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

"a great gift, great gift you ash
me for, Master Paul p said the old man
sternly, turning away bis head.
'But one that you will never hav'
cause to repent bestowing on me-" sale
Paul, eagerly. "Ob, Mr.. Trevelyao
you do not know how carefully I vii
guard her, how teuderly l will rever
enco her, how manfully keep her from
all SORROW and all harm! You do no
know how mucA I love her, nor how fer
vently I honor her ! Trust mo, sir fo1
you may you can bestow her on none
who will guard her more tcnderly, more
lovingly than l."
"Ah all young men say the same
things, boy, before marriage. Unfor'
tunately it is only experience that dis
tinguishes between the real aud the
false, love and fancy, truth aud change
And if that experisnce::proves ill-there
is no repairing.it, PAUL."
"Yes, yes II know all thatr said
Paul, impatiently, yet not disrespeot.
fully. "But it,can never be so with me
Time, age, experience, all will only
prove more firmly my love and undy.
ing truth. Oh, believe in me believe
in me! God is my witness that my life
shall justify you!"
"Foolish boy! To believe in the posi-.
bility Of love, in the existence Of con.
stancy and happiuess," murmured Mr..
Trevelyau, between his closed teeth
"A day will come," hesaid, aloud
s'when you will curse me in my grave
that ever consented to this match
when you had rather had slain he,
with my own hands than have given her
to you"
"Never never !" cried Paul. "Come
what may, tho 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 garden bench set ia
the shadow Of a large horse-chestnut
Behind them rose the barren fell, with
its grey granite rocks scautiIy covered
by heath and jumpers; before them
lay deep glide, flush with the richest
green and light with flowers. In the
distance shone the sea, glittering like a
band of silver across the opening among
tho 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 seethiug fire on the
leaves and grass-when the earth seems
to breathe and palpitate through the
low heat-mist quivering over her, and
Nature lies SO still you might believe
her dead: it was one Of those days
which fill the soul with nameless emo.
tion, and make that unful6lled longing
for love and beauty, which even the
happiest and most richly lowered
among us feel, passionate desire aud &
painful void it was a day wherein We
hve-in the true meaning Of the word
because We feel. Perhaps it infu'
enced even Mr.. Trevelyan, although moi
easy to effect IN any way !; but there are
times when subtle influence seems to
pervade our whole being, and to change
the direction of all our faculties and
thoughts,-and this was one of them.
Mr.. Trevelyan was a man Of calm
and gentle manner, but with a nature
hard and cold and bright as polished
steel. Difficult to excite, but resolute
when roused-whetber for good OF evil,
positive, distinct, and 6rm,-he had
none Of that halt-hearsed temporising
between the will that would, and the
feeblensss that dare not, refuse, which
so 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. 1t was a
serious matter to demand favour from
him but it pain, at loost 1t was not a
inAeriug one. Paul knew that his re-
fusal would be abrupt ard decisive, and
that his promise would be religiously
kept. And when aftera long sileoce,
he said in that compressed manner of
his, "You may take her, I trust you,"
the young artist felt that the worst Of
the danger was over, and that his mar
riage with Magdalen was certain now ;
for Of her consent he never doubted.
Living in a dull country-house, with
no pleasures beyond the insipid ocou.
pations Of young girls drawiug.room
world. the visits of panl T,afavra thu