Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-11

Ike q eighs f''But she preferred not to
corr. y he added; and there was tone
of irritation or impatience in his voice.
Your daughter is not an invalid,
surelya" ~, -, ..,,,
like an invalid?'
.By no means. | only thought. per-
haps. as she did not wish to come out this
beautiful evening" and | rather broke
down here not quite knowing how to get
on any farther without saying something
which ought not to say.
ssNo sir She is not an invalid. thank
God! She is my only child. and things
are bad enough without that"
It seemed to me that my new friend
would have explained the whole condition
of things to me if had invited any such
explanation. But l did not venture and
we soon began, after the fashion of Eng
lsh people who meet in a foreign country,
to talk of acquaintances at home, and find
out whether any of our friends were COM
mon to both. 1t SO happened that | was
very well acquainted with two or three
families in London who were also known
to my new acquaintance, and had even
received a letter from 4 member of one of
the families, a day or two before, telling
me some news about her brother. who
was in New Zealand with regiment In
which he was an officer, and mentioned
the fact to my friend, whereupon he turned
round delightedly and said -
Then you are the gentleman who is
engaged to my old friend Sandmann's
daughter
Eyes, indeed l am he
How glad | am to have met you?
have heard of you often. My daughter
knows Julia Sandman very we'll. But
we have been living in the country for a
long time, and think you were abroad
for some years."
Eyes, was in China
''Ah, that explains why we never met
before. How odd that we should meet
here"
This, then, established a strong bond of
acquaintance Mr.. Kendall, my new
friend, asked me to return to his rooms in
the BeauRvage and have tea, English
fashion, with himself and his daughter,
which ! was very willing to do. Miss
kendaii received me very warmly when
she heard OF my engagement with Julia
Sandman
Dear Julia!" she said, '.how long il
seems since we met. We used to b,
very happy together"
And she stopped abruptly and turned
away. Her father looked anxiously afte
her, and then quickly motioned to me a
II beseeching me to take no notice
Of course | was not likely to intrud,
any remark, But we were ali a good dea
chilled. and our talk, even when we begar
to talk consecutively again. had tone O.
constraint about it which made me at leas
< almost wish myself out of the company OF
newly-made friends
1t was delicious summer evening. and
a soft, silvery moonlight began to illumine
the lake and the lawn and the groves.
g The mountains across the water stood out
in deep, dark. purple mass. There was
something poetic, delightful dreamy, about
the scene, the atmosphere, the lights and
shadows; and we all became for while
thoughtful and silent. Suddenly one of
the windows was darkened for a moment,
and looking that way saw that the figure
OF man had passed, and even observed
the outline OF his face as he glanced into
our room. There was nothing very won
derful, or indeed, at all wonderful in this,
Tor a balcony ran along the front of the
house just there, and persons often paced
from end to end of it. But Miss Kendall
started from her chair with sudden cry
and sprang to the window, then stepped
out on the balcony and looked eagerly
each way. How picturesque her form
showed itself against the evening sky 1t
might have stood for a living and lovely
representation of the woman in Campbelrs |
poem, who looks out from the rock for
1.-THE bark that never will return
Mr.. Kendall half rose from his chair,
ana looking uneasily, almost with alarm i
on ms features, to where his daughter
stood.
'Jennie, my dear'-he began a sort OF
mild remonstrance-"the night air, you
know
She turned and came back into the
room.
II thought | saw him." she said. 81
dld indeed! 1t was he, or it was his
ghost -
my darling, whom did you see ?
There was nobody"
There was; he passed the window this
moment :"
but there is no one on the balcony"
''No, but he was there You must have
seen him pass"
''Oh no, dear child! No one passed.
MIR. Kendall had not been looking
toward the window when the figure of a
man crossed it.
Somebody certainly did pass along the
balcony, II said. Miss Kendall was quite
right in that. l saw a mans figure quite
plainly; but there was nothing strange in
hat; 81 HEF
Not to you, perhaps" Miss Kendall
replied, coldly. ''You did not see the
lace, and would not have recognized it"
Indeed did not see the face. Miss
Kendall-and the only thing that strikes
me as odd about the matter belongs TO the
face.'' ue 49,.
She looked at me inquiringy.
81 only saw the outlines Of the face for
moment. and in less than a half light
but they bore, it seemed to me, quite
striking resemblance to the face of an old
friend of mine, whom have not seen for
some years, and probably shall never see
again.
stopped; for Miss Kendnll was lean
ing forward, her eyes fixed on mine, and
cleaning with a perfectly wild eagerness
while her checks were pallid and her lps
trembled.
"TeI me his name - she cried.