Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-10-01
BY-AND-BY.

W non Laura gave her hand 20 Roger
Gregory that evening in the dark, and be
kissed it passionatoly, tonderly reyeron-
italy, aud she only trombled aud did
not take il away he thought himself the
luckiost man alive Then a lantern came
swinging round tie corner, aud the whole
party were biddon to hurry into the great
picnic carts and Laura aud Roger came
up to join the others, and lcIt it blessing
that the night was dark, for, as it was, she
still tremblcd, and the color had ioraken
her checks and he was too flushed and ra-
diant with his joy TO like the encounter Of
curious eyes.
They sat on the high seat beside the
driver, and Of course Roger had 20 put au
arm about her to keep her from falling off,
and all the way he was covering her silence
with iests and exclamations, now and then
telling story, now and then joining in o
song, but all the time holding her close TO
himself so that she felt the great plu1gcs
Of his heart, and thrilled 90 think that heart
was beating so for her
&" / guess that thing l.t.ld, .a'd Nrs.
Clifford looking aitr ihem WHOM they hsd
descended at Lauu. .ata at nsf whence
Roger was tovall ,hc or distance home.
and whore they stood waiting f1r ihc others
to be out Of sight.
II seemed as il the great wagon never
would turn the corner, and he shut away
by the bending branches Of tho Gins; but
at length it did, and then Roger looked
down from hishipht into the face, the sweet.
tendor face below. and heard the word
he had been longing for and pressed upon
the lips the first LONG. feryent Hiss Of love
As he went away. after while. over the
hill. past the grave ward. and pastold Squire
Benham's place. il seemed to him as If the
earth had been made for this hour The
pight. with its sacred silence. BELONGED IA
/ him and Laura the lit,le birches rustled
along the way side in the sweet wind, as If
trembling with ioy themselves bird that
woke in the thicket. and sung over and
over again some fragment of lis song
seemed only their confdant: thehirh heaven
full of stars. as he looked at it. lifted their
love into lonier region than any earthly
love can ever reach. " Are all lovers as
bappy as this ?" he asked himself when
at length he was falling asleep. " Al. il
cannot be.u he said "they are not Laura.
lovers
II was to be a LONG epcacement for
Roper was lust starting in business and
must wait a while before he could have the
home he wanted . and until he could have
things verv nearly as he wanted them he
preferred to wait. And then there are
great Measures in LONG epragement he
told himself there is the certainty of nos.
session. the delight Of homage. the persbec.
tive into the bappy future and he went
TO work with will. OF course the en-.
oacement was banpv enough Laura wa,
not A Girl accustomed TO 50 much in the
past as to be exactinenow. and She was con.
tent with what time Roger had TO snare
her and there were ALWAYS letters twice d
week from his place Of business in the citv
to which he went every morning and then
the other side of her iife was such differ.
ont thin, mat his enyocemept seemed IN,
glimpse into a possible paradise. and
bolned her boart N toll alone over oll Nh,
rather dismal present For Laura was