St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-06-19


as she had thought that she would like
to see him again, she had never flncied
that the sight of his face and the sound
of his voice could move her as it did
She scarcely dare trust herself to speak
And yet, of course, he could only have
come on business
Miss BilkerSon is in the school
roOm,' she faltered. did Janet take
Vour name p
NO." he said, with curious. almost
desperate decision. at WIS not Miss
Bilkerson | came t. see. Can you post
pone the rest of this muSic-leSson ?"
Il think i is tini he'd said Tina.
"lou may go up stairs again. Mamie"
But when the child had left the room.
she was so frightened that she would
have liked to run away herself. She
felt as she had never done before. She
WAS full of a strange tremor, and could
not look up. And in Il few moments
she became conscious that her visitor
was disturbed too. The hand with
which he held hers was unsteady. and
for a little while he did not speak only
stood looking down at her dropping face.
But at last he broke the silence. He
led her to the sofa. and made her sit
down.
will you sit there" said he. land
have patience with me for IL little
while o''
She could not make any pretense at
being calm. OF believing that he was
calm. She said Yes in il low, timid
voice. aud sat still. looking at the pen
eli with which she had been pointing
out notes to her pupil. Theobakd
turned about and began to walk up and
down the loom before her. his hands
clasped behind him. singular excite
ment III his manner.
Tina he said. II have come to
make an appeal to YOU.
TO me - she said. with an innocent
start.
ITO you." he went ON. his voice slIak
ing. And ii is such il prc>umptuouS
appeal that can hardly hope that you
will hear it to the end. have been
passing through Il sort of mental crisis
lately. | have been slowly discovering
that-that my life is worth very little
to me without one thing which you have
taught me to long for. do not know
exactly how it has been that all my life
have somehow or other missed what
usually comes early enough to both men
and women. Perhaps it has been
through some fault of my own. dare
say i( has. hut now the longing has
come. and | can not bear it. | have
been Il man of fancie> and theories. |
have had theories of wrong and right
| have even had IL theory about yOu ::
and it has ended in this way. that YOU.
innocent child. have taught me that
was Il laundering fool. wise only i'll my
own stubborn crutchetS. Nay" turning
round to her. paletlced and humble,
agltatcd beyond measure let me
end. | have not words to tell you how
| have learned all this. Only love
you-I love you - And then that mo-
mcnt he was kneeling at her side. mold
ing her small coul hand. and bending
down to kiss it with Il wondrou> rcNcr-
ence.
Tina. trembling. could only let him
hold and kiss it. The little pencil slip
ped down upon the floor. Was this
herselt-Tina whom the Misses Bilker-
son SIIuhbed. and who had nobody but
Jenny Ackerhury to care for her much
Was this Or. Thcohald. of whom shc
had thought in that sad secret WAY as il
hero. who would forget all about her
because she was not worth remember
ing A wild bliss filled her heart. ami
Il little sob broke from her throhhing
throat.
"Gou are 81 Young" said Theobald.
almost mouIntully. that ii Is 81 hard
for YOU to understand all at once and
do not ask that You will. Only have
thought of it 50 long alone that | could
bear it no longer. and to-day vowed
to myself that | would tell YOU. and ask
you at least to let me try to teach you
to think kindly of me-only that until
y"n are ready. God knows ! would
rather lose my poor life than shock or
wound You. Nil you say that may
come here to see Nou and try ! | will
speak to these people and make them
understand. If you will only say thai
may.
There was Il sound as of IL rustic ii
silk upon the stairway. and Tina heard
il. and knew it WAS Miss BillcrSon com
ing to demand an explanation. The
girGSeN dilated like Il child'>. and she
was palcr than ever: but when she lost. To-
her feet as the door opened. something
Ill her tace-a something new and sweet
ana hrave-told Theohald that he had
not lost his cause.
Il WAS not aware. Tina" said Miss
Bilkerson. grandiy. THAT YOU were en-
tertaining Il visitor
Tina stepped forward.
This is DIR. Theobald. Miss Billler-
son" she said. ''and-and he wishes to
speak to YOU" And with one innocent
speechtul look at her lover, slipped ont
of the room.
He told her atterward what he had
intnnlnl r., tnll h,, Il, . L..