The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-01-29

come out to the door, and was stand
ing there petrifed, staring like the
rest Of us. She looked round vaguely.
as if asking aid from the world in gen
eral. And whether her impetuous old
lover took her hand and drew it with
in his arm, or if she accepted his arm,
L cannot say. But the next thing of
which we were aware was that they
passed US, the two together, arm in
arm into the drawing-room. He had
noted the open door with his quick
eye, and there he led her trembling
past US. Next moment it closed upon
the momentous interview, and the
chief actors in this strange scene dis
appeared. We were left all gazing at
each other-Sophy and | at one side
of the hall, Mrs st. Clair on the stairs,
where she stood as if turned to stone,
her cloak fallen from her arm; and
the General at the door of his room
with face like a thunder-cloud, black
and terrible. We stared at each other
speechless, the central object at which
we had all been gazing withdrawn
suddenly from US. There were some
servants also Of the party, Simms
standing over Miss Stamford's box.
the address Of which he affected to be
scanning, and the cabman scratching
his head. We all looked at each other
with ludicrous blank faces. 1t was
the General who was the first to speak.
He took no notice of us. He stepped
out from his door into the middle of
the hall, and pointed imperiously to
the box. 'Take all that folly away"
he said harshly, and with another long
step strobe out of the house and dis
appeared.
He did not come back till late that
ight, when all thoughts of the trains
had long departed from everybodys
head. Before that time need | say it
was all settled? | had always been
doubtful myself about Ursula. She
had been afraid of making a joke of
herself by a late marriage She had
shrunk, perhaps, too, at her time of
life from all the novelty and the
change; but even at fifty-seven a wo-
man retains her imagination, and it
had been captivated in spite of her
self by the bit Of strange romance
thus oddly introduced into her life.
Is any one ever old enough to be in
sensible to the pleasure of being
singled out and pursued with some
thing that looked like real passion?
| do not suppose so; Ursula had been
alarmed by the softening of her own
feelings; she had been remorseful and
conscience-stricken about her secret
treachery to her brother. In short, [
had felt all along that she must have
had very little confidence in herself
when she was driven to the expedient
of running away.
They would not let me go, though
[ felt myself out of place at such
moment, so that [ had my share in
the excitement as | had in the sus-
pense And after all the struggle and
the suspense it is inconceivable how
easy and natural the settlement of the
matter seemed, and what a relief it
was that it should be decided.
AS soon as the first commotion was
over, Mrs. ST. Clair came to me, took
my hands in hers and led me out by
the open window. "Georger' she said
to me with little gasp. "What shall
we do about George? How will HE
take it? and if he comes in upon us all
without any preparation, what will
happen? / don't know what to do?"
He must know what has happen
ed, said /; ''he saw there was only
one thing that could happen. He
must know what he has to expect"
Mrs. ST. Clair clasped her hands to-
gether. What with the excitement
and the pleasure and the pain the tears
stood in her eyes. Ursula was always
his favorite sister" she said; 'how will
he take it? and where is he? wander
ing about, making himself wretched
this melancholy night"
1t was not in reality melancholy
night. 1t was dark, and the color had
gone out Of the sky, which looked of
deep wintry blue between the black
tree-tops which swayed in the wind.
Mrs. St. Clair shivered little, partly
from the contrast with the bright
room inside, partly from anxiety.
Where can he be? where can he be
wandering?" she said. We had both
the same idea-that he must have
gone into the woods and be wandering
about there in wild resentment and
distress. "And we must not stay out
here, or Mr.. Oakley will think some
thing is wrong, and Ursula will be un-
happy" she said, with a sigh.
1t was then | proposed that | should
stay outside to break the news to the
General when he appeared proposal
which after while Mrs. St. Clair was
compelled to accept, though she pro-
tested-for after all my absence would
not be remarked; and it was easy to
say that had gone home, as l meant
to do But | cannot say that the post
was pleasant one | walked about
for some time in front of the house,
and then | came and sat down in the
porch "for company" There was
nothing, as | have said, specially mel
ancholy about the night, but the con-
trast of the scene within and this
without struck the imagination
When door opened the voices within
came with kind of triumph into the
darkness where the disappointed and
solitary brother was wandering; and
so absorbed was | in thoughts of Gen
eral George and his downfall that |
almost missed the subject of them,
who came suddenly round the corner
of the house when [ was not looking
for HIM. 1t was he who perceived
me, rather than | who was on the
watch for him. You here, Mrs Mus
grave" he said, in amazement. | be-
lieve he thought, as | started to my
feet, that | had been asleep.
"General!' | cried then in my con-
fusion. Stop here a moment, do not