Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-27

When Laurence Van Everen was about 10
sail for the East Indies, he asked Lefty 10
walk half an hour in the orchard with him.
which was wreathed and perfumed with
fruit blossoms.
"I've request to make you, my dear
Letty," ne said "and I'm half afraid you
may think it a selfish thing to ask indeed
knoc it is, but yet, with the renowned
selfshness of man, 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 Cal
cutta to marry you ?"
"No, Lefty, it is none of these trifes," he
answered; ait is something much more i'm
portant to my happiness"
" You know ] will do anything to please
you"
"You Wilt Then promise me this thing
-solemny promise that if anything should
happen to me, if should never return, il !
should die-promise that you will remain
mine forever-that you will never, never
marry another. Can you promise this, dar-
lingW
"Certainly. But you wiH come back-you
must. Why, | should die myself if you
failed There is no need of such a promise.
but give it all the same. Ipromise sol.
emuly that if you die will never marry"
"Thanks," said Van Everen, kissing her
cheek with an air of having conferred a
favor {" | have exactly FIVE minutes left in
which to say good-by. There is great deal
called love in this world which is only pro
pinquity but one mustn't call it loving, so
the poet tells us,
Unless you can love as the angels may,
With the breadth Of heaven betwixt US
And YOU think YOU can, Lefty ?"
al know it. Perhaps you mean to COM
init suicide in order to test me-"
Aud then followed a few minutes of tender
nonsense. and Van Everen tore himself
away. leaving Lefty in tears. What 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 mean time 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 Longworthy oitered in
to help kill time. One morning he brought
her letter, which sailor who had spoken
the Fiyinq Scud. two months out, had in.
trusted to him, and he looked out the win
dow while she read it. whistliug 'The long,
lOnu, weary uaN, SOItlN. III was some
months later that Tom Longworthy came in
with cloud on his face.
You are i'll ?" said Lefty. regarding him.
:" Not at ALL thank YOU; only i'll at ease"
"Then Won have some bad news"
"Yes. Ibaye some bad news"
"Nothiup about Laurence 2" she easped.
al hope not"
"Yon hone mott For heavens sake. don't
Won knop? What is it? Don't think YOU
are sparinp INV feelings. You are only
cruellv-"
=. The Eb,;no Scud-"
ais lost :"
Has fonndered. Bnt there's no certainty
with regard To Lawrence: he NAV be among
the saved Lefty LEFTY don't look at me
az If ! had brought il about. | would ex-
change nlaces with him gladly for vour sake;
/ wonld indeed =, he cried.
She left her needle where the i'll news
fonnd IL and folded away all the wedding
yarments And month followed month of
anxions forebodinp and one or two old
seamen stragoled home 10 their families
battered and destitute after many hard
sh;ns but tbev knew nothing of Van Eyeren
ne had not taken to the Same boat some
had been swent away nv n wave before the
hin was abandoned. and so bv sad degree,
| hone and Laurence Van Everen were given
nm Rutthough the object that made existenct
| or,cious has haan r,1d.lv form from, us vol
| a,a oo forward ,yitb the drama narforce
And so IL was with Lofty. Daily life wa,
100 avactiug, she could not sit down anC
mo bar ,,rief and look at il in every lioht
,nd discEss il in all its hearings. she wa,
atI;a,d 10 dr,, har tar and asrn bar broad
| rh, ra;l,oad stock in which har small for
tuna was Invested had suddenly declarec
aTrainst div;dends Sba could not narmi
ns.rsalf IN share the crumbs that fell from
her uncIa's tahla and which thev conld il
,fford m snare even had denendence bee,
s,yast pnaI;tv il was mayer known I,
nossess Thus in her dreamy routine o
| 1rndgarv Tom Iongworthv's Kindness an,
OCCASIONAL visits constituted her variety. /
sba fonud a bnrcb of the earliest Nav
aowsrs on her desk. She knew who left then
rbere. IL Chr;stmas hrongbt her an anony
mons Gift She wa, none The less certain o
,La river IL her birtbdavs and anniversa
ries were remembered. whose thougbtfulnes
cnnld IL he hut Toms > II vas merriam.
three Years and better after the Flyino Sen
had sailed that Lefty, weary of declining in
Citations and of beinp asked if she meant Z
.acri6ce herself like a Hiudoo widow. ioine
marty of friends going N take their lea il
rhe sunset at the beach. two hours steam
ino down the river. She had understoo
that tber. were to be but a handful of pee
nle bnt She found crowd; and sitting O
the sand. looking at the delicate sea-she
ninL Of ,be eastern skv above the tossin
rreaLsrs or watching In. prouns of girI
msLing their table of a sand.6eap and spreae
;ng in with dainties from their basket,
w6ile others gathered drift.wood and liphte
nictnraSnne blaze beneath the oofftr an
clam nots was a pleasant change from N
monotony of her days. Presently. Will
.he pozed. A little boat. with IN. suns,
r4ddsning its sails. " ouenehed its speed i
the sIns6y sand" and Tom Longworth
threw his anchor ashore.
"Tattv p
"Ton ="
al wish Won had allowed Inc To bring yo
Iown L"
81 wish I had =" and then they fell
sneaking of the moon.led tides. about gres
storns aud wrecks
"Do Won know" she confessed. the
IIft-,vood fire cbiils me How do kno
INF il il a hit of the spar moor Laurene
,.Inng IN ?"
aTbev are having sumner" said Lon,
worthy. turning away. "Let me bring va
! something. We have been too gloomy"
"No; when | am gloomy, [ am in 4
} hangar of forgettinp. Onn't Won rememb,
And.rsen,s storv of the moor old maid wi
E nsed the broken half of n hottie nicked n
= nm the h.acb for her eanary's drinking We
sal yvheu il was a hit of the very bottle