The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-01-11

murmur of the sunlit sea, as it broke
upon the fine single three hundred feet
below. There was soft rustic, too,
among the leaves around the window,
and-and l remember it SO well-the
pale pink petals of rose kept falling
slowly, futtering down like the withered
hopes of my past sad life, as [ struggled
hard for the calmness that should ena-
BILE me to speak.
There was no other man living to
whom could have made this confession,
and not even TO him an hour before !;
but, after the way in which he had barred
the secrets of his own heart to my gaze,
a bond of sympathy seemed to have
joined us, and something within me
forced me to speak agitatedly at first.
but with growing calmness, that was
even piteous to nae, as seemed to listen
to my own words, and once more grieved
over my sorrows as if they had been
those of another.
"Ten years ago." said, when Twas
in my 18th year, mamma in her widow
hood and sorrow took the quiet cottage
by the sea, to end her days in calmness
and repose."
eyes," he said, ST know, and she
died two years ago, beloved by all. !"
This in q tone of sympathy that seemed
to give me strength.
"When we first came, we found that
there were frequent mistakes made, for
at the great house there was another
family named Denison, and little con-
fusions arose about our letters"
eyes, have heard of them, he said,
pleasantly. 81 nave studied up the
past history of the village. They were
very wealthy, and there was beautiful
daughter, an heiress."
'Yes," said, "you are quite right,
she was very beautiful and very rich.
She used to call on me, and we were
very friendly, for she was not spoiled
by her position, and would have been
my inseparable companion but for the
duties owed to mamma.
GAS it was, we used to sit for hours
in the hooks of the cliff, reading, or she
would spend her evenings at the cot
tage, till Mr.. Denison fetched her him
self, and playfully bantered me, telling
me how jealous he was of her affection
for the cottage and its occupants.
"Those were very bright and happy
days, and the isle seemed to us both
very Eden, though it is as beauteous
now as it was then. But our dream was
to be broken, for, in consequence of
Mr.. Denison's failing health, their med
ical men ordered change to a more
bracing atmosphere, and the family left
to spend few months in Scotland.
son the morning when I parted from
Julia, I was so low-spirited that it was
hard work to keep back my tears but
J fought with my folly, and getting the
better OF my trouble took some work
and a book to go along the cliff path, and
sit In one Of our favorite hooks far above
the sea.
1t was dangerous place, inasmuch
as the way was along a narrow sheep
track, and the slope down to the beach
was very steep but we were so accus-
toned to the giddy cliffs that the idea
of danger never crossed our minds any
more than it did those of the village
children, who would run along the
edges Or scramble down the rock-face
where there seemed hardly foothold for
goat.
"I suppose I must have been there
about two hours, not reading or work.
ing, but thinking of how long the time
would be before Julia Denison returned,
and there I sat watching the passing
vessels far out on the blue water where
it seemed to melt into the sky.
My musing came to sudden end,
for l felt that it was neglectful of me to
stay away SO long, and I began to hurry
back.
"To reach the road above, after
climbing a zig-zag path, had to pass
round bold bluff of chalky rock which
projected from the cliff, and efectually
concealed the path on the other side.
" 1 was SO used to the path that al
most ran round, when to my horrer and
astonishment came roughly in contact
with a gentleman walking in the oppo-
site direction.
a." | hardly know how it occurred, but
partly from the collision, partly in con-
sequence of my hasty step back, my
foot slipped over the edge of the path,
the crumbling stones gave way, and I
fell.
:" It would have been no very terrible
fall, only severe scratching and
sprain, for the cliff there was only
steep slope; hut I was saved by the gen
tleman catching my wrist, and, at the
expense of severe wrench, dragging
me back to the path; and before I could
recover from the surprise and the sick,
faint feeling that came over me, he was
carrying me along the path to grassy
slope, where he tenderly laid me down,
and poured between my lips few drops
of spirits from flask.
"'Lie STILL he said, in a low. sympa-
thetic voice. THANK Heaven, my poor
child, you are safe Z
" There was such tone of command |
in his voice. and he seemed to imply that
had been saved from such terrible |
danger, that in my weak state accepted
1t all, and with girls romantic folly