Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-12-10
,ame for Yourself before I have done> be

name for Yourself before I have done) be
gan we'll in one respect at least he pro-
duced decidedly favorable impression on
the persons attached to my little house
hold.
The women especially admired his beau
tiful light hair, his crisply- curling beard,
his delicate complexion, his clear blue
eyes, and his finely shaped hands and feet
Even the inveterate reserve in his manner,
and the downcast. almost sullen look
which had prejudiced me against him,
aroused common feeling Of romantic en-
thusiasm in my servants hall. 1t was de-
cided, on the high authority Of the house
keeper herself, that "ihe new gentleman
was in love--and, more interesting still,
that he was the victim Of an unhappy at
tachment which had driven him away from
his friends and home.
For myself, l tried hard. and tried vain
lv TO get over my first dislike to tho senior
pupil.
could find no fault with him. All his
habits were quiet and regular; and he de-
voted himself conscentiously to his read
ing But, little by little, became salts
fed that his heart was not in his studies
More than this, had my reasons for suS
pecting that he was conceaing from me.
and that he felt painfully the reserve on
his part which he could not, or dare not,
break through. There were moments
when | almost doubted whether he had not
chosen my remote country recto'y rs Il
safe place OF refuge from some person or
persons of whom he stood in dread
For example, his ordinary course of pro-
ceeding, in the matter of his corlespon-
dcnce, was to say the least OF it. strange.
He received no letters at my house.
They waited for him at the village post
Office. He invariably called for them him
SELF and invariably iorborc 10 trust any al
my servants with his own letters for the
post. Again, when we were out waking
together, | more than ouce caught him
looking furtively over his shoulder. is if
he suspected some person oi following
him. for some evil purpose. Being constl-
tutionally hater OF mysteries, deter
mined at an early stage OF our Intercourse.
on making an effort TO clear matters up.
There might be just q chance OF my win
ming the senior pupils confidence, it /
spoke to him while the last days Of the
summer vacation still LETT Us alone to@cth-
cr IN the house.
Excuse NE for noticing it, | said to
him one morning. while we were engaged
over our books, Il cannot help observing
that you appear to have some trouble on
Your mind l. it indiscreet on my part, to
ask if can be OF any use to YOU,
He changed color--looked up u, me
quickly looked down again at his boots
struggled hard with some secret fear or
secret reluctance that was in hin--and sud-
denly burst ont with this extraordinary
question:
Il suppose you were in earnest when
You preached that sermon in London -
Il am astonishrd that you shoDld doubt
it." replied.
He paused again; struggled viii him
self again and startled me by second
outbreak, even stranger than the first.
Il am one OF the pcople You preached
1t in your sermon, he said. That's he
true reason why asked you 10 take me for
Your pupil. DONE ttun me out. When
YOU talked to your congregation of tor
tured and tempted people, You talked Of
me-
| was so aston>hcd by the confession
that lost my presence OF mind. For the
moment was unable to answer him.
Don't turn me out he repeated.
''Iielp me against myself | am telling
you the trath. As God is my witness,
nm telling youthe truth.
Tell me The whole truth, I said land
rely on my consolng and helping vou-
rely on my being your friend.
LcoNrINUKD TOMORROW.