The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-06-08
THREE.

AL ucVeI Au OoW HOT III rain.
--Cnansbers' Journal
THREE.
-----------------
CHAPTERI,
"When shall We three meet again?
When shall We three meet again?
Oft snail death and sorrow reign
Ero We three shall meet again."
The harvest moon shone full and red
over the many gables of Castleton sem.
mary; over velvet green lawn, and wind.
ing c.rriage-way bordered with ma,
pies; while far away the summer wind
swept softly over billowy seas of golden
grain, and rustled the broad leaves o1
the Indian corn standing in long rows
rank behind rank, like mighty army
in battle array. Coming nearer, it rust
led and swayed the lace curtains ,t the
windows of the Castleton drawing.
rooms, where were assembled the wi,
and talent, aud wealth and beauty o1
t~o states for Mrs. Howe, the lady
principal, had been a noted leader of so.
eiety, and now that she "rece,ved" bu,
once year, the fashionable world made
point of always attending these anuu.
al reunions.
Flowers were festooned upon the
walls, glowed in pure white vases
blushed upon the bosom aud bloomed
in the girole Of beauty while brilliant
lights, fair faces, subtle perfumes, and
elegant toilettes, over all, and through
all the wild, sweet waltz music, made
up scene that seemed to some of the
shy, fresh.cheeked school girls like a
glimpse of fairy land.
10 chair, beside one of the open
windows, sat Mrs. Howe, stately and
gracious, while beside her stood gentle
man, no longer young, but tall and 6ne-
looking-the very picture of an ancient
Roman senator in attitude and bearing
though lacking that hateful hardness
and severity Of expression which our
artists all seem disposed to accord to
those ancient worthless. This was jack
son Rivers, the banker, king on
"changc," and person whose name was
good for anything under four millions,
aud therefore gentleman whom Mrs.
Howe was very proud to number among
her patrons.
He stood there with his hand on the
back Of that lady's chair, but even
while be talked to the hostess his eyes
steadily followed the movements of two
who were slowly making the tour Of
the rooms.
One of these two was Doctor Willard
ST. nton, a grave, quiet man Of thirty, q
practicing physician in the city of P
and particular friend, if not
a distant relation, of Mrs. Hows. Not
handsome man. You might have
met him fifty times and never thought
Of observing him particularly until
some tone Of his voice or a glance Of
his brown eyes, or that rare smile Of
bis would arrest your attention, and
you suddenly make the discovery that he
was singularly mau-one Of the sort,
deny it who may, that women love long
est and best.
Leaning on his arm was my friend
and schoolmate, Esther Rivers.
Iquestion whether the peerless bride
Of Ahasueres ever looked more a queen
in her robes Of royalty than did this
Esther, whose beautiful Jewish mother
had, in dying, named her child for that
glorious woman who perilled her crown
and her life for the salvation of her
peorIs. The beauty Of my friend was
cast in a Hebrew mould. She resem.
bled her mother very closely. There
we're the same crimson lips and clear cut
features; the same regal poise of the
head; the same dark, shining eyes and
wealth OF lustrous black hair. No Won
der the fathers glance followed her
lovingly, or if he forgot once to reply
when Mrs. Howe spoke to him.
Esther came nearer and nearer, fually
paused just before him. Mr.. Rivers
shook hands cordially with his daugh.
ter's companion. The two men knew
and thoroughly liked each other, not
withstanding difference of twenty
years in their ages, and more than that
much of difference in their worldly
positions. But both were gentlemen
born, though one did happen to be a
millionaire aud the other had but a few
thousands and his medical practice.
"Mrs. Howe, papa, have yon seen
Lilly Hayse and cousin Louis 7'
"They passed q few moments ago.
They are coming now" replied Mrs.
Howe. Esther turned to them as they
came up-a blue-eyed sylph, in the
airiest and most cloudlike of tulle dres.
ses, and beside her a eark young Alaba-
mian, straight and slender as 4 young
birch tree.
Lad been observing them all upde,
cover of rather dull conversation with
4 young clergyman, who was entertain
iug me with an account of affairs in h,e
parish. I was not sorry, therefore
when Louis Mayne left the little erou1
surrounding Mrs. Howe's chair ani