Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-05-20
Rachel Moffatt's Shadow.

Reuben Moffatt and Kezia his wife re
oeived . triplet Of white wedding card
from the hands OF their daughte
Rachel, and fell into serious chat owe
the bits of cardboard. George Reyn
olds, the groom, was discussed will
positive knowledge, gained by acqusin
tance with him from boyhood. Kat
Maurice, the bride, was discussed will
the speculative knowledge that charac
terises remarks concerning stranger
brides.
Rachel Moffatt had left the room Will,
George Reynolds was under discussion
and her mothers careful eye had oh
served that there was surprise, anger
almost tears in the girls face.
II say, Reuben" begun the gooG
mans wife, after Rachel had gone.
eyes," assented Reuben Moffatt, sig
nfying his readiness to hear what hii
wife had to say.
~ want to call your attention to ouI
Rachel"
"You needn't call very loud" was
Reuben MoHatt's answer. "My atten.
tion goes a good deal that way natur-
ally"
"To be sure" answered Kezia Moi.
fatt. Chow could it be otherwise, and
you the father of such q girl as our
Rachel9 I am sure I wonder that a
young man like George Reynolds should
look further than such trim, handsome
girl as Rachel is, and he knows all about
her housekeeping too"
"Look further and fare worse is an
old proverb, you know" rejoined Reu-
ben Mofatt.
"And it's my opinion he's done
worse, and deserves TO do worse," said
Kesia Moffatt, with anger in her eyes
and tones. II am sure I hope Rachel
will get over IL and go to the party"
sect over it," repeated Reuben Moi
fatt. "You don't mean to say that
Rachel - The old man paused and
surveyed his wife critically.
Kezia Moffatt nodded her head affirm
atively.
"Oh, nonsense, Kezia |" exclaimed
the old man. "You feel unpleasant like
because George Reynolds should prefer
any other woman to our Rachel. It's
my opinion that Rachel hadn't thought
Of George Reynold, except -
A shadow fell on the porch, and the
old man suddenly changed the subject of
his remarks.
The shadow that had fallen on the
porch was Rachel Moffatt's. Itfollowed
the young girl across. the green fields
where she walked, magnifying her sun
bonnet into an unshapely thing, and
lengthening her slight figure into ex-
ceedingly lank proportions.
(Which way, Miss Rachel Are you
running away from your shadow 2"
asked young man, stepping out fiom
an oak tree that stood midway in the
field.
Rachel Moffatt gave sidelong glance
at her shadow, and said. with an effort !:
"We can't escape them any more than
we can our thoughts"
"It's lucky for us that they are harm
less things" answered the young man,
with smile. ~ shouldn't think you'd
want to escape your thoughts, Miss
Rachel. I'm sure I shouldn't. And if
you have no objection, I will walk in
your shadow, as you seem to be going
my way"
Rachel Moffatt bowed, but the young
man, glancing into her face, saw that she
accepted his company with resignation.
~ presume you have received George
Reynolds cards 2" said the young man,
after pause.
Yes" Rachel answered, gravely.
" They are very Stylish" she added,
with an effort.
"Miss Maurice is said to be wealthy"
the young man continued.
"Ah" Rachel exclaimed, with curl
of lips that was full of scorn.
With a delicate intuitive sense that
would have done honor to men in finer
clothes and loftier sphere, Walter
Gibbs changed the subject with the re.
mark: 81 have the book of yours that
I borrowed, in my pocket, Miss Rachel.
There were scraps of paper in it and
some bits of faded flowers. I have saved
them all, and return them with the
book"
"Thank you; it did not signify"
Rachel replied, indifferently.
She turned the leaves of the blue and
gilt volume with the uneasy motion of
restless hands, and then dropped from
the gilded leaves the faded flowers.
They were all alike, mere bits of pink
coloring on woody stem-pink not so
deep as the color that glowed on Rachel
Mofatt's cheeks at sight of the flowers.
cit is the Cercis cdnaGensis, or Judas
tree" her companion remarked, picking
up one of the fallen bits and pulling it
"The Judas tree |" echoed Rachel
Moffatt, all her tones full of sco-nful
wonder.
"Yes," the young man said, answer
ing the wonder in her tones. "In the
spring it is a tree of promise, with
all its rugged branches crowded full of
blossoms; but the Llo3soms die, and
there is never fruit or beauty in fulfill
ment of its springtime promise. There
is but one in the village that know OF,
and that is in Squire Reynolds gar
den."
Looking up to see if Rachel Moffatt
the tree, Walter Gibbs be-
came painfully conscious that his re-
mark had dyed her face with telltale
bushes, and the tale they told was about
George Reynolds. Then he remembered
how he had forced his company upon
her, and his conscience smote him when
he thought how his careless words
might have added to the trouble of the
girl he loved. At least she should be
relieved from the annoyance of his 90
ciety, and, with sigh, he remarked: