Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-06-09
LETTY'S PROMISES.

When Laurence Van Everen was about to
sail for the East Indies, he asked Lefty to walk
half an hour in the orchard with him, which
was wreathed and perfumed with fruit BIOS
SONS.
"Ive request to make you, my dear Lefty"
he said . aud I'm half afraid you may think
it a selfish thing to ask indeed, know it is,
but yet, with the renowned selishness of man,
l not only ask, beg it."
what on earth can it be?" said Lefty,
smiling. ''Do you want me to get me to a
nunnery till you return. or to travel to Calcutta
to marry you? Or do you want me to give the
cold shoulder toTom Longworthy, and promise
never to say so much as How do We do?'
to him?" For the gossips had said their say in
Van Everen's ear, when he returned from his
last voyage, to the effect that Longworthy had
taken advantage of his absence to be sweet on
Lefty.
"No Lefty, it is none of these triles," he
answered; "it is something much more
importantto to my happiness"
"You know I will do anything to please
you"
lyon will? Then promise me this thing
solemnly promise that if anything should hap
pen to nae if l should never return, if 1 should
die--promise that you will remain mine forever
that you will never never marry another.
Can you promise this, darling?"
p" "Certlinly. But you will come back-you
must. Why, should die myself if you failed.
There is no need of such promise, but 1 give
all the same. promise soemnly that if You
die willnever marry"
Thanks" said Van Everen, kissing her cheek
with an air of having conferred favor '
have exactly five minutes left in which to say
goodbve. There is great deal called love in
this world which is only propinquitv but one
mustn't call it loving. 50 the poet tells us:
Unless you can love as the angels may,
With the breatd of heaven hetWiXt us
And you think you can, Lefty ?"
I" know it, Perhaps you mean to commit
suicide to test me-"
And then followed a few minutes of tender
nonsense and Van Everen tore himself away
leaving Lefty in tears What a long, long time
it was to look forward to How many storms
would beat along the coast how many suns
would shine, mornings dawn, and evenings
gather to their close, before they met again
In the meantime here was her trousseau to
finish; and she used to sit at it hour by hour,
with her thoughts away on some distant reach
of the Indian seas, except when Tom Long
worthy loitered in to help kill time. Tom was
really comfort to her, in spite of Van Everen's
unreasonable JEALOUSY. He could tell her all
about the long Indian voyage, of cyclones
calms and tradewinds-all about the great
foreign cities to which her lover was bound
with their sunburned natives, their strange
customs their fantastic stuffs, and curious
architecture she felt as if she were there
herself. 1t was some months later that Tom
Longworthy came in with cloud on his face.
You are il p said Lefty, regarding him.
Not at all, thank you only i'll at ease"
'Then YOU have some bad news"
Eyes | have some bad news"
Nothing about Laurence?" she gasped
" hope not"
''You hope not For heavens sake, don't
you know? What is it? Don't think you arc
sparing my feelings You are only cruelty -
The Elying scud"-
81 Has foundered. But there's no certainty
with regard to Laurence he may be among
the saved. Lefty Lefty don't look at me
asif [ had broughtit about would exchange
places with him gladly for your sake would
indeed ~ he cried
She left her needle where the i'll news found
it, and folded away all the wedding garments
And month followed month of anxious fore
boding and one or two old seamen struggled
home to their families, battered and destitute
after many hardships, but they knew nothing
of Van Everen he had not taken the sam'
boat some had been swept away by o wavt
before the ship was abandoned and SO by sat
degrees hope and Laurence Everen were gvel
up.
1t was, perhaps three years and better aftel
the Flying Scud had sailed that Lefty, wear
of declining invitations and of being asked i
she meant to sacrifice herself like a Hndo
their tea in the sunset at the beach, two hours
steaming down the river. She had understood
that there was to be but handful of people
but she found a crowd and sitting on til
sand looking at the delicate sea-shell pink G
the eastern sky above the tossing breakers @
watching the groups of girls making the
table of a sand heap and spreading it wit
daintes from their baskets while other
gathered drift wood and lighted picturesqu
blaze beneath the coffee and clam pots, va
a pleasant change from the monotony of he
days Presently, while she gazed, little boa
with the sunset reddening its sails, "quenche
its speed in the slushy sand, and Tom Lont
worthy threw his anchor ashore.
"Lettyl"
"Tom p r
~ wish you had allowed me to bring yc
down"
~ wish had y and then they fell to speal
ing of the moon-led tides, about great storm
and wrecks
''Do you know, she confessed, "their dri
wood fire chis me. How do / know but it
bit of the spar poor Laurence clung top
They are having supper" said Lon
worthy, turning away. "Let me bring yC
something. We have been too gloomy"
"No; when | am gloomy. am in no dang
of forgetting. Don't you remember Anderson
story of the poor old maid who used the brok,
half of bottle picked mp on the beach for
canary's drinking vessel, when it was bit
the very bottle to which her lost lover had i
truted a tender farewell?"
"You don't mean to be an old maid, Lefty
"I2 The day of my destiny'ssever. He
gho stly the lighthouse looks used to thi
l sh )uld liketo live in one, once-especially
stormy weather."
"They will be lighting up presently we W
pay them visit if you please" And VIII
they climbed the lighthouse tower, and saw t
fishing feet standing out to sea, and watch
the keeper light his lamps, while he told the
against the windows, of ships he had seen
to pieces in the storm, of the times he h
put out his boat to the rescue, and his W
keeping the lights bright alone amidst t
gale, their friends were gathering up the fri
ments and steaming homeward, each think
that Lefty was with the other. When T,