The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-08-01
THE ETE or ST. JOHN.

It was q warm June day. The sun
was already halfway down his west
ern slope, moving laZily, as il weary
with the long march Of the summer
sOlstice. A gauZy maze veiled with
out Obscuring bis brlghtness, and lent
a dreamy charm to the scene below.
Soft rolling hills a stream winding
between green WillOWy shores seen
far away, broad blue river, and the
spires and roofs of a town F; these
were the outlines Of the landscape,
In the cool piazza of tho white farm
house, her home for half n century,
stood my grandmother, smile on her
placid face, and her mild eyes drink.
| ing in the serene beauty OF the scene.
Alice and 1 came flying down the hall
staircase and stood beside her.
"GOOd-by, grandnamma," cried
my sister, 1--WE are going to leave you
for little while"
"Must you go to-day, my deaFs !?
The horses are away, and 1t Is a long
walk to s.. Why not wait till to-
morrow ?"
"YOu forget" said, "that Frank
comes tomorrow and we shall be so
busy with packing, and all the last
things. And it is only two miles TO
town, after all"
al suppose you must go, dear but
it is long walk for Alice in this hot
sum-" grandmamma added, glancinR
/ from my gray walking-dres5 to my
sisters cloudy muslin and slippers.
"Oh, am not going, grandma /
shall only walk with Charlotte down
to the thOrn-trees to take that sketch
/ have promised you so long. We
shall both be back early 20 spend a
long evening with you. This is my
birth-night, you knOw-just think I
am 19-and want you to make a
| festival Of it."
"Bs sure we will. And gOOd-by,
now, my children, fOr you have no
time to spare"
green path which wound its way
across the fields TO the brook. Fol-
| lowing this for some distance, we
came to a rude wooden bridge, by
which we gained the other shore; and
soon a sharp bend in the stream
brought us 10 tho thorn trOoS of which
Alice had spoken. A miniature
prOmontOry, covered with the sOftest
and most Velvety turf, was washed on
two sides by the waters o. the brook,
while the third was guarded by
/ semi-circular Line of gnarled and
| twisted thorn-trees. A belt Of similar
| trees upon the opposite shore rendered
the seclusiOn of the place perfect. 1t
was q spot which Titanis might have
chosen for her court, so still, so secret,
and so green. Through q partial
/ T., TzTh n
| lovely bit of scenery, a Eketch Of
which Alice, who draws with rare
skill and fidelity, proposed to take in
my absence. Seated here on the
warm grass, the stream murmuring at
her feet, and the leaves iluttering
over her, left her to her pleasant
task and regsining in a few mo-
ments more the frequent path, took
my way by the long yellow high-rOad
TO the distant town.
Alice and 1 had been spending some
months with our grandmother, and
were TO leave in few days for our
home in Philadelphia. Our own
mother was dead and the warm
hearted, though rather gay and FASH
/ iOnable, step-mOther who had taken
her place, did not come so near to our
hearts as did the gentle old lady at
the farm. A part Of every year we
spent with the latter, always leaving
her with regret. l should mention
/ that my step-mOther had 3 son, the
/ fruit of a former marriage, who had
been absent several years in India,
and at this time had just returned.
As we had no brother of our own,
Frank Baldwin, who was few years
older than I, had filed nearly broth
er's place to Alice and myself. He
was now to be our escort home, as our
father was prevented by some busi-
ness from coming for US himself.
This afternoon / had to make some
/ trifling purchases at the shops, and
pay a few parting visits OF friendship
or ceremony. We had many pleas
ant friends in s., and the farewell
| calls consumed so much time that o
O'Clock was ringing from all the steep
les before / was able TO leave the town
and turn my steps toward home, But
the way, though lonely, was safe !;
and l enjoyed the quiet walk in the
evening air. 1t must have been near
/ Iy 10 o'clock when reached the gate
which communicated with the foot
path across the fields. OF course /
/ had no Idea Of meeting Alice at that
hour for though she had promised
to wait for ME, it was i'm the eXpec-
tatinn that my return would be much
earlier, Vet when / came to the turn
of the path leading TO the thorn trees
my steps half invOluntarily took that
direction.
Walking on slowly, l had reached
1
point where, hours before, had left
my sister, when | was startled by
perceiving what seemed in the uncer-
tain starlight TO be her figure reclin-
ing on the grass under the thorn
trees. InvOluntarily I passed, half in
doubt, half in fear. At that moment
there came from far away in the
south the first low breath OF the night
wind signing across the fields and
stirring the stiff leaves of the old
thorns with = sound as OF inuumer-
able airy footsteps. With a sudden
thrill, as if l had been conscious of
some Invisible presence, called her
name, but in low, frightened voice.
There was no answer and spTinging
forward, knelt beside the figure OF
my sister, lying fast asleep upon the
grass. Her flushed cheek rested on
her long, white arm, and smile like
that of dreaming infancy parted her
beautiful lips. Lifting the long hair,
ON which the right dew glistened,
took her hand, eXclsiming Alice
Alice Vane what are you thinking
OF, asleep in this damp night air ?'
Slowly she opened her eyes and
gazed around with a bewildered eX'
preston.
dear Alice, do arouse yourself"
cried, ''It is half past 10 O'Clock, and
grandma will be crazy.D
She Obeyed the movement Of my
hand, sat up, and allowed me 10 Wrap
my shawl about her. 1 gathered hei
scattered drawing materials, and
again begged her to rouse herself
and 20 home.
"Yes, we will 60" she said, "but ]
have been dreaming so long. 1 car
scarcely find the boundary line be
tween my dreams and reality"
"Wnat were you dreaming OF ?'
"Oh, so many things / must have
been sleeping q long time, for thl
last can remember the sun was set
ting, and I thought you would sOoI
e be here. / was awake then, l an
sure II. All at once there came {
sound from far up the glen, a faint
D sweet strain Of music. Then l dis
tlnguished voices singing, and pres
emily I was surrounded by q crowd o