The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-12-23

ing eagerly forward, and fixing her
| great eyes upon me, "what did he say?
When he took it, what did he say ?''
Good Lord Of heaven ~ said 1 to
myself, 81 "how's n man to keep from
telling lie, when he cont tell the
| truth ?'
"Tell me-" continued Miss Eleanor
what did he say? You saw his face.
| Did he kiss it Didn't ne once whisper
Poor Eleanor ?'D
/ Gracious Lord of heavens ~ re-
! peated to myself, "How's a man to
keep from telling lie, when he can't
tell the truth ?''
Her eyes seemed to look me through
and through. 1 was afraid of them.
Why don't you speak, John Par
sons ?'' asked she at last.
. Miss Eleanor" said I, put to it,
the room was very dark, for attend
ance isn't good at the Golden Heart
1 would have needed cats eyes to have
made out the biggest print; but plac-
ed lie letter into Master Huglf's hands,
l can say that"
Miss Eleanor fell back on the pillow,
with a dreadfully disappointed face.
Then, John Parsons, /" she whisper
ed "you mean you've nothing to tell
memo news to- give memo comfort
-uOL y NOIG r.
The big tears that trembled in her
eyes rolled over, one by one. AS I
watched them running slowly down
her cheeks, it needed all the courage 1
possessed in me to say mo" And I
don't believe, John Parsons, were you
at any time in like circumstances, how
ever much put to it, you would rave
said ''No'' again.
She turned her head to the wall, and
lay quite still. I heard a little sob.
Then she stretched out her hand.
THANK you John ParsOns," she
said 80 that'll do. You may CO."
So left the room, and passing down
the grand staircase, forgot my shabby
coat and grey worsted stockings. The
difference of station did not strike me
the same as when went up. The let
ter III my pocket thumped against my
heart like q crime. Some way or other
/ was determined to get rid of it. -
heard from the butler that Master
Hugh had gone, and was not expected
home for months. When I asked
where, he said, To the Pyramids.
But that did not help me much.
1t was bold thing to do resolved
to write to him and send him Miss Ell
eanOr's letter. L couldn't have slept
with it in the house. I was not sure
that the post would take my letter at
all, still less sure that Master Hugh
would read it. 1 had not held pen in
my hand since / covered the page of
copS-bOOk with Perseverance" at
Barton school, 50 | found it did not
come natural to me To write. The pen
wanted TO go one way, and / another,
and The ink seemed to quarrel with us
both. I Neither did the spelling come
any way natural. When I had put
down the words, they didu't look at all
whatI meant. After five copies-and
it WAS very hot work. got one pretty
tOlcrabIc. 1t was this:
q Mister Hugh. John Parsons Fer
ryman Barton and yours Umbly, Ope
you II receive this without displeasure.
l couldn't Face Miss Eleanor agen With
1t in my pokct, couldn't say what you
saide to me. No, sir, not with Tbem
eyes. Plesc, don't send it back to me-.
Miss Eleanor asks alYais for you. -ISX-
qeuse the libertie Agen Umbly yours,
/ John ParsOns.n
l took it to the postofIice myself.
The directory, knew, was the place to
look for addresses; but that, along
with the Pyramids, was beyond me.
So just wrote Mister Hugh Charters
and handed il over to the postmaster,
who was friend, having ferried him
across since he wore buttons.
q For months I heard nothing, and
could only trust in the two postOfflces
at Barton and at the Pyramids. Miss
Eleanor recovered slowly, and went for
a change of air to an aunt in Scotland.
Before she left, she sent me a woOlen
comforter and note. In it she said
she had made it herself to keep my
throat warm in cold weather. Fancy
her thinking of ma throat! me, ferry
man! always wore it-mild and
chilly, dry and damp days. When /
tied it round my neck of q morning,
thought of her; and when undid il at
night, again thought of her. The
months creep on at ferry about as
fast as they do elsewhere, and at last
Master Hugh came home. I saw him
several times, but he did not mention
the letter, nor did L; for I was rather
uneasy about the three-syilabled words.
He seemed to have forgotten Miss Ell
eanOr altogether, for he never spoke Of
her. -
One day l found his book in the damp
grass, where he had left it all night. IT
belonged to the Hall, for there was an
-AE. B.n on the first page. Beside 1t
lay small glove. I picked it up; it
was EleanOr's. I showed them both
to Master Hugh, when he came down
later in the day.
/ 5ct4u MI bSTGSIOEu 10 10
be back on Thursday. Shall take
them up to the Hall to-day, and give
them to the butler?''
No." said he quickly, and thought
his tone strange. Leave them with
me. will take charge q then.'i
/ About week afterWard was DOING
in the boat, with my coat over my
head, being well nigh driven crazy
with the flies, and Master Hugh stretch.
ed under the elm-tFee reading, when I
heard him start suddenly to his feet.
| I looked up. There stood Miss Flea
nor on the opposite hank, with her hat
across at him, and then grew very red.
The river " as not SO wide that they
could not hear each other across it, a.
|" Its long time" said she, since
| / have seen yOu, AEr.s Charters.U -~
$ A long time, Miss Beresford. (" said
he. b
1 stared from one To the other Bless
mel Was it possible? They had for
/ got each others names.
" So long," said she presently, play
ing neFvOusly with the flowers" so
long, that can scarcely believe there
is only the river between u.s." g ~
| " If it is sO,n returned he, " the river
has widenea strangely since we last
met. Certain words, like certain June
days, are difficult to be forgotten"
Miss EleanOr's face flushed, and she
turned quickly away.
/ And" she added, in low voice,
. difficult to be forgiven."1 Then, after
8 few moments silencc, she asked,
But are they too difficult TO be forgiv-
en- ~
Master Hugh had torn the leaf he
held in his hand In small pieces, ana
tossed the last fragment into the stleafn.
| His eyes were down, Miss Eleanor half
| turned. s-t -
"Do you say,u repeated she slowly,
g they are too difficult to be forgiven ~
wish - answered Master Hugh