The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-06-07

Hawkins was considering herself when
tea.time came. and she was quite willing
70 hurry back into the parlor while hsr
ready handed step mother supervised
their solitary help IN putting away The
tea things
BY The time poor Bin Emmons made
bis appearance, after bis long days
drudgery In the one law Office Of the
villsge, where be was the junior, and
therefore perhaps The working partner
by that time barbara was ready, civily
as she received him, lo wish be would
postpone bis call until she could receive
him in so much better style. Aud vet
that night, Of all nights, the young law
yer had made up bis mind to pat his fate
to The test, and win or lose il all.
Not bAd fellow was Bill, and be had
more than once reflected how charming.
ly convenient was the location o: the
Hawkins homestead, and what tremen-
dous liit the possession OF that aud the
productive little farm belonging thereto
would give 10 a struggling young lawyer
ike himself The fact that he was over
head and ears in love with Barbara made
the whole affair absolutely beautiful.
Sad was the trial to bis impatient feel.
ings, therefore, when all the eloquenee of
which he was master--and he had long
considered himself master OF the situa-
ton as ell-only resulted In obtaining
for him promise from Barbara that she
would consult her step mother.
There may or there may not have been
any cause for surprise, but they way OF
Il had been this: No sooner were the
tea things out of the way than Mrs.
Hawkins remembered an errand she bad
in the village, and had slipped quietly
out 10 perform II. Nor would so simple
matter have taken two long hours, but
just as the widow was stepping across
the little foot bridge at the brook, the
form OF tall, broad-shouldered, vigorous
man of, say thirly-five summers, stood
before her, and a deep voice remarked:
Right about face, please. want bit
Of talk with you, and there'd he no
chance for II at the house.
Not word said tho widow, as Dan
Grover drew her arm in his, but she
thought, If he wants to speak of Barbara
he's right for Bill Emmous must be there
by this tune. What fool she is! lie
don't begin TO compare with Dan.
II must be confessed, however, that II
seemed wonderfully pleasant, even when
Dan turned up the shadowY lane toward
the grove, and when he seemed disposed
to put Off bis express business and 10 talk
of his farm aud the honse, and at last of
himself.
have everything around ine fixed as
nicely as |, could ask for, he remarked, at
but ! grow lonelier every day.
The tact is, I've determined 10 have
wife, if | can get the one ] want; but
there's only one in all the wide world.
I'd be Ionelier than am now with any
other.
Why don't you speak to her, thenf said
the widow, with half choked feeling In
her throat. She's a very sensible girl,
but don't think it would be right for me
to try to influence her, believe | wo-
man has no right to marry without low
ing.
Quick as lightning-very different from
Dams ordinary calm, slow style-was his
responsive query: Have you always been
Of that opinion? Have You acted on It?
The plump soft hand on his arm was
jerkcd away in an instant, and Barbara's
step mother was almost sobbing with
angry and wounded feeling, as she step
ped back from him, exclaming, How dare
you What have you to do with that I!
ASK Barbara for her secrets, il you viii.
Mine are my own,
Exactly, responded the steady minded
Dan, but his voice was shaking now in
spite Of his seli.control You have told
me part of your secret, Marian Hawkins,
" hether you meant TO or not. knew
you could never have loved him. Now
| will tell you niue. You ale the one
woman without whom ! nust forever be
lonely. You have been only too faithful
10 Barbara, or you woaid have seen il be-
fore.
Rapid, earnest, passi0nately, grew The
strong mans words a. lie uttered them,
and he closed With sudden forward
movement. Before the widow knew il,
Dams arms were around Der. and even
her tears betrayed her.
II was toe late for any thing but TO LEI
Dan have bis own way. Such wilfal
fellow be was too. And when at last the
widow insisted on going homeward, their
arrival at the gate was signalized by just
such another theft as be had perpetrated
twenty times already, for Barbars's ex-
clamaliou had been simply, Kissed her!
Never was lamp lit so quickly in all
the world before but, between the find
ing aud the scratching Of the match, Bill
Emmons managed to ssy-for be was a
fellow Of excellent mind Perhaps, Bar
bars, that may remove some Of our diff
calties.
Aud Barbara made no reply; but
when Dan and the widow came into the
parlor, IL was not easy to say which Of
the two women was blashing most vio-
lentiy.
LIS all right, Bill, remarked Dan. ]
don't know that any explanations are
repaired You hsve our entire consent.
The visions Of the newly painted house
lad fsded frnro fhe mind af Rarhsrs