Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-07-02
WOODSTOCK, W., THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

\
mouth, and blue eyes, instead OF
brown, were gazing into mine with a
plying expression. Then | put my
hand to my head twas burning and
throbbing. l heard the noise of the
waves and the voices of men and wo-
men mingled together in strange con-
fusion. Then for days I knew no
more.
I had been sleeping quietly all day,
they told me, after the fever had
se~a, -vhnn amnLn. tealino nrettv
well, but little weak. / looked a.
round in curious kind of way.
was alone. 1t seemed an age since ]
had seen Or heard anybody, and ]
longed for the sound of a human
voice. The low lounge at the win,
dow looked very inviting, and with
some difficulty l managed to reach it,
for l could not yet stand alone but
the sea and rocks looked very famil.
lar, spite ofthe trick they had played
me, and the mere sight of them did
me more good than anything else.
How calm and sweet it seemed to be
there with the fragrant salt breeze
chasing away the sultry air of the
room, and to follow the shore along
till
My thoughts stopped suddenly, and
my heart beats also. May Mancourt
was sitting out on far ledge, wrap.
ped up in soft gray shawl that she
knew became her more than any.
thing else, her hair flying, and hel
bright scarf huttering in the wind
and, seated by her side, seeming il
bliss unalloyed, my brown-eyed divini
ty. Then I frowned and fretted but
what good did it do ? l was tied there
as fast as if / were q chained prisoner
under bolt and bar, and that girl tax
ing advantage of my sickness, was of
flirting with the first man she met
There is no telling what | might have
done myself, had been in her place
but that is not saying that I woult
have been oh, no hope not.
Half an hour afterwards, she came
in with bright eyes and red cheeks
seeing me, she raised her brows in a
mazement.
"Tisn't time for little girls ant
ghosts to be out of bed" she remark
ed.
"Indeed /! and how is it with bic
girls and reporters p I retorted, tiret
out and cross with my recent effort tc
reach the window.
ooh" she exclaimed, Mr.. Bacor
was with us all the way coming home
and he inquired very kindly and SO
licitousy after you; and Mr.. Partridge
Sydney Partridge, (the other one, yo,
know,) has called every day since
your fall. So you see you are not neg
lected after all,
This Modified me little, and that
night I slept the sleep of the just.
The next afternoon l was vel
enough to go down to the cool, shady
parlor for little while, where, en-
seconded in a big easy chair, and ar
rayed in a pretty blue wrapper, aided
and abetted by May, I received in state
my visitors, consisting of the clerica
gentleman and mine friend of the
speaking brown eyes. May, for g
wonder, said but little, and the minis
ter, after inquiring kindly in regard
to my shattered health, subsidized into
occasional remarks and eloquent
glances, willie Mr.. Partridge made him
self as agreeable as a young man no,
twenty-five, with fair share of in.
telligence and very unfair share Of
good looks, could do under the cir.
cumstances, And | was happy. Still
his devotion to me did not seem tc
trouble May any, for l heard her laugh
once, when she and Mr.. Bacon took 8
turn round the veranda, "to get q
breath of fresh air." she averred but
| was convinced that she had a more
subtle reason, when they passed the
window arm in arm, and saw lone
whisp of white paper tied to the rev
erend coat tails, fastened there by her
self. she informed me afterward, with
very reflective look in her eyes tc
''measure the length of one of hi:
theological observations"
OF course, after this, followed TIN
days of convalesceuce, and happy days
they were. Did l want to ride, a low
carriage and gentle pony awaited
my pleasure, and an attentive cavalier
to come at my beck and call. Did the
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