Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-05-18
m1n.;,,ed nom iirss page.I

heV8n 10 lOOk hnAtonSiy ShONNs
soon as she became accus toned to the
dusk. she saw coming toward her, under
the trees. a Young man. She ran hastily
10 him As if fearing that which she had to
saw would be left unsaid, unless she spoke
at once.
II cannot 90 with thee, Antoine, on
" came to say adieu. Oh, forgive me fol
disappointing thee, but cannot 60"
Cannot go.' he exclaimed. stepping
back and looking at her angrily. "Thor
art testing with me. Marie; thou wilt moi
break thy promise" ~
Indeed, ! am not testing. Antoine
dear Antoine. Forgive me. and try still
to thee, and never love, never marry. an
other, but can never go with thee she
said. laying her hand upon his arm
He shook it of impatiently.
B ..Marie, / have risked My life-or my
= liberty. and that is more than lie 10 me
. Ito come here. / have waited day after
day for thee to decide which thou didst
love best. thv mother or me, and now, at
ter keefiY,c me here until thy vanity is
Ssuffic iently battered, thou sendest me away
thou stayeth behind to laugh at me
..Oh, Antoine, how canst thou speak so
cruelye Let me go back to my mother.
Forget the forest and its wild life. Come
back to us. Come back to the church and
proper ways, and soon the dislike of my
parents viii vanish; they will give their
consent to our marriage"
II cannot 20 back to be treated like
forgiven outlaw. Come with me if thou
woultist save my soul. With thee-in an
7 try, 70 1.-Two a thO1
wishest. But if thou forsakest me now, |
will 60 my own way; will live the life
prefer" and Marie's lover stood darkly
regarding her.
Standing together. they formed a pic
ture, Rembrandtesque in its lights and
shades. The girl, in the simple dress OF
her class, with the sunshine OF the mead
ows seeming still to rest in the waves OF
her bright hair, and a broad expanse OF
golden light reaching into the forest after
her. Facing her the hunter stood, pic
turesque at any time in his half-civilized.
half-savage dress, but doubly so now. the
centering point of the deep shadows. lie,
his dress and his manner harmonized with
the forest !; his strong right arm was
throWa impatiently up to keep back
green branch which would have swept
against his handsome face, while his left
hand was exteuded-waiting for the next
word either to grasp or thrust away the
little hard hands she held out to him.
There was no sound except the summer
wind, which was too languid to come far
into the wood, and only stirred the berry
bushes and tall grass which grew along
its edge. Ills eyes never left her face,
save when she turned her head to look
back at the sunny meadow, the little stone
cottage, whose roof she could see, and
the shining river beyond. Then she
turned to her lover again, and to the 81.
lent forest which stretched behind him.
and her eyes dropped to the MOSES and
lichens which grew at his feet, while she
tried to find an answer for him. But she
was too unused to self-decision to find one,
SO she at last only looked up. and, reach
ing out her hands, said with a helpless
sob: 81
"Oh, Antoine"'
He took her hands and said softly:
"Come, Marie.''
IF 90 with thee now, Antoine, when
wilt thou bring me back to my mother ?"
when thou hast made a good man OF
me, Marie, and that will not be long. l
promise thee. For how could be wicked
or reckless when have thee always with
me? Come, Marie. thy mother is good.
she does not need thee; while well, !
have told thee often that without thee l
cannot and will not be good. Thy moth
er will perhaps weep"
"Oh, Antoine, l know how she will
weep for me! know how lonely the long
summer days and the dreary winter days
will be for her without me. and poor baby
Jacques. he will weep for me, too. Oh.
Antoine" and she clung to him as the
tears overfowed her face.
He pressed her bright head close to his
breast. only answering for a time with his
kisses. Then he said:
My own little one, know how thou
lowest thy mother and how much she is
to thee, but cannot | be morep And,
Marie, thy mother does not think so bad
ly of me as all the others do. When she
learns that thou art with me, she will say.
Poor Antoine, he has now some one 10
live for, some one to help him escape from
hell Marie. if 60 away Alone" he con-
tinued, will return to men like myself,
even worse, and then | will have no
strength, while Ii thou art with me-, ith
thy purity and goodness-thou wilt keep
evil spirits away, thou wilt in time teach
me how to become good. and draw me
back TO proper ways And then we will
return and live as thy father and mother
do"
''Ah if l could know all that would come
true. But, Antoine. how will my mother
know what has become of me ?'
II will let her know. Not far from
here At an Indian village is good Pere
Geanteau, and, after he has married US,
will pray him TO write and tell them ALL
land when shall we be married, An
tome ?"
las soon as our feet can carry US to the
priest. Come, come"
but it will soon be dark IN the forest"
said the girl, drawing back.
"Never fear the darkness, know every
foot of the ground between here and the
great lakes. Come, my caring, and when
thou art weary will carry thee"
And, Antoine, thou wilt love me well
enough to keep all thy vowsp"
II swear by everything thou believest
holy that l will and. holding her hand
tightly, he hurried her away.
The last dampness had dried from the
white floor, little Jacques had laid down in