Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-05-09

crippled in strange house, neither miss
ed his home nor his sisters care. eff you
are equally tender to the next who breaks
his neck or leg, | propose to jump ont of
the window myself sometime next winter
when have leisure" said the steward.
"lt ! were you | wouldn't risk it," OBJ
served the squire. "Our charming gov
erness has heart plaster for no more than
one wounded knight" The steward
laughed, as in duty bound, at this clever
remark Of his superior. The witty re-
mark of the squire was, however, not en-
tirely without its little grain of truth.
As real sister of mercy, her heart bled
for every suffering being, and the young
man suffered very much; but 1t is there
fore not impossible that he obtained some
what more than brothers share Of her
heart; but if so, it remained secret.
When he began to recover, and assured
her every day how much he had to thank
her for, she felt so happy that she scarcely
dared to confess it to herself, and each
time she looked at her myrtle she was
conscious of a strange but delicious feel.
ing. 1t was the myrtle which had been
the cause of the disaster, and she chose to
consider it as the cause of her own hap
piness. At last, having fully recovered,
he left the manor and returned to the city.
He was to read for his examination de-
gree. The place was very lonely after he
was gone, but he had left many pleasant
memories behind him.
When the governess was sitting alone
in her little turret- chamber and butter
fly would come in through the window,
tutter about amongst the twigs of her
myrtle, and then sail out again, it would
always remind her Of the student lie
had suggested so much in looks and tone
Of his voice, to which he seemed to be
afraid Of giving utterance, that thoughts
would visit the governess which she like
wise shrank from following to Theological
conclusion.
Each time the squire returned home
from visit in the town, he seldom failed
to bring the goyerness kind remember
ance from her patient, the student adding
-" say nothing, for have no perms-
sion to say what | might say, but know
what know" and each time he delivered
himself of this sententious remark, a blush
would mantle the young girls treckled
cheeks.
a couple of years had gone. The stu
dent had prospered in the career he had
chosen, and lhad already become a pro-
fessor During the summer vacation he
intended to pay visit to his old friend in
the manor.
at is not for my sake, | am sure, that
he comes" said the steward.
"Nor for mine, | believe" remarked
the squire Gle has now position in
the world. 1t must be you that he has
waited for, my dear governcss. If were
you | would let him take the myrtle in
the usual way. 1t would be a pity if he
should kill himself for the second time in
trying to get at it through the window"
insinuated the squire.
1t was such capital joke that they both
burst out laughing. The young professor
made his appearance in due time. The
young girl sat in her turret- chamber, and
ga2ed wistfully on the high road. Far
away she deserted the diligence and the
relocated postilion. A strange, half
defined remembrance from her childhood
flashed through her thoughts. She did
not EXCHANGE very many words with him
the first evening, but still enough to cause
her to sleep but little that night. Next
evening little ball was improvised. Some
friends and among them the sister of the
squire's lady, an acknowledged belle from
the capital, had arrived in the course of
the day. As reigning ball queen, and
near relation to the lady of the manor,
the professor deemed it his duty to open
the ball with her. lie wished to dance
the second with the governess, but she did
not dance, he waltzed again with the
beautiful lady from town. That night the
governess slept still less.
Some time after she was sitting again
alone one evening in her turret-bower.
1t was lovely moonlight. Ladies and
gentlemen were sauntering about in the
garden enjoying the balmy evening. The
sound of gay laughter and many voices
rose up to her, but his voice she could not
distinguish among the others. Presently
she became aware of whispering i'm
medately below her at the foot of the
tower. a young couple had separated
from the rest of the company; it was the
professor and the lovely city lady. What
they whispered about-alas! that the
poor governesS understood but too well.
That night she did not sleep at all.
In the fall of the same year a grand
marriage took place in the old manor. A
lovelier bride than the professors had
never been seen before. The governess
had made the bridal wreath; of her myr-
tie nothing but the stem and stalks re.
NAMED: the bride wore all the green part
in her hair, as she stood before the altar.
1t was indeed costly wreath-it sparkled
as if it were full of diamonds.
One year followed after the other, and
the one inst like the other. The myrtle
did not perish for all the many cuttings it
had suffered; next spring it shot forth
a host Of light green leaflets, and in due
time it expanded into glorious verdant
crown, richer and more vigorous than ever
before. But it was now a myrtle in its
best years-beyond the forties.
The owner herself was not far from
fifty. 1t is not considered a girls best
age, but it really seems that our poor
goyerness' best age was now to commence.
Her red hair turned grey, the freckles dis
appeared, but her soft mild eyes remained
unchanged. Everybody agreed now that
she was a remarkably handsome old maid.
One day letter with black seal came
to the manor 1t was addressed to the
old maid from the professor. His wife
was dead, himself not WELL and his happy
little ones needed womanly love I and
care-he appealed to her goodness in this
his great grief and trouble. Her mind
was made upat once as to what was to be
done. She resigned her position, and pre-
pared to leave the old house. which had