The Republican journal., 1871-12-14

setting behind bank OF purple black
clouds, and throwing long bars of orange
light athwart the dreary pasturetields and
down the valley that skirted the slow rip
Pile of the Housatonic river. Thanks
giving eve, with moaning restless wind
that stirred the drifts of yellow leaves in
the chestnut-copse, long ago rifled of its
glossy treasures, ami rnstled sadly among
the dead fronds of the sweet-fern on the
"huckleberry LOTS where the golden
rod and the blue tringed aster had faded,
and the sharp trosts had touched the vines
with b crimson 2s vivid as if every leaf
had bten dipped in blood
1ets notwithstanding the keen touch of
the bleak November blast growing keener
still ab the sun dipped lower behind those
violet masses OF clouds, Elan Barstow
stood leaning against the stile of moss
cnameled bars lust where you left the
road and struck ino ''the cross cut''
through the woods Il was sylvan spot
/ in the summertime, full of dense shadow
/ and vague, delicious scents; nor was it
| entirely without a rude fascination even
on the very outskirts of winter. The old
trees, with their moss GROW II and lichened
| trunks-ttle carpet Of rustling leaves in
stinct with aromatic Cdor, and the sweet,
mOurntul: hush Of the November twilight
Elam BaTstOw could scarcely have defined
lll these influences, vet he felt them stir
ring the depths Of his soul as he stood
there, whistling softly to himself and
watching bright eyed squirrel as it
glided up the trunk Of a gigantic old
rhcstnut-trce beyond. And then Elan
shaded his eyes with one broad, sun-burnt
PALM and looked eagerly off to the west
ward
1T beats all she don't come !" he NUT
/ tered uncasily.
He was 4 tall, athletic man somewhat
past the boundaries of middle age, with
rude yet not uncomely features, thick
black hair, oddly waved and crimpled,
and an eye keen IS {. falcon's-an eye
which lighted suddenly up as slight
figure became outlined for an instant
against the western gold Of the sky, where
the woodland path opened, far away, and
then disappeared into the valley.
Yes, it was Rachel Rivers coming
from her daily work in the great brick
factory in the vale beyond Many aud
many night he had watched for her, and
would have known her light football had
he heard it at the very worlds end
like a pictured saint which had stepped
from the window of some great cathedral
a fair, slender Girl with that brilliant
type Of New England beauty which is at
once SO curiously untitled for the bleak
climate in which it sometimes expands.
Her hair was brown, lighted with CLEANS
Of FURNISHED gold; her deep liquid hazel
eyes, bordering on black. had in them q
dreamy, languid glitter, stolen from the
| Orient and her skin was tinted as deli
cately as an oleander- blossom while her
lips, red and ripe and velyety. were like
fresh coral. And with all this, our calico
dressed damsel carried the small head
right royalty upon its slender throat, and
moved like princess of the blood, worn
and faded rs was her shawl, and shabbily
trimmed'as was the coarse slraw-hat with
its iluttering blue veil
Rachel, let me carry your basket ~
But Rachel repulsed him with piquant
dignity.
81 can carry it myself. Elam Barstow !"
Elan was a little annOvcd; he bit his
lip.
Il suppose may walk with you part
of the way?"
Il suppose you may, if You please.
l lie foiu Is open 10 III
ller hazel orbs shot out a miSchiev0ns
CLEAN as She spoke. flam RalstoW felt
lis soft, defiant flame
"Rachel ~
"Yes." ..
Il wish you'd stop minute y
stop here What for? I'm in a
hurry to get home"
''But, Rachel must know can't
| endure this suspense. blamed if ] can--
there now Why don't you tell Il fellow
| out and out-yes or no ~
Rachel stopped to loose red maple
Leaf from III" fringe Of her old worsted
shawl.
Tell 4 fellow what?" she questioned
somewhat imperiously.
Whether you love me or not P'
"'Fhat is easily told-no -
But, Rachel-little Ray--you can't
mean it. | am sure Just listen to me
one minute I've got q good farm and
good house-you would be q lady, Ray,
and never cross the factory threshold
more. l'd make the old folks welcome
at my tireside, us flowers in May-you
know | would, Rachel, for your slke.
And Hepsy, she'd love you like q sister; ;
she's told me So time and again You'll
marry me. Rachel-say you will'
Il shall never.say that. Elan Barstow. :"
But, Rachel, why ?'
She looked at him with that royal way
she had
81 do not think you have any right to
ask me that question, Elan! But | will
answer it nevertheless Because | love
another because | have promised to wait
for Charles Wayland, your own cousin -
ELAN Barstow's countenance fell Wis
IDLY.
81 thought You had forgotten that boy
and-eirl fancy long ago"
81 have not forgotten it-no, nor never
shall. =
''Do you believe he ever will come
back to claim you?'
eff he lives-yes -
"And if he should be dead?"
''Then | shall live and die true to his
memory -
The words dropped in low sounding,
silver syllables from her lips. She had
spoken them very quietly, vet Elan Bar
stow felt that all the world could not
move her one hair s-breadth from her re-
solve. And the sun went down behind
the clouds, and n gloom and shadow
Stttucu SttuttllN W Civ zap itit =" III = nv
solitude, Just as it darkened round his
own soul.
every well, Rachel" he made answer
sadly. 81 can't press you any more; but
Rachel"
eyes 81
you'll come to our house tomorrow ?
Your father and mother have promised
IIepsy to eat their Thanksgiving dinner
with us You'll come, Rachel, Just to
show you don't bare any malice for the
foolish words Pve spoken ?''
"Yes, Elam, I'll Gomez
SO Elam Barstow left her, where the
red light from the brown cottage under
| Beech Mountain shown out across the
lonely road, and Rachel went home alone.
The light from the great wood-llre
cleaned cheerily upon her as she opened
the door, disclosing quaint little room,
low-ceilcd, and fragrant with the resin
Gus sap which was bubbling out at the
end of the blazing logs-a room wainscot-
ed half the way to the ceiling, and cover