National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-09-20

as can remember them:
"No, | haven't known Jack long. II is
only--lct me see, two, three - three
months and eighteen days since we met.
| saw him first at Niagara. Juliet (this
was Ethels young step mother) "was taken
with an 'enthuse' to see the Falls very
early, before people got there and spoiled
the sentiment Of tae place. Pa said we
were foolish and romantic, and would be
extremely uncomfortable, and probably
catch our deaths OF cold, but he made no
real objection 20 VIC went. II was the
first day of May"
"Yor've been at Niagara? Well YOU
can't think how different, and how-wcll,
rather dreadiul--it is out OF the season.
We got in at mijnigh, The Cataract
| Ionse look od all de.h ard deserted, out a
man opened the door and took us into that
big square hall, where there was a huge
Morning Glory stove with flaming ism
glass eyes. assure you the sight was
welcome, for we were half frozen.
Juliet, still under the influence Of her
'enthusc, asked for rooms on the cataract
side of the house. But the man couldn't
give them to US. That side Of the house
was always kept shut up in the winter, he
said, and the rooms were not yet IN order.
He made us comfortable elsewhere, how
ever, and, for my part, was not sorry to
be a little further from the river. ! never
heard it sound as it did that night. The
air fairly throbbed and trembed. 1t was
like the breathing and painting OF some
savage animal. lay awake the 10 st
time, and all my dreams seemed to be
oyershadowed and peryaded by tho near
presence Of the strong, fierce thing.
Next morning the sun shone brightly
| forgot my terrors and every thing else
except the beauty OF Tie place. The
river was tul o; ice, clear green ice. which
the rapids bore along in whillng, tri-
umphant way, as i! it ,scre load o, stolen
emeralds, all cut nnd polished and ready
for setting Ice irngcd the edges OF the
shore here and there. Men with poles
were irving TO break it up, so that the
water could get in and turn the wheels OF
a mill. had forgotten that there was a
mill. Somehow the sight OF it made me
angry. Think of penning Niagara up and
forcing it to be useful 1t is as bad as
setting Sampson TO grind among the
slaves.
The air was warm with sun, but the
melting ice gave it zest and sparkle ike
Champagne. 1t exhilarated me so that
wanted to dance at every step, and |
chattered and ratified to Juliet till il
fairly distracted her. She was in state
of high pressure romance, and | guessed
from the laraway expression of her eyes
and the way she played with her note
book that she was composing a poem.
Juliet writes really pretty verses, did
YOU know I'll show you some, if you
like. So, after while | merciully took
myself off, and after sitting few minutes
by the American Fall, l started off on a
solitary ramble.
IL forgot to say that earlier in the morn
ing we had been all over Goat Island in a
back. 1t was rather hard to find one, for
the stables hadn't opened for the season
lher. Think Of its being hard to get
hack at Niagara, where usually the diliicul
ty is to get away from their gaping doors
and importunate drivers. And the shops, |
too, they had barely a thing in the windows.
Leftover fans from last year and a few
stereoscopic views, that was
all. Don't tell Mr.. Howells, but | saw in
one of them the very fan which Basil
bought for Isabella on their wedding jour
ney.' You remember it, that dreadful |
Magenta one with the yellow bird in the
middle} Well there it was, the very
fam She must have exchanged it when |
his back was turned, and trusted to bis
never finding out the difference. Pm sure
| should have done just the same in her
case!
"Can you fancy Niagara with no brides
We met just one girl in gray popln. with |
her Lead on the shoulder of a new coat.
Immagne it-only one There weren't |
any peep shows, or boys with spectroscopes,
or any photographers urging us to pose
Tor our pictures with the Falls as a back
ground. Not a single person rushed out
to invite us to see the view from their
back-door at twenty five cents apiece.
You can't think how pleasantly one misses
these things, though | must say | hardly
knew the place. But here am running
On, and forgetting Goat Island where |
began to take you, and where it happened
I mean, of course, meeting Jack and all
that
'It had been so perfectly lovely there in
the morning while we were driving about
that, now | was left to my own devices,
was seized with desire to go over again
and sit for good long while. So few
people were crossing that the gate keeper
my face and let me go in free,
Tolls were good for twenty four hours, he
aid. SO | walked over the long bridge
md in five minutes had lost myself in the
woods as fresh and wild and fragrant as
t IN the heart of the Adirondacks, instead
If close to a dozen big hotels, with dinner
yongs and walters in white aprons.
Goat Island, in the season, is a civil
zed sort OF place, you know. There are
,arriages and people, and benches and
,lacards, and you don't feel in the least
llone or in the country. But that day il
eemed pure country. There were no
,eople sitting on the benches, and some
low you didn't notice the placards. Birds
popped out of every bush and tree, and
hirped and sang as if for wager. The
uound was Just one carpet Of flowers
ul white ily-shaped things which found
fterward were trilliums. And all the {
ime the deep, cool roar and rush Of the ,
apids blended and mixed with the birds {
ones and the beauty, as tho minor instru I
pents of an orchestra mix with the viyid [
volins. Juliet says haven't a
particle of romance in my nature, and
perhaps she is right; but some how that {
morning | was wrought up and exalted I
laughed, but wanted to cry more than 5
o laugh. You know the feeling-a sort c
If happy pain. -,
"Weil. at last came to the steps which {
cad to Luna Island, and went down. | Z
,ound a seat close to that lovely little =
ngle fall which, you remember. plunges 1