The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-03-21

to me. What, then, condemned me to
80 much pain? Ah, how bitter it is to
find that one has fallen by such sting as
that =
On the 22d l was summoned to La
hill. | said nothing TO Thurman, but
went quickly. l left him writing po.
litical treatise, but with the pallid face
and wasted form of monk who had suf.
fered heightened East. His eyes were
large and excessively bright, and his hand
trembled like a leaf, A. Lahill | was
ushered at once into the office.parlor. The
father and daughter were both there. |
conducted myself with circumspection,
for l perceived that both felt assured
that [ had knowledge of Thurman S
story.
1t appeared that it had been deemed
necessary for mo to go to the western
part Of Ohio to examine personally the
condition Of the grape plantations there
in which the Wallings possessed large in
terests. The season had promised bu;
poorly, and the mortgages were desirous
of obtaining exact information. This
was natural, no doubt, but why was |
sent on this particular year L looked,
perhaps incautiously, at Marion. She
was standing cree. by small table few
yards off, holding between her hands an
ebony whist. counter, which, when turned
gave forth rattle. Her light hair was
brushed high from her white forehead
her head was raised, and her dress, which
was of delicate muslin. was gathered
about her figure in such a way that she
was made to seem taller than she was
Her keen face was turned toward me-
and her clear blue eyes we're fastened
steadfastly upon my face. There is o
manner of delivering look that almost
prizes open the lips, and this look was just
such one, made up my mind that il
was at her suggestion that l was sent tc
foreign parts.
Mr.. Walling gave me numberless in
structions. The whist. counter began tc
rattle. Marion broke in upon her father
saying: ais it not very simple ? If the
grapes will not ripen the farmers must
fail. If We give Mr.. Weymouth discre'
ton we cannot give him advice"
The venerable gentleman bowed his
white head in respect to this plain truth,
and the other glanced at me again, as il
to say, Now speak Of what would have
you"
| declined to do so. | pursued mat.
ters of pure business and kept Thurman
in the background. The whist.countel
began its whirriug third time. arose
to go.
And do you come from town, and
yet fail to bring US the news, sir ?" said
the daughter, flushing with anger, ye'
smiling most sweetly.
What news would please you best
Miss Marion 2"
"Oh, the news that ones ears burn
for. What do the men say about our
dinner to the literati ?"
She tried three times to load me thus
| refused to follow, and | thought at last
that she would catch me by the arm as |
turned away. Her color came and went
like girls and two or three times she
tripped in her speech. | would have
wagered all owned that Marion Wal.
ling had never made two such exhibi
tions Of her anxiety in all her life.
| got into the carriage and rode away
alone. The path to the gate was some
what devious and the day was stormy
two reasons why the driver proceeded
slowly. Just as we reached the last turr
of the drive heard the clatter of the
wicket that opened from the wood path
The carriage stopped. | looked out aut
beheld Marion. She was covered with {
cloak, and she painted heavily for breath
She was drenched with water, and hel
face was pale. She must have ran like ,
deer to have caught us. She came for
ward two or three uncertain steps, ant
then missed her footing.
She stretched out her arm to save her
self, and she caught the rim of the mud
died wheel with her beautiful hand. Sh
drew it back soiled to the wrist. He
hair had fallen over her face, and tn
shock had made her speochless In al
instant she started as if with an electric
shock. The indignity of her position
brought back her dignity. She drew
back like Lightning and cried to the drive
to 90 on. She bent upon me swift lool
Of rage and hautcur, and raised her hea,
and figure to their full height. left he
standing thus in the rain.
Should | tell Thurman of this | owl
that l debated long, and that l was dis
posed to keep the matter to myself. NJ,
sense of justice, however, got tho bette
OF my will, and | presumed that | ha
been but the accidental discoverer of tn
something that belonged to him. There
fore, upon my return to my chambers,
detailed every jot and title of tho tall
and its contingencies, | laid great stres
upon the scene-the scene at the gate
Thurman who was standing, raised hi
hand in a truly grand fashion, and erie
in deep voice. voice that thrills IN
me to this day -
"Too late !"
Then be walked to his table like pal
alytic, and, sitting down, pretended t
write. but never was there a sadder pre-
tense. In moment, he was bent owe
the table convulsed with emotion, o
the next day | proposed that he shoul
travel with me to Ohio.
"Yes," he replied, 81 will 60"
Those were his words, but their sens
was ;-"I will determinedly cut myse
loose from this Internal witchery. &C
guide my hand !"
Our destination was one OF the islanC
in the famous group that lie at tho wes
} ern end of Lake Erie, few miles mort
Of Sandusky City. | was obliged
spend three days among the shore plal
tations before crossing to these island
: and | persuaded Thurman to 90 on befol
me and arrange for quarters at the hot
5 at Middle Bass. Having finished n
5 business, followed in due time. | di
covered, by the way, that the Concol
Grape, which is the staple crop of the
4 farms moo oromino npovonl, ood Al