The Van Buren press., 1877-10-30
/" Has she always been so 7"

'he ho"N' was pit5us anu NiSoiouei
once, but blight came upon it, and since
then it has faded slowly, till it dropped,
as you see it now. 'Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done"
lie said those last words in an almost
naudiblc tone, but caught two or three
words, and was able mentally to fill the
rest.
u can hardly think it was that said
the old rector sadly, but she has faded
away ever since this time, three years
ago, when gentleman of about your
age was down here fishing"
=" The old story" | said bitterly.
No, my friend, no; he was staying
at farm close by, and asked leave to
fish, just as you have. and showed him
a trifc of hospitaitv believe him to
have been gentleman in every sense of
the word, and at times | think he must
have made strange impression upon my
poor child. He was only here for three
days, and we have never seen him since
Perhaps it is only fancy, and my poor
girls ailmont may proceed from other
causes. But come. / will show you the
water.
Leading the way, the old gentleman
took me across the sloping meadows,
and left me at last by as beautiful a trout
stream as | ever saw.
"There," he said. q won't stop, but
if there is no sign Of a rise, come and
have bit of lunch We shall dine at
2, so as to leave you free for the evening,
uh,,, h, trn IN, nf,, ~
Before could utter word of protest
he was gone; and then, with that delic-
ious trout. stream before me, my tackle
in my hand, and the May flies darting up
and down, /. an ardent fisherman, forgot
all, and sat down on an old stump, trying
to bring up old memories-a halffor
gotten story told me by quaint Ralph
barley, my old friend and companion,
who had told me to go and try this wa
ter; old Ralph, the misogynist, the dry.
grumpy old fellow, WHO had told me one
night, in his chambers in the Temple, in
one of his rare oufbursts of confidence,
as we sat at the corner window, smoking,
how he had once seen q girl whom he
loved with all his heart, but poverty,
dread oil refusal, and moral cowardice
had kept him back.
81 have got it," said suddenly. alter
sitting there for quite an hour, and jump
ing up, looked at my watch aud the leaf
OF timetable, Yes, could just do it.
catch the train up. But could ! get by
the reetory unseen
| tried and found another way across
..l 1, IL. 7 Il l.
ing all the haste could, just painted
up to the little station as the up train
crawled in. Two hours later | was in
Ratpn-s room, wnprr iIc was poriug over
u dry brief.
"Hullo!' he said, looking up. 81
thought you were off fishing"
Yes" l said, putting on the gross
decciver; I" | did run down to the place
you told me Of
Indeed !" he said, looking inte rested,
but sinking back, half-closing his eyes,
with sad smile upon his lip, which
seemed to me to say, "Ah if that could
have been.'
fl" Yes,' l continued, "the trout arc on
wonderfully, May flies in abundance l
hadn't the heart, though, to fish alone,
and SO came back to fetch you, without
wetting line. Come, let's start by the
first train in the morning. You make
plenty Of money, now. Have day"
His eyes sparkled, as he grasped my
hand
This is kind of you, old fellow; l
should enjoy 1t above all things and
yes, could spare day, But no--no,"
he said, sadly, " won't 60"
Nonsense p cried, you shall"
No." he sald, " that place is ascocia.
ted with something very depressing to
my mind. | can't go"
my dear Balph," | said, 81 have
come back on purpose to fetch you, and
go you must
My persistence prevailed, and trem-
bling for the success of my plan to such
an extent that lay awake all night for
fear ehould lose tue train, rose and
took my bath at 81 got Ralph Off; and
we ran down by the same train as | had
gone by on the previous morning, my
friend growing more silent and depress-
ed, as we reached the station. and walk
ed towards the rectory.
Its just three years since was down
here" he said, sadly, as we approached
the copse. GLOW sweetly the birds
sing
| maneuvered so that he should go
first, having for an excuse the narrowness
Of the new sprent path; and as hoped
so it fell about, for letting him get few
yards in advance, hung back, as Ralph
turned the corner by the stle, when there
was wild cry, a sharp ejaculation, and
| saw poor Laura literally leap to his
breast and nestle there, exclaiming, " At
last! at last y
"My poor girl !" he cried in faltering
.ones, astonnded, delighted, and ended
by clasping her tightly to him, as she ex.
stained joyously-
1t has been SO long, but l knew you
would come at last"
Here, quick quick '' cried Ralph
9 She has tainted.
1t was quite true; and between us we
,arried the poor girl to the rectory from
whence the gardener went galloping Off
ln the rector's cob for the doctor, three
niles away
But Laura wanted no doctor; and a
short time later left her lying on the
sofa, holding Ralph's hand tightly in
10Th hers, as he knelt by her side, telling
Ter again and again how he had always
owed her but had never dared to hone |