St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-08-17

under my gaze, the lids fell, and a color
like that of wild blush-rose crept over
the cheek and mounted almost to the
soft loosely curling rings of chestnut
hair on the white forehead, and fell
again.
81 don't know how to express my re-
grets," 1 said.
"Oh, please don't think of it, she
answered, 81 will telegraph to have
another pair sent to Waterway. They
will reach there as soon as shall, for 1
found myself on the wrong train, and
there is no other that makes the con-
nection to-day"
"That is exactly my case" said /.
"And the wedding feast to which [ am
hidden takes place Tomorrow"
"Why, so does mine," said she laugh
ing, and giving me quick, curious
glance. ~ wonder"
81 WONDER" said 1, eff you are my
cousin Marcia's cousin Rose 2"
"And then you are my cousin Marcia's
cousin Ferguson ?"
"Allan Ferguson, at your SERVICE"
said l.
''Do you know" she said, slyly, and
colOring again in the same charming
way, 81 thought it must be you-for l
have seen your photograph"
''NOphOtOgraph would look like you,"
l said and then, as she half drew back
FASTENED to ask for her luggage.
"Oh, DR.. Wilder took that for me
yesterday" she answered. ''He is our
old rector, you know"
81 know he is mine"
"Yours why, you don't belong in
Brentford 7"
81 belong in his parish, wherever it
isl
CHOW very pleasant! WE'LL" she end
ed, with sigh, II wish he had taken
me, too, for | don't see but that l may
as well go home, the wedding will be
over before | can get there"
81 don't know about that" said l.
''The world went on before there were
railways, and there are plenty of 'cross-
country roads left. And if there is Il
team to be had in this village
''Oh, | don't think it would do" she
interrupted, shrinkingly.
''Not do ?" | said. 'Pray, why not /?
All, you are doubtful concerning the
proprieties. Perhaps my credentials are
L
name on my umbrella. But as that
may be stolen, here it is again on my
wallet; there is letter addressed to
me-Mr. Allan Ferguson"
"Oh, l know you are Allan Fergu-
son." she said. "Marcia showed me
your picture. | have always known all
about you. But"
"But your cousin Marcia's cousin
Ferguson is not sufficient escort" said L.
"You-you mustn't be offended" she
cried. "Indeed, it is very kind. l
am extremely obliged. -but-Dr.
Wilder-Mrs. Burbank. Oh, it disap-
points me dreadfully, but"
But we are all fools once in our lives.
And here was Allan Ferguson infatuat-
ed at one glance, in one instant, over a
pretty face, sweet voice, blushing
cheek, shining eye-oveT another
mans bride, another mans wife, for
aught he knew; for who keeps the run
of his cousins cousins lives? Not so ;
that virginal glance, that dewy lip-the
dew of the morning was on them yet.
Instinct is as good as knowledge. 'You
shall not be disappointed | don't in
tend to be myself" And in two minutes
more the telegraph instrument was
clicking for a special engine for Water
way. 1t was getting to be very ex-
pensive umbrella.
Before | had fairly explained to the
little Rose what we were to do, an en-
gine came laundering back from the
Junction, took us aboard, ran up, and
shifted; and an hour of ground and
lofty tumbling in that jumping cab
af 10 +on
the truth, | felt that my handsome
treasury-note but cheaply purchased
the pleasure of seeing this little Rose in
the white silk and shining veil and blue
forget-me-nOts that all of Marcia's bride
maids wore next day. l myself was Il
grOomsman but what are groOmsmen
mere punctuation points, marks of eX-
clamation, lines of shadow, behind the
glory and the grace of wedding gar
ments. Personally less than that, | was
cipher, had no existence, was
mere mote in the air before this being
to whose revelation on this day the
whole universe had creation Only
once was | conscious of my identity,
when, sudden sleety shower falling
just as the bridal party left the church,
| bethought me of my silk umbrella
and had not brought it with me. And
while | was hesitatiug if | might, some
caitiff had lifted her in his arms, and
hidden her and her finery in the coach,
and left me to drive back with another
bridemaid, creature of common clay.
spent fortnight and more with my
auntin-law after the bride and groom
had gone, and DR.. Wilder and little
Rose and some others staid, too, to
break the edge of the first lonesOmeness
for the good lady, who, however, want
ed none of us in reality but it was
Marcia's arrangement. The doctor pro-
longed his visit, and we left little Rose
there with him, and a lame ankle.
What time it was in the clear, brac-
ing December weather all life seemed
mere frOlic; and sleighing and skat-
ing, singing and dancing, watching the
high heavens of stars, sitting in the
twilight by the fire, up to see winter
sunrises-we forgot it was ever going
to stop. passed through it in a state
of eXhilaratiOn amounting to light-head-
edness. | have since understood that
my behavior at the time was credit to
me. But an intoxicated man has as
much remembrance of himself as | have
of exactly what [ did on any fixed mo-
ment of those II days. lived inside a
gigantic bubble full of sweet colors,
sweet tones, sweet smiles, which only
broke and dissolved into worthless, life
less air when | found myself tramping
over the fields in driving rain to my
pigsties, without my umbrella, which
l had left at Waterway.
of course for some days l was in all
the flatness of that despair in which
people are apt to find themselves after