause of Theodore's determination,
and assumed that he was going to Europe TO
hnd some lost love, not TO escape from a love
that looked hopeless.
''Come home with me- Meredith said
g let Us pass this evening together before you
take any decided step. will not weary you
by arguing the matter you know your own
way best, my friend. But let us have one
briEh evening together before you positively
He put his arm in Theodore's and led him
away Of course Theodore did not resist ;
he thought within himself that he was doing
a weak and wrong thing to place himself
again idly under the spell Of hopeless fas-
cinatiOn and be did the weak and wrong
thing accordingly.
Ii was happy, delightful night, although
Cynthia's mind was somewhat disturbed by
the emotions which the imminent coming Of
her faHce awakened in her, and although
poor Theodore was looking on her, ms he be-
lieved, Tor the last time. Perhaps the very
Ill WhnkL l., -
freedom to his soul and his manner, for he
felt that he might as well enjoy the present
it mattered nothing n0Ic.
There was song which Cynthia some
times, not often. sang-a sad, sweet ballad,
steeped IN lyrical pathos and love and long
ing; song to penetrate to the depths of a
sensitive soul at any time, but which TheO-
dOre just now especially desired and dreaded
to hear-desired with wish quite unspeak-
able. lie asked her to sing it for him. The
evening bad worn on until nearly night, yet
the lamps were not lighted. Summer had
begun u fade; the windows were open a
faint breath of flowers was borne into the
room: a faint moonlight glimmered on the
group Of friends the sound of the river
was heard it was a time, a scene. to sweeten
and eZalt even the commonplace itself into
something pure and poetic Think how il
sat. under such influences, so near the one
only woman whom IN all his varied life he
had truly and deeply loved. and whom he
believed himself about to leave forever?
" That song Cynthia said. in low tone
" | almost dread tit is so sad.
- And |, too, almost dread it, Mr.. Mer-
edith said. For he looked to TheOdOre's
departure with deep pain. These two men
had been drawn by sympathy into a com
paniOnship and friendship so rare in life that,
if it we're broken, neither could hope for any
thing ike it again.
- Yet sing it for me- pleaded Theodore
:" don't know why | wish SO very much to
hear it tonight; but do wish it and YOU
will not refuse me. lie was on the verge
of saying this, the last time - but he
controlled himself, and stopped short
a. iou must indulge him, Cynthia Mr..
MeredishNsaid. - You can refuse him moth
ing, .isg we shall not have him long. He is
sst-zStyl There, Rhodes know ought
-bltffsouia not help It Yes, Cyuthis, he
is goinglnway from us
Cynaha turned suddenly round toward
her father, and seemed to wait for some ex-
planation. He said nothing. There was
pause
g She has not even interest enough in my
existelce,' thought Rhodes to himself, a. 20
ask a Caestion about my going Why should
she2 q 1t WAS nearly dark now, and he
could ret see her face
=. OR friend is going to leave us, Cynthia
to lave US altogether. and return TO Eu-
rope said her father. a little surprised at
her silsace, and mentally saying. - How cold
these girls are They don't know any thing
about friendship, Cynthia's lover is COM
ing hone, and that is all she cares about. l
wonder would it grieve her much if | were
going away?
Still Cynthia said nothing but now her
fingers began to wander along the chords of
the pilno before which she sat, striking
low. fghnl music out of them.
Theodore at last found a voice - Yes,
Miss Meredith; / find that | must 60 back
to Europe; and shall probably not be here
again for very long tIme-many years,
suppose. So do want you to indulge me
this last opportunity, and sing me that song
If it does not distress you very much, he
could not help adding, with dash OF bit
teruess in his tone.
She replied not a word, but turned to the
| piano, and began.
Let US look at the picture, as il is dimly
seen in the moonlight. great author has
said that no picture made up of human forms
is true to it's purpose, OF any real purpose,
if he does not without explanation tell some
manner of story clearly. What story would
a picture of this scene tell to a stranger 8
eve? A room family lighted by the moon !;
a girl with noble, queenly figure STOPPING
over a piano to the music OF which she sings
beside her, his face turned away from her,
bearded man who holds one hand partly
over his eyes and clasps the beard with the
other farther off, an elder man who stands
near the window, and looks meditatively
l. l., s.,E ,oh a
picture as that surely. Hardly any painter s
skill could make it tell much of a story.
/ Cynthia began her song in a sweet, low
clear tone that vibrated through the room
and through the soul of at least one of thI
listeners. 1t was a song of farewell to hope
I TO all that made life dear-save for the mem
ory Of the one eternal love. A true poet haC
given the words an immortal musician haI
glorifed them in melody. While TheOdor
listened it seemed TO him as though, in Jeal
Paul Richter's language, a. his heart ha'
been pierced with thousand cuts, that /
might the more gently bleed away"
In the midst of the song the door wa
softly opened, and servant brought to Mr.
Meredith letter. Mr.. Meredith quietl
rose, and without interrupting the song
withdrew to his study. Cynthia sang on
apparently unconscious of his departure
Theodore had never looked up. He still
covered his eyes with one hand, clasped hi
beard with the other
The song reached its sweetest, tenderest
saddest place-the singer had to breathe tn
last farewell. Theodore, listening with a
? his soul and cars, heard the voice grow tren
! ulous, heard it sound if it were teal
= fraught, and suddenly it ceased altogethel
t and then the sudden silence was pierced b
t loud cry-and then Theodore, springin
: from his chair, had just time to seize in b
/ arms the singer who had tainted in her son,
g Was he to blame if he held her in his arm
: yet moment, and allowed her head to re
r upon his shoulder, while his heart be;
= unanimously with wonder, hope, fear, ar
d all the thousand inarticulate passionate EN-
|, tions which her cry and her swOon hs
v awakened within him