Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-16
NO. 24o.

tnTesHOlu OF tnal OWeIlnS Wnere ne was
soon to find himself as in second home.
1t is an old. old story which teaches Us
that pity is akin to love, and that the one
sentiment often glides by gentle and al-
most imperceptible gradations into the
other. Metella had felt much sympathy
with the city bred youth. whom suffering
had but rendered more gentle and refined
not fretful or querulous, as it does with
some of coarser nature; and her father
and mother wished for nothing better, a.
Caryls health improved, than that the
friendship of the two young people should
ripen into deep and lasting attachment.
Caryl was high principled. well educated,
accomplished, amiable, and would, one
day. be rich. What more could the most
watchiul parents desire in a son-in-law?
Wherefore, it came about that when Caryl
told his love, and was accepted, and Me-
tella began to receive the congratulations
of all her friends, the girl hardly knew
whether she loved Mr.. Winthrop otherwise
than sister loves brother or whether.
in truth, there was in existence any pas
sion more ardent than the calm affection
which she entertained toward her future
husband. One thing was certain, and
that was, that with the full consent of both
families, she was soon to become Mrs
Winthrop, and that Carvl was most ex-
cellent young man, and sincerely devoted
to her. She had very little doubt but that
life OF quiet happiness lay before her.
Very little doubt, that is to say, until she
met with Alberto Parnell, and realized.
for the first time. how very different was
the sentiment she felt toward him from
the so-called love, which was really liking
n1 sal, L.,l Ill AI~A
Caryl could win from her. Yet, as she
often told herself, Caryl was by far the
handsomer of the two, better off, more
highly cultured than this competitor for
her smiles. Alberto Parnell was merely
tall, manly young fellow, with a bronzed
face, and dark hair, strong. indeed. and of
dauntless courage, as was reported, but
not, like Caryl, u musician, a sketcher,
and a poet, to whom foreign languages
and art talk were familiar Yet, Miss
Stewart knew, and was not sorry to knew,
that Alberic's heart was hers, for had she
not NJ seen the loye-light shining in his eyes
He had not said to her one word that could
be construed into courtshp, for to have
done So considering Metella's engage
ment, and the trustlul hospitality which
her father and mother had extended to
one so honorable as he But the tell-tale
pressure of hand as it clasps that of the
loved one, chance intonation, a change
of color, may telegraph the true state of
the feelings on both sides and so it was,
that when Alberto and Metella found
themselves alone together for an instant
in the entrance hall of the Colonels house
when the time came for the former to take
his leave, both hearts throbbed wildly and
each felt as if about to part with the one
object most beloved on earth.
"You start, then, tomorrow ?" said
Metella, in voice which she fiattered
herself to be firm, but which trembled as
does the nightingale's song; and Parnell
groaned out some hoarsely inarticulate
answer. Neither dared to look into the
others face.
when, wonder. shall we meet
again. said the girl, rallying all her res
olution to feign tone of Indifference.
"Never, perhaps. Safer and better that
it should be SO, returned Alberto, bitter
ly. "Neyer, at any rate, until Miss
Stewart shall have ceased to be. Possibly,
them | may find patience enough to come
back, and even to renew my acquaintance
with Mr.. Winthrop's wife. She will be
nothing to me ~
The words were rude. the tone was sui
len, almost fierce, yet Metalla's ear drank
in the syllables thirstily. and it seemed to
her that never in her lille had she heard so
sweet a compliment.
"Let us be friends always" she mur-
INJURED softly.
"Friends" calculated the young man.
"Yes, that is the way with you women
you steal the heart, and bewilder the soul
of a man, and then, when hope is dead
within him, and he is driven forth, as by
the flaming sword that barred the gate of
Eden, you say to him. let us be friends
Well, Miss Stewart, will try TO follow
your prescription, and be content with
friendships but first months and years
must pass, and seas roll between us.
Come, let the wrench be taken. and the
farewell said. If stay here, l shall say
what might be sorry for. for am not
your fathers guest, and is not Caryl my
friend Good by, Miss Stewart-Metai-
la forgive the freedomi l shall never
call you so again.
Good by, Alberto, Good-by - And
their hands met, and their eyes, ana Me-
talla's tears fell like rain, and she sobbed
audlbly. There was moment when the
young man seemed as though he were
about to clasp her in his arms; but by
violent effort he tore himself away, and
with a smothered word of adieu flung
open the door and darted out into the
darkness. Very soon afterward the quick
clatter of his horses hoofs told that be had
mounted and ridden rapidly off on his
homeward road. Metalla listened until
the last faint sound had ceased, and moth
ing more was to be heard but the wailing
snow-shriek, and then retired to her own
chamber and burst into an agony of weep
ing. 1t was Alberics image that haunted
her dreams that night, not that of Caryl
Winthrop.
Thirty-six hours later, the sad. monoto-
nous sound of the snow-shriek had swelled
into menacing roar of angry fiends let
loose to ravage and destroy, and filmy
veil that was drawn over the western sky
had darkened from white to orange, and
from orange to sable. and then, borne on
the mighty wings Of an icy wind, there
fell upon the territory the force of such a
snow-storm as the hardest farmer there
had never pictured.
Down came the whirlinv Aatas .h;oh