The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-31

ous tnous. tD0u aft my last lovo,
Ny dearest and my best.
Ny heart but shed its outer leaves i
To give thseall the rest. ''
SENTIMENT. AND ACTION
"a great gift, a great gift you ask
me for, Master Paul r. said the old man,
stsrnly, turning away bis head.
"But one that you will never have
cause to repent bestowing on me-" said
Paul, eagerly "Ob, Mr.. Trevelyao,
You do not know how carefully I will
guard he', how teuderly | will rever'
ence her, how manfalIy keep her from
oil sorrow and all harm! You do no,
know how mueA I love her, nor how fer.
vently I honor her Trust mo, sir !; fol
you may you can bestow her on none
who will guard her more tcnderly, more
lovingly than II
"Ah all young men say the same
things, boy, before marriage. Unfor.
tunately it is only experience that dis.
tinguishes between the real and the
false, love and fancy, truth aud change.
And if that experisnce:proves ill-there
is 40 repairiog.it, PAUL."
] Eyes, yes! 81 know sll thatw said
Paul, impatisntly, yet not disrespect-
fully. "But itscan never be 50 with me
Time, age, experience, Ill will only
prove more firmly my love and INDY.
ing truth. Oh, believe: in me ! believe
in me! God is;my witness that my life
shall justify yod!" y ::
"Foolish boy!T To believe in the posi-
bility Of love,i il tie existence Of con.
st.ncy and happiness" murmured Mr..
Trevelyan, between his closed teeth.
"a day will come," hesaid, aloud
''when you will curse me in my grave,
that I ever consented to this match
when you had rather had slain her
with my own hands than have given her
to you"
"Never never p cried Paul. "Come
what may, the happiness Of having once
loved and been loved by her, shall suf:
fice." -,...-.....-
The old man took his hand, and
looked him earnestly in the eyes. They
were sitting on a garden bench set in
the shadow Of large horse-chestnut.
Behind them rose the barren fell, with
its grey granite rocks scautily covered
by heath and junipers; before them
lay q, deep glide, flush with the richest
green and bright with flowers. In the
distance shone the sea, glittering like q
band Of silver across the opening among
the trees made by that steep ravine
the white sails Of the distant ships les.
sened into mere specks, shining in the
sun like the wings Of white birds. Il
was one Of those summer days when the
sun lies like : seething fire on the
leaves and grass-when the earth seems
70 breathe and palpitate through the
low heat-mist quivering over her, and
Nature lies 50 still you might believ.
her, dead: it was one Of those day.
which ell the soul with nameless emo
ton, and make that unfulilled longing
for love and beauty, which even the
happiest and most richly lowered
among Us foe!, apassionate desire aud
painful void it Was = day wherein VI
live-in tho true meaning Of the wore
because We feel, Perhaps it inau
enced even. Mr.. Trevelyan, although no
easy 70 effect 1n. any way bnt there ar,
times when : subtle influence seems t
pervade our whole being, and to chang,
the direction of all our faculties ani
thoughts, and this was one of them
Mr.. Trevelyan was 4 man Of calm
and gentle manner, but with nature
hard and cold and bright % polished
steel. Difficult to excite, but resolutt
when reused whether for good Or evil
positive, distinct, and 6rn,-he had
none Of that half-heartsd temporising
between the will that would, and the
feebleness that dare not, refuse, which
90 often holds the balance between
cruelty and folly. His yes would: be
yes indeed, and there would be no ap.
peal from bis FIRST denial. & It VAS ,
serious matter to demand : favour from
him but it Z pain, It least it vas not 4
lingering one. Paul knew that his 70
fusal would be abrupt apd decisive, and
that his promise would be religiously
kept. And when after : long sileaoe
he said in that compressed manner o.
!: rs Z
his, You may take her, ! trust you 2
the young artist felt that the worst d
the danger was over, aud that his mar
riage With Magdalen Was certain now
for Of her consent enever doubted.
Living il dull country.house, viii
no pleasures beyond the insipid occu
| p.tioos Of 4 Joung girls drawing-roou
world, the visits 81 Paul Lefsvre, th,