The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-05-21


am glad yon are comfortable berr
She replied, aud passing me, .he went
ont
. rcmsined losi IN Thought, aud then
suddenly said TO myself, II i Bessie HYDE
she l. like. This place mast bc near her
home. Can IL be possible j. il Bessie her
seni Hurrying TO tho door saw her
standing st the lower eud OF the hall, aud
ssked her foil name and place Of abode,
aud my arms were around her neck, aud
we had recognized each other as The Bes-
,ie and Mary Of the happy old days al
MarstOn,
/ That night while the house below va.
given up to waltzcs aud cotillions, Bessie
sal with me in my renote room, aud with
the storm beating against tbs house, told
me the story OF her life for twenty years
/ Aud this WAS ito sum;
/ She had missed me sadly after left
and hoped for my return, but when my
aunt died, aud my farewell letter came,
only telling hei vaguely that We were
going great way oh, she bad never tx
/ pecled to see NE again, John Farley,
really wishing, She believed TO be q da-
tiiul son, bat unhappy from bis dull, re-
sIricted lite, had stayed al home, trying
to be contented, until he was eighteen.
Theu came the death of his mother, an
ailrctionale woman, who always made
the best of her boy, and smoothed many
bard place for hiIo with his father, aud
when, IA year later, the Deacon auuounc.
ed his intention OF espousing Miss Han
nah Means, prim, sharp-manasins per
son, who had worn the same long face
ever since Jehu could remember, and
and who did not hesitate TO say that Mrs.
Farley had always been too soft spoken
with John aud that when she stood in
her shoes, she should give him such ii
training as he ought to have had when
he was younger. John did not wait for
her discipline, but the night before the
wedding, taking what little money he
possessed, aud bidding only Bessie good
bye, be stole of to Portsmouth, and left
the next day, with young mau Of his
acquaintance, for { dorado.
For three years he had hard time. -
Then he found some business in Denver,
and was prospecting there, when he lost
everything in fire. Since then their
only tidngs Of him was that be had gone
to California. ..- ....
Her brother grew into very promis-
ing ambitious boy, and all the hopes
her father had buried for himself sprang
Into new light for his son. llo was care
fully educated, and entered college at an
early age; but, from over-exertion, his
brain became diseased, and ho died al
the beginning OF his sophomore year. -
Her father who had for sometime been in
poor health, did not long survive the
shock OF his death, aud few months lat
er Het 5't~c-o.IiOko. "aother WIS MIA DC.
sid1 them in tho churchyard.
! When the minister's small estate was
settled, it was found that only about a
thousand dollars remained for Bessie,
who soon took up her abode with a cous.
| in Of her fathers, in n town thirty miles
south OF Marston. Not wishing 10 be u
burden to her kinsman, for two years she
had taught the village school; and this
summer, hearing that housekeeper
was wanted at the Bears Head Hotel
which was but short drive from hel
new home, she had sought and obtained
the situation.
Bessie said !, when she had finished,
aud we had talked little while about
her own family-Besse, wonder YOU
have not married. am sure il has not
been for lack of lovers,
No, she replied after moments ST.
Ience. There are two, either Of whom
my cousin thought would have been a
desirable match for ne, aud, as they
made no secret Of the matter themselves,
am At liberty to speak OF them, The
first was Tom Stevens, who used to tease
nae so, very good man nov, and the
owner Of the principel store in the vii
lage. The other was my fathers success
sor in the ministry, widower with two
girls like Tom, and have 3 great re-
spect tor Mr.. Fanshaw, bat, Mary,
must tell you my whole heart. have
never loved anyone but John, aud ! am
sure it lac Is living he loves me. When
he went away he put a ring on my finger
aud asked me 10 wait for him, If it wac
tea ycars. Until his misfortune at Den.
yer he wrote me very often, but since
then no one has beard from him / some
times fear he is dead, but | would ralbei
remember him THAI to marry any Other
man in the world.
What sweetness, what pathos wss in
her face, IN her voice, a. she said this -
The very wind lulled to listen to her
words, and in my heart prayed, God
grant John Farley may be alive aud
true.
Afler this Bessie spent every evening
with me, either Ia my room OF walking
ON the grassy plot that over looks the
se& We taxed Of IS thousand thiags, aud
found her the same, genial, anec,ionsr,
companion she bad been ia early days. -
II made me SD to look forward aud
think Of the narrow lonely life sbe mast
lead and resolved - soon 81 got home
to institute a search tor John. I could
hot believe him dead aud ackleness la
fllsehosd were not 10 him.
Ny uew.iound friend aud the cAsrn a
the sea Won mo to pr0tract my STAY Of,