Middletown transcript., 1873-09-27

was trcnulous wi,h soft light and shale.
and odorous with swcct.brcr, when the
young minister paused a moment on the
threshold. and listened. half fancying 10
the golden gloom Of the great shadowy
room, that he already looked into thai,
more beautiful country. beyond the
worlds soil aud style. And this was the
picture he saw:
A long, tremulous beam Of pale gold
falling across n quantity carved mahogany
bookcase, over the high old fashioned
bedstead, and lighting up with tender
glow serene upturncd face, crowned
with a glory of soft. silvery hair A
faint smile parted the lips, and the vriuk-
led hands were clnspcd over the white COW
erlct. In low chair at the bedside sat q
slight little figure. one small, white hand
resting carelcssly on the silvcred head
while the other turned the leaves Of the
great Bible that lsy across her lap. She
was reading at little intervals. in a sweet,
quiet voice, verse from one Of the royal
singers triumphant psalms.
How long Francis Bradford might have
been coutent to gaze upon this quiet pic
tnrc have no means Of knowing, for
Ruthic, looking suddenly up, discovered
his presence, aud gave him such glad
welcoming smile that it drove everything
else out ii his mind
Thcn comes n long, golicn twilight.
with the faint. Gtfal note Of whip-poor-
will floating in on the cool, odorous air,
till the room grew dusky with pale rosy-
gray shadows reflected from the western
sky. Then Francis Bradford rose to take
his dcptriurc. with vague consciousness
that Whatever the fu,ur, might hold for
bin, tbs night would lie forever sacred
in his memory. lie knew then, as we'll
as h. ever could know. that through the
golden calm Of tha, Sslblth evening his
heart had slipped out Of his keeping. for
ever aud forever You see am not 90
ing to spring some marvellous plo, upon
YOU, by-and.5y, to astAnish you. and 20
am perfectly free to make this admission
II was known in Thornaalo ,ha, Mr.
Bradford went to Deacon Stones grca,
deal, but for once this very keen. scented
people were at fault think the ro.si
| bility Of the new ministers falling in love
with little qnlet, unpretcr'ious Ruth
Clifton, never once occurred to them -
The idea was too absurd to find lodgmcn,
in their thoughts fer moment. II was
very proper that Mr. Bradford should
visit Deacon Stone. as he was sick though,
he mis poor, aud Of very littlo account in
the parish now.
But one day ,lunierbolt burst over
Thornlalc Della Warner was returning
from the post-oitcc, whore she had been
to leposi, a dainty little note of invitation
for Mr. Bradford. to a select party which
she had been medi,aiing ever since h.s ad.
vcnt, when she Nc; ,ha, gentleman riding
leisarey along through Main Street. in a
pretty open phac,on, with Ruth Clifton
| sitting beside him. Aud. as il the bare
fact was not enough, his face was turned
,miingly to hers. aud the careless bow he
gave Miss Warner proved how completely
absorbed he was in his companion
will not attempt to picture the sur
prise aud Indignation that conyul.el the
Thorndalc First Parish, when this dread.
fu news got nniscd abroad. Il was ter
rible to have their confidence in their nes
minister suffer - rude a shock Ruth
Cliiton-forsonth \ mere nobody, whn
had never been Acknowledged in Thorn.
dale society" and whose existence.
even. was scarcely recognizable in th,
circle in which it vas expected the minis,
Ter wouli move There Was litilc doubt
however, bu, it was all her fault-she had
"laii herself Oh; 10 catch him. Proba.
I'bly she expected to get into good society
hy it, but she weulinat--they would lef
her see that. in the beginning
Poor Ruthie, how her gentle, scnsitiy,
| heart, wounded ut every turn. by coll
| looks aud con,emp,uous smiles, aud Yagu,
hints which she dill not understand ill
one or two, more spiteful or more ruit
taan the others, openly taunted her Will
scheming to eniangle Mr. Bradford, au,
ruin aud drag him down by nisallance
1t was bella Warner who said this
standing with group of girls in ,h'
vesibule Of the Thorndale Library. a
Ruth Clifton came out with cory OF tht
Vicar Of Wakefield in her hand.
Rath's soft brown eyes were lifted Will
a panied startled look to the group Q
elegantly .n,,ired young ladies'. and some
thing in the cool hau,eur of their glanc,
gave terrible emphasis to Miss Warner
cruel speech The blood rushed in
fiery torrent to her face. and then slowl,
recedcd, seeming to carry all the warmth
aud brightness ou, Of her life with it. -
How chilly it had grown all at once :
She shiyorei as she stepped ou, into ,t
hrigh, October sunlight, one sentence il
Miss Warmers speech ringing through hc
brain--shc was dragging him down
II seemed strange that she had neve
thought of it before now. when she eoul,
think of nothing else She thought o
all the brilliancy Of that future upol
whose fair threshold he had jus. stepped
aud her hsart gave quick ihrob Of min
gled bliss and pain. A little dry chok
ing sob forced itself through the slowl,
whitening lips--about which had sudden
ly come strange. tenae look--and ,h'
| benutiful eolor faded out of the soft cheeks