Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-16
Vol. 60.-3544. No. 4S.

me- DAY by day the conviction grew, unit
it only wanted spoken words 10 render it
: certainty. On the ice, or driving about Z,
the diff 'ent places OF interest in the neigh
borhood, Pet, Horace, and were always TO
gether. In the evening played his accom-
paniments, or we sang duets together, o.
played a rubber Of whist to amuse Mr. Nor
ton and make him forget his gout.
SO the weeks holiday passed. The iast
day Pet had a few young friends TO spend
the afternoon with her. The ice still bore
and we repaired to take our pastimc a. usual
for the first time without Horace as an es-
cort. Mrs. Morton had begged him, a. a
particular favor, to 90 with her husband for
a drive.
1t was getting late. and we were thinking
of returning, when saw him at the farther
end Of the pond. lie Joined us, and saving
that, as il would be light for another hour,
! had better let the children enjoy the ice
while they might with safety A. he believed
a tliaw would set in very soon he added
And you come with me ! want TO show
| You the lichen told you Of last evening"
/ lie helped me to unfasten my skates, and,
the path being very slippery, he gave me his
arm. chatted away as usual, but he was
silent. We reached the stone. and | ex-
amined the curious liohen that grew upon IT,
/ lie broke of piece, and asked half laugh
ing, half in earnest.
If were to give YOU this, would you
keep it for my sake2
| ! replied in much the same tone. and open
ing a little case that | carried in my pocket
held it out for him to drop the iichen in
lie did So aud taking both my hands in his,
/ held them, while he looked earnestly into my
face, saying
e would give anything | possess, Ethel,
to know whether you care for me. have
told you that | saw your likeness in India,
hut not that those sweet eyes stole my heart
away and that when We met, and found
that you were not only the most beautiful
woman | ever saw, but as good as you are
beautiful, have but one wish-to call you
mine"
His arm was around my waist. and he had
kissed me passionately before | had any time
to comprehend the fun meaning of his words.
At that very moment q football sounded be-
hind me, and, 10 my surprise and confusion,
there stood Mrs. Morton. Could she have
heard those words Had she seen it all 2
Her color was slightly heightened, and her
lips compressed, but her manner was per-
fectly calm. | dared not glance at Horace.
felt that my cheeks were crimson and my
manner unnatural. | was thankful when
she put her arm within her brothers. and
said, IN perfectly unconstrained voice.
Horace and ! will prolong our walk,
Miss Peel we have seen very little Of each
other lately. VIII you kindly take the chill.
dren home at once, and give them some tea2
shall not see them until after dinner"
] walked back as one in dream. lie had
told me that he loved me. Whether loved
him was a question | had no need to ask
myself. ! was happier than had been for
many months | should be no more alone.
There would be some one TO care for me,
some one TO whom could cling Again and
again ! looked at the precious lichen. 1t
seemed a something tangible to assure me
that my new-found bliss was indeed reality.
! pictured to myself how in that long walk,
he would tell his sister the whole story and
| believed she would fully enter into nv
happiness. She had treated me 80 com
pletely as a friend, that could not but hope
she would be glad to receive me as a sister.
Whether he was well enough off TO marry
was question that had never occurred to me.
dressed for the evening with care had
never taken before. One golden curl al
lowed TO escape, and it hung on my black
dress, which was frightened by piece of
scarlet geranium. | PLAYED with the chill
dren until they left, listening with palpita-
ting heart for every football longing vet
dreading to see him open the door and come
in. How little | imagined then the weary
years that would come and 90 before Horace
FELTON, and met again.
When at last found myself in the draw
ing-room. no Horace was TO be seen. fan
cied ] detected an amused expression on
i Mrs MOrton's face as her owe rested On my
long curl and the bright flower in my dress
! was miserably i'll at ease. Why was not
Horace there to explain TO his sister why she
had found me in such an cquivocal position2
or if he had already told her of his declara-
tion, why did she not allude to it?
After a little conversation on indifferent
subjects, she began
81 suppose Horace told you that he was
going TO lIexham for n few days? My hus-
band had arranged 10 dine at Lord PAYER
ley's tonight, so he drove him over"
| felt the color leave my lips, and mist
float before my eyes. | made a desperate
effort TO regain my self-possession, and re-
piled in the negative.
thought that weary evenings fefetIfete
would never end. Mrs. Morton really ex-
erted herself TO set me at my ease, and ended
by asking me TO practice some duets with
her. At length | was alone in my room.
What could IL meanl Those words of his
still sounded in my ear, and could feel his
warm embrace. Had he been trihing with
me? No; it could not be. banished the
odious thought at once. He was too gener-
Gus, too thoroughly a gentleman TO allow
that to be possible Then why had he left
without one word of farther explanation
! | consoled myself by believing that the next
day would bring letter which would clear
| up all misunderstanding, and fell asleep to
dream of those words, and that look of love
which | Aattered myself could but be sincere,
Two days passed, and twice two days, but
still Horace neither came nor wrote. There
was an indescribable something in Mrs.
Morton's manner which told me she had seen
and heard everything but that she disap-
proved was equally evident from her silence.
Those were miserable days. but they were
lightened by some small portion of hope,
There was darker time coming lie had
been away a week, when letter was brought
in while we were at breakfast. Pet mme-
diately declared that it was from Uncle
Horace | watched Mrs, Morton's face as
she read line after line, her lips tightening
and her cheek paling. She never spoke a
word for a few seconds after she had re-
folded the letter and laid it by her plate.
Then she drank some tea, and tried la vain
To command her voice but It trembled, and
her tears would flow, as she said 10 her hus-
band;
"llorace has another appointment; he
leaves England for Australia next week.
lie will not come back here again, as he says
he ha, business which will keep him in Lon.
don til he sails lie talks of giving up the
navy after this voyage, and settling some
where abroad II is so sudden no one can
tell when we may meet again"
cannot describe TO you what were my
feelings. Grief, disappointment injured
pride, all struggled for the first place in my
wounded heart. Was there no message for
me? Better there had been none, for my
peace of mind, than the heartless one re
ceived. Horace desires to be remembered
to you, Miss Peel, aud bids me tell you that
he supposes that long before you and he
have the opportunity again Of wishing each
other Happy New Year you will be a
Mrs. Somebody-or-other."
II was so cold, so heartless, so ilnpudent
that my pride came TO my rescue. 'could
forget him. | should not have TO meet him
for some years at least that would help me
But did love him 50 sincerely To believe
he loved me had been 80 sweet Mrs. Nor
ton felt her brothers sudden departure
acutely She was certainly very kind 10 me
treating me quite as younger sister. She
could not hear from him for many months
and by a sort of taeit understanding, his
name was never mentioned. 1t was hard
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