Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-12-20

$500 $780,
ed
Being in Buttss reading-roOm one day,
he heard Sandbeach quidnuDc--one curly
haired Snigge, son of Snigge & Snigge, at
torneys-crack pleasantly Of the Sniggish
sort concerning Mara. He strobe up tohim,
and gave him slap on the face which sent
him Keeling over cane-chair, and then un-
der it. Merry was q muscular Christian;
and his slap must have sounded uncomforta-
bly, to few in the room who had often
earned quite as good title to it as young
Sniggo, if Merry had only been present to
hear and reward them.
But what was to come of all this? If
Hulsey had been not necessarily a libertine,
but one holding French views Of life, his
love for Mara would have led to the same
results as do ten thousand similar liaisons
every year; but Halsey's passion for the
girl was too deep for the projects of running
her to cross his head. One of those cool.
headed virgins who bring actions for breach
of promise he might have laid siege TO with
out scruple, being neither better nor worse
than most young men of his age. But Ma
ra excited in one all the instincts Of protec-
ton. She was so good guileless, and conf
ding, that man felt the wish to shield her
and keep her from harms way to seduce
her would have seemed more than usually
heartless and brutal. When their acquaint-
ance was but a very few days old, it was ca
sy to see that Halsey had already resolved to
marry the girl He was of age, had taken
his degree, and would be independent of bis
profession, having six hundred pounds year
of his own. This was enough for comfort,
and could be accounted wealth by living
abroad On the other hand, Halsey had
parents very we'll connected, and aspiring to
see him do great things in life. 1t was not
to be expected they would give their consent
to his marriage with girl in Mara's equiv
ocal position: indeed, it was certain they
would endeavor to thwart such match by
all the means their alarm and indignation
could suggest. 1t was this that worried
Halsey. Week after week passed. and he
had not yet proposed to Mara nor had she,
on her side, given him or us the slightest
clew to her history. She never talked Of the
past,-never alluded to it by the slightest
reference to people she had known, events
she had witnessed, or places she had visited.
Yet she did not appear to be acting with a
settled purpose at concealment. Had she
Just recovered from terrible fever, which
had obliterated all the pictures in her men,
ory, she could not have acted otherwise than
she was doing.
When a man is placed in such circumstan-
ces, and has three friends ut hand, he is gen.
orally favored with tripletongued advice Of
the most impressive sort about the rashness
of committing himself, the folly Of hasty
marriages, and so on. Halsey got no such
advice from us,-not even from Cloves, who
was never averse to showing one the seamy
side of schemes. Each Of us well knew
that, had 1t been his luck to be loved by
Mara as Halsey was loved, he would have
overridden all the scruples, cautions, and re
latives in the world ; and, this being so, We
should have considered it uncandd to tender
counses we ourselves should never have
followed Therefore, when, one August
evening, Halsey came in and told us quietly
that the matter was settled, that Mara haC
agreed to be his wife, and that he would
push on the marriage as promptly as posi-
ble,--we regarded the conclusion as natura
and fitting, and held out our hands in con
graduation.
We had all-Mara included--been GU
for q sail that afternoon; and, on landing
Halsey had, as usual, been left to accompa
ny Mara to her door. From various indi
cations,-of which greater timidity thai
ordinary on Maras part was ehief,-we ha'
guessed that Il consummation was imminent
and on our return we had not waited Dime
for Halsey. He came back later, however
than we had expected 1t was nearly tel
O'Clock; and he found us leaning out Of on
: bow-window which fronted the sea, and smok
| ing. lie took seat after we had shake
| hands with him, asked for water, drank o.
two glasses, and then, by the moons light
! which shone on his face, we saw that he wa
pale and looked excited. Here let it be said
4 that Halsey was nearly six feet high, an
D proportionately strong. He had a mass {
brown hair, aud precociOus beard, luxur
| ant and golden but he was not a SLOUGH
r kind of giant, one Of those rough, huma
Newfoundlands. He was, on the contrary
q very careful about his dress, and not slower
!. ly or lazy in his conversation. Talk abou
= business, book-work, or sport, drew out a
E the shrewdness in him but in matters wher
the heart was involved he acted impulsivel
Q as an Italian.
y "Yes we must get the marriage over {
o once" he exclaimed abruptly, after he ha
!. been silently stroking his forehead minut
e or two. "There is no chance Of my peopI
r ever consenting; so shall go up to tow
s tomorrow for license, and make the rectC
marry us on Thursday"
f is there really no hope with your pc,
@ pie 2" asked Cloves. Cloves was Sigh
r dark, and deliberate. If he had been
d Halsey's case, he would have married MAJ
!. without hesitation but he would have aske
/. his parents leave for forms sake. He wi
n going to be clergyman.
r, "Yes it's as well to give ones people ia
/. play" suggested Merry, drawing his Gig
q from his Inns 81 wouldn't listen To theI