Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-10-25

New Series-Vol. 17-No IL

lowed by her mother.
"Poor girl :" l said involuntarily, and theI
started vexed at my indiscretion, for th'
rector laid his hand upon my arm, sayine
softly,
''Thank you,"
He looked at me, as interpreted it, as il
he would like to be questioned, and / ventured
| to say:
'Has she been always so?"
mo, no." said the old man sadly; the
flower was bright and vigorous once, but q
blight came upon il, and since then it has
faded slowly till it dropped as you see it now.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
He said those last words in an almost maud.
ib,e tone, but caught two or three and was
able mentally to fill the rest.
81 can hardly think 1t was that" said the
old rector sadly, ''but she has faded away ever
since this time three years ago, when gentle
man of about your age was down here fishing. y
''The old story" 1 said, bitterly.
''No, my friend, no; he was staying at lit
tie farm close by, and asked leave to fish, just
as you have, and showed him a trifle of hos
pitality. believe him to have been gentle
man in every sense of the word, and at times
think be must have made strange impression
on my poor child. He was only here for three
days, and we have never seen him since. Per-
haps it Is only fancy, and my poor girls all
ment 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 al
last by as beautiful a trout stream as l ever
saw.
"There," he said, 81 won't stop. but if
there is no sign of rise come and have bit
of lunch. We shall dine at Q, so as to leave
you free for the evening, when the trout are
sure to come on"
Before could utter q VOID Of protest he
was gone; and then, with that delicious trout
stream before me, my tackle in my hand, and
the May flies darting up and down, ], an ar
dent fisherman, forgot all, and sat down upon
an old stump, trying to bring up old memories
"a half-forgotten story told me by quaint
Ralph barley, my old friend and companion,
who had told me to go and try this water; old
Ralph, the mysogynist, the dry, grumpy, old
fellnw, who had told me one night in his
chambers in the Temple, in one of his rare
bursts of confidence, as we sat at the open
window smoking, how he had once seen girl
whom he could have loved with all his heart,
but poverty, dread of refusal and moral cow
ardice had kept him back.
81 have got it!'' l said suddenly, after sit
ting there for quite an hour, and jumping up
looked at my watch and the leaf of time
table. Yes, could just do it-catch the train
up. But could l get by the rectory unseen?
tried and found another way across to the
lane by which came; and making all the haste
I could, just painted up to the little station as
the up-train crawled in. Two hours later
was in Ralph's room, where he was poring over
a dry brief.
''HulloI" he said, looking up. 81 thought
you were off fshing?"
''Yes," said putting on the gross deceiver;
81 did run down to the place you told me of. !"
"Indeed!" he said, looking interested, 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"
''Yes," continued, ''the trout are on won
derfully, May flies in abundance. hadn't the
heart, though, to fish alone, and 30 came
back to fetch you, without wetting line
Come, let's start by the first train in the morn
ing. You make plenty of money now. Have
a day."
His eyes sparkled as he grasped my hand.
''This is kind of you, old fellow; 1 should
enjoy it above all things, and-yes, I could
spare day. But no-no," he said sadly, 81
won't 60"
'Nonsensel" 1 cried, ''you shall"
"No," he said, ''that place is associated with
very depressing to my mind. i
can't CO."
''My dear Ralph" 1 said, 81 have come
back on purpose to fetch you, and 60 you
must"
NY persistence prevailed, and trembling for
the success of my plan to such an extent that
lay awake all night for fear should miss the
train, rose and took my bath at 4; got Ralph
off; and we ran down by the same train as l
had gone by on the previous morning, my
friend growing more silent and depressed as
we reached the station and walked towards the
rectory.
''It's just three years since was down here, "
he said sadly, as we approached the copse.-l
"How sweetly the birds sing"
unanswered so that he should go first, hav-
ing for excuse, the narrowness of the new-sprent
path: and as / hoped so it fell about, for, let
ting him get few yards in advance, l hung
back as Ralph turned the corner by the stile,
when there was wild cry, sharp ejacula- |
ton, and l saw poor Laura literally leap to his
breast and nestle there, exclaiming, cat last
at last ~
"My poor GIRL" he cried in faltering tones; |
delighted, and ended by clasping
her tightly to him, as she exclaimed joyously-I
''It has been so long, bu: l knew you would
come at last"
"Here, qulckI quick!" cried Ralph, ''she
has tainted"
1t was quite true, and between us we carried
the poor girl to the rectory, from whence the
gardener went galloping off on the rector's cob
for the doctor, three miles away.
But Laura wanted no doctor; and a short
time later left her lying on the sofa, holding
Ralphs hand tightly in both of hers. as LIE
Nnelt by her side, telling her again and again
how he had always loved her, but had never
dared to hope-words that made her eyes
brighten and her heart palpitate with Joy.
Sand this is why you didn't come back yes
terday?" said the old gentleman, with his voice
shaking as he clung to my hand.
"And we-we-we kept the ducks till they
we're quite spoiled" sobbed the old lady. ''OhI
dear, oh dearl don't know what I'm saying,
only God bless you for thisl God bless you
for thisl" and she threw her arms round my
neck and kissed me as if had been her son.
ran away at last, l felt so ready to act like