Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-14

ily.
"Oh, dare say" replied he "perhaps
the doctor has been there. But il is half.
past twelve" added he, pulling out his watch
as we entered the hall I" He could not have
staid snti this time"
| went to my own room Immediately. In
a few moments heard John come up, say a
few words to Ellen, and then 90 down stairs
calling back, as he left her room
Don't keep awake for me, wife, have
huge batch Of letters to answer shall not
got through before three o'clock"
| crept noiselessly to Ellens room. II was
dark. She had extinguished the gas as soon
as she had heard us enter the house l
knew by the FIRST sound Of her voice that she
had been weeping violently and long.
said
ELLEN, mist come in and have talk
with you"
"Not tonight, dear. Tomorrow will
talk over everything All is settled. Good
night. Don't urge me tonight, Sally.
can't bear any more"
IL is strange--it is marvellous what power
there is in words to mean more than words
knew as soon as Ellen had said, " Not to-
night, dear" that she OWNED all wanted
to say, that she knew all knew, and that
| the dnas moment, the crisis, had come.
| Whatever she might have to tell me in the
morning, | should not be surprised. did
not sleep. All night | tossed YEARLY, trying
to conjecture what Ellen would DO, trying to
imagine what should do in her place
At breakfast Ellen seemed better than she
had seemed for weeks. Her eyes were bright
and her checks pink but there was an inef-
fable, almost solemn tenderness in her man.
ner to John, which was pathetic. Again the
suspicion crossed my mind that she knew that
she must die. He too was disturbed by it
he looked at her constantly with lingering
gaze as if trying to read her face and when
he bade us good-by to go to the office, he
kissed her over and over as | had not seen
him kiss her for months. The tears came
into her eyes, and she threw both arms
around his neck for second,--a very rare
thing for her to do in the presence of others.
Why wife," he said, You mustn't
make it too hard for a fellow to get off
Doesn't she look well this morning, Sally3"
turning to me. a. was thinking last night
that | must take her to the mountains as soon
these don't need it," And he took her face
u
ness, and sprang down the steps.
Just at this moment Mrs Longs carriage
came driving swiftly around the corner, and
the driver stopped suddenly at sight of john
"Oh, Mr.. Gray, Mr.. Gray !" called Emma
So was just coming to take Ellen and the
children for q turn, and we can leave you at
the Office on our way
" Thank you,' said John, /" but there are
several persons | must see before going to the
office, and it would detain you too long. |
am already much too late" and without a
c second look he hurried on.
= | saw slight color rise in Mrs. Longs
r check, but no observer less jealous than l
e would have detected it and there was not
/ shade less warmth than usual in her manner
e to Ellen.
Ellen told her that'she could not 60 herself,
+ but shc would be very glad to have some Of
i the children go and then she stood for some
e moments, leaning on the carriage-door and
5 talking most animatedly, looked from one
O woman to the other Ellen at that moment
Is was far more beautiful than Mrs Long. The
r strong, serene, upright look which was her
N most distinguishing and characteristic express
d sion, actually shone on her face. wished
i, that John Gray had stopped to see the two
IN faces side by side. Emma Long might be
le the woman to stir and thrill and entrance the
soul TO give stimulus to the intellectual ma
| ture to rouse passionate tenderness of emo
Y tion but Ellen was the woman on whose
,toadfasiness he could rest,--in the light of
i whose sweet integrity and transparent truth
= uncss be was a far safer, and would be far
| stronger man than with any other woman in
g the world
II As the carriage drovt away with all four
0 OF the little girls laughing and shouting and
: clinging around Mrs. Long, strange pang
seized me looked at Ellen. She stood
q watching them with smile which had some
\ thing heavenly in it. Turning suddenly to
a mc, she said Sally, if | were dying, it
would make me very happy to know that
Emma Long would be the mother of my
=, children"
q was about to reply with a passionate
. ejaculation, but she interrupted me.
p Hush, dear, hush. | am not going to
. die, i have no fear of any such thing.
Come to my room now, and | will tell you
4 all"
\ She locked the door, stood for a moment
looking at me very earnestly, then folded me
ia her arms and kissed me many times then
, She made me sit in large armchair, and
drawing up low foot-stool, sat down at my
q feet, rested both arms on my lap, and began
r. to speak. | shall try to tell in her own words
), what she said.
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y ny sato ncver can teIl Won how much |
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