Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-10-18

harmless
Confound my folly" he thought. walk
ing away. Why didn't | say 1t? She
looked almost as If she expected some
/ thing [ gave her tn right &c. But did
she care to listen? To be sure the place
vas unfortunate; bat people have mad
and heard proposals in bathrooms, in
crowds, before thIs-at street corners, and
at book-stalls There was Captain Wrldes !:
he proposed to Mary on board the cars.
and, not understanding hun, she cried,
What p So he had TO scream 1t all over
again, and the train stopped at station
before ne fnishud. He must have been
plucky fellow They say that women
do half the couTting. bnt bless me If I've
had any help in this affair And at thus
rate, its like a snaIl's Journey; | take
one step forward, and slip bacS two. III
deuce | wonder how they get on! Il
must be tlresome standing behind a coun-
ter all day, with the Guilford pride on
her shoulders, and the home troubles tug
ging at her heart Ii | had only asked
ner before the breaking of this bubble
But now it would seem like taking advan-
tage of her circumstances to marry me
from pity, how much less from prudence
Yet If she cares for me-But how am
to know? She is not likely to tell me
without being asked aud why should
ask her unless am certain?
And thus, while he let the occasion slip
by, while he dwadled and perpIexed him
self, the firm ia which he was junior part
ner required his presence in Europe to es-
tablIsh a branch house He went to bid
+ inor good-by-perhaps to say something
more e rnest. tie could not tell; be
could not count upon himself nor his
modes. he found her in a dark, narrow
street Of the city, where the sunshine was
only a morning visitor of the most cere-
moutous kind in a room where shabb-
ness smOte him to the heart. He under
stood that by this means she was eAing
out her insufficient wages. But otherwise
she wa the same being whom he had known
n luxury. The blush had deserted her
tair cheek, the djmple still hid there the
eyes were as radiant with light and spirit,
the express on as enchanting, the voice as
liquid and full of soft, lingering tones and
ne~tchIng accents, as IN the brightest days
O3 her prosperity. They taiked about his
] urI the ight- he was to see. he SUN Is
ne would hear; and ste sighed, aud sali,
On. | wonder If 7 shall ever 90 to Eu
rope . with that wild hope which most of
Us long to realize. Tney were s,tt ng to-
gether upon 1cte-1 tete. a relic of past
magu fcence. He had been looking at
ner embroidery, and when be gave 1t back
their hands touched, and fingered almost
lovingly. The words were on his lips,
/. NIi YOU 90 to Europe with me, Etinor p
VIII YOU, he faitered will you
You wIiI-torget me, 1 suppose, as soon
as [ am gone. Out OF sight, out of mind q
If you wish me to forget you, will
she laughed.
And If | do not wish it 2
Ab, can not promise; you are TO be
absent a whole year.
If She could not promise to remember
him year, was 1t likely that she would
promise to love him a lifetime
- he went 70 Europe, aud tried to for
Let himself IN the details of business; to
satisfy himseif with tEe public galleries
luI gardens. with art and nature IN hoh-
lay allure lie visited the Mer Dc GIace,
aud dge.1 80 the shadow of the Natter
4oIu, ana heard the mountain echoes VI
oraiing upon the inspired air. But TO
whom ecu he c0n6ie all hi> fine thoughts?
Who could respond 10 his moods with such
perfect sympathy as Elinor2 Half the
CHARM of travel was lost W thout her 1t
the Lakc Of Como he fell in with an el-
ierIy gentleman, solitary ike himself
All he said, this travelling alone IS
a most ike staying at home
And why, SIR, did you net bring your
wife veumred John,
Because | was fool once l have no
wife. Twenty-Five years ago was in love.
hut | was at the same time, too great a
Ounce TO tell her 50. Young man, If you
ever chance to fall in love. lose 10 time in
citing her know it. Don't defer speak
ing,
Aud II She
No matter what she answers. \ GU
will have done your duty; you viii have
nothing with which to reproach yourself
j ohm left the Lake of Como at once
He travelled night and day to London, and
embarked for home. He went to the
shabby by-street wnere he had left Einor
1ut the bird had flown Mr. Guiford,
with that happy faculty some men have
for always coming to the surface in good
condition, had specu'ated himself into an
other fortune during Johns absence, and
was only to be found on Queens Street, in
,hc mansion Of his toretathers. 4 servant
ushered John into a cheerful morning
room, looking out into garden full of
sunshine and flowers and went to find Miss
| Ehnor. while ne looked at E inors por-
| trait in crayon. read the name of Gran
vile Denormaudy in the corner, and won
| dered if he did it before going away, and
why he, John, had never seen it before.
} ust then voices that had all along been
family audible drew nearer, so that be
could hear the words as well as the tones.
He turned bis 'ead and ool ed out into the
garden, where, in the neighborhood of
hundred-leaved rose tree, Einor had
paused, leaning on the arm of tall young
man,
/ thought at the time, the tall young
man was saying, and they stood so near
che window that John could not fail 10
hear-was obliged TO listen-'I thought
at that time that you had 4 fancy for
young Everett-John, wasn't it2 By he
way, [ met him abroad, and decided that
you must have refused him, he was so dis.
traught.'
EIinor stirred, and shower Of rose
petals stirred with her. may as well
be frank with you she said it makes no
ference now. l did. L was in love
with him, Granville; | believed that he
loved me. l SD )uld have married him if
be had asked me. But that was a year
ago, and when one deserts you, what can
you do better than forget him ?
Nothing, darling; I could not advise
anything that would please me more.
] l. I =