The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-09-24


too, al but one.hall. and then disappear
ed he had been wont 70 81 there, and
with = prcieuce Of reading book, kept
watch on The girl over the way, Both Of
them happy 10 that oompanionshlp, tho
perhaps they did not bow, even to each
other
looked at Bessie as the last blind was
closed, and scarcely could restrain an ex-
clamation, 50 pale had she grown. For
a moment, she seemed on the point Of
dropping out of her chair. But as she
did not look up, kept silent. Poor
child That shutting Of the blinds, seem.
ed TO her, knew, like shutting her cut.
Tie wind rose, beat the trees, and
twisted OF the leaves and brauces. II
shook the windows, banged the blinds,
tore of slate from roofs, and carried ii
about like feathers Underneath our
windows, Il bent street lamp OF Its
post, and scattered the broken glass
about There was roaring IN the chin
neys, q crash every moment, as some sky
light, shutter, or fence went by the board.
From our sheltered windows we looked
cat on the storm, with that interest that
such freaks OF nature are calculated to ip-
7spife; Bessie with the cold listlessness Of
Il creature half senseless. She never said
word, only glanced at piece Of paper
that lay on Tie window ledge.
After "a while began to suspect that
Mr.. Arthur Blake was not so very far
away from the front OF the house
as he would have us think. A
glimpse of coat sleeve was vouchsafed
me from behind the blind which was halt
shut, aud soon got comfortable assdr-
ance that not Il look or motion OF the pal
Id girl at the other window was lost on
him, tl
While | looked, the wind rose in one OF
its most fearful gusts; it caught the ma
pie tree nnder the window and bent Its
head 70 The earth; it carried on its wings
leaves, dust, tiles, slate, everything that
it could catch; it suddenly dashed in a
.'pane of glass, and the next moment Ii
canght aud carried out the slip Of paper
on which Bessie had been scrbbling for
the last half hour.
She started up with cry, and tried 10
catch IL back, leaning into the tempest
without thought Of its fury, wide awake
NOW and as red as site had been white "a
moment before.
Oh, what shall | do? she cried, In dis.
tress. ! have. been writing every sort OF
nonsense on that. Oh, what shall do
Could get 1t by going out, do you think
| sho ould die if any one should read it,
My name is written there.
The wind seemed fairly to laugh as il
lifted the fluttering piece ofpaper straight
into the air, then lowered it tantalizingly
again, only to snatch ii away from the
two outstretched white hands that vainly
caught at it through the rain.
Some one beside me was watching. Ar
thur Blake was leaning from his window
now open, and looking over with eager
eyes, that were full OF doubt and aues
tioniong. And he, too, watched the float
ing atom on which, of course, he hat
seen Bessie betraying the wanderings o.
her wayward thoughts.
/ II ip Ynv lnl;nF 49, Al,
wind was reading that paper while It helC
it suspended during the first minute. Fol-
all the world it looked as though two in
visible'hands of an invisible winged crca
ture held the slip, then with wbirl an6
whistle darted across the way, flung i
into the opposite window, and few off tc
knock somebody's chimney over, or teal
away a skyhght.
Oh, what shall do2 cried Bessie
standing in the middle of the room, will
her hands over her face. What shall
do? W il
As the slip of paper was flung in at thC
window, Arthur Blake grasped it ant
disappeared for moment. Perhaps 1t II
not what is called strictly honorable, bu
of course he read every word of it, Il
couldn't have taken him long either, fol
/ in about three minutes the street door o
/ the house opened aud out he came into
the storm; aud in spite OF the gust and
/ missile, straight across the street into ouI
house. heard tremendous peal of the
beli, and then step coming up the stairs
And all the time there stood Bessie ia the
middle of the floor with her hands ovel
her crimson face, and her soft, trembling
voice repeating over and over the help
less exclamation, what shall do?
The door Of the room was flung opet
without knock, aud IN stepped th,
/ young man, with the truant paper in hii
hand, bis Beautiful hair tossed aud drip
ping with rain, and such a light face a
gaddencd my heart to see.
Bessie, he exclaimed, ignoring m,
presence altogether.
, She uttered cry, uncovered her facl
for Que instant, covered il again, ant
turned away from him,
4 by own little Bessie, he said, going Il
her How couh you believe that care,
for Juiia? She told me that you like,
RsymoBd, bat il was iaise know now
There, dear, won't 90, 50 don't breal
poan heart Ieouldn't leeye you.
rose and Withdrew from the room
and neither Of them asked me 10 stay -
Moreover, neither OF them apologized 70
leaying me to entertain myself one iul
hour Bot Bessie gave me an awfu
huggiug whea Artbar went away, al,
belwo.n lears aud smiles she whispered
That biesseH wind