Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-06

strong frame, the noble head, and frank blue
eyes. She could not mistake him, though be
was now a middle-aged man, worn by the
years of toll that had passed over him since
they parted. While she was looking at the
sunset he had walked up from the opposite
direction and here he stood, pale, startled,
bewidered, and staring at her as il he had
seen a ghost IL was seventeen years since
she had bade him farewell yet it scarcely
seemed strange that they should meet. She
did not start or cry out A great calm took
possession Of her, and she simply held out
| her hand, saying, "You are Gilbert Falk-
ner." Tho hand trembed a little, and the
flush deepencd on her cheek, but her voice
was steady. He was half distraught with the
wonder of it, and the great joy.
Lydia Grace. Is it possible Can it be
Am | dreaming am | living? | never
thought to find you" He stammered doz-
en- half-incoherent sentences, and seized her
! hand in both his own.
II am Lydia Grace indeed" she said, "and
am very glad to see you. 1t is a long, long
while since" Here the sweet voice failed.
'Come into my house," she said, suddenly.
"And you live here all alone - he asked,
| as he followed her "You are not married Z"
mo, ! am not married"
"How quiet your life has been!" said he
''and mine so stormy so unsuccessful for
many years -
"Ah, you will tell me all about it, No, we
need not go indoors. Sit here and rest
II am tired" lac said, seating himself in
one of her deep rustic chairs II have work
ed hard of late, and | walked out from town
| this afternoon to see q man who lives here,
with whom ] have business. But this is
wonderful. / did not think to find you-to
find you"-looking dreamily into her dark
tender eyes.
"And / am here" she said. "Wait l will
call Malvy to bring tea out to the porch and
then we will talk, and you shall tell me how
you have spent the years.
The blushing Malyina stared in wonder as
she obcyed her mistress's orders. She set
the table in a nook Of the side porch, behind
screen of climbing vines, and before long
the little supper was prepared. The visitor
thought 1t an idyllic repast. Miss Lydia
could not eat, but she drank her tea, and
helped him to whatever little daintos she had
set before him. 1t was all 50 pleasant and
coy that they soon fell into friendly ways, as
if they had parted but yesterday.
Meanwhile she studied the lines of his
strong, suuburued face, and marked the fine
free glance Of his blue eyes. 1t was bowil-
deriug to think Of Gilbert Falkner as the
bright, debonair youth Of twenty whom She
remembered and then TO see him as this
grave, mature man. He was only thirty
seven even now, as she knew, but life had
been no cbild's play to him. He had been
alone and wcll-nigh friendless, aud had made
his own way in the world and he had left
the JOY of his heart behind him when he
bade farewell to Lydia Grace-that short.
cold, sad farewell, spoken in the presence of
others, when in his youthful rash despair he
had rot dreamed that her heart went with
him Had it been with him ever since? At
least it had gone out to no other and now,
as he smiled, and she saw the old gham, and
knew that he had returned unspoiltd-tte
very Gilbert Falkner Of her youth, only
grandcr and nobler through honest, earnest
woTk"-that he art gave great throb, as she
recognized half in joy, half in terror that
her fate was here, that she loved him still,
aud loved him anew, She had no leisure
now for thought she was needing him with
all her soul as he told her the history of his
life. full as it was of brave, determined effort
And as she listened, she loved him still, and
loved him more and more.
And what Of you Z" lie said at last. when
the shadows had closed around them and the
first stars were trembling forth.
'Of me z" she answered, somewhat sadly
''of me-nothiug."
For all that, she told him whatever she had
to tell (save her memories of himself, and
so they talked still long while. 1t was
quite dark when lie rose with sigh and
said
at is hard to end this, but il must be!
have not yet seen the man with whom | have
business, and | must 20 back to the city to-
morrow. Tonight | lad intended to return,
but how could | have resisted this evening
with you? l have very little time. My
business is in England, as | told you and l
sail neat week"
Next week For the first time she realized
what this visit was-only a brief episode in
her life A great dread fell upon her, a
dread of the long days to come. Oh, why
had she met him again why? She was at
peace before, and her longings slumbered;
now she would never be at peace again
never.
but l will see you again ?" she found
strength to ask.
~ fear not" he answered, very, very sad
ly. Il must take several journeys to differ
ent cities before I sail, and don't see how l
can contriye to stop here again"
She was speechleess for a moment her
heart seemed numb with pain. She was
reused by movement from him she o0ud
not let him 60 thus
"You have not seen the inside of my house
yet, she said in a dream. Come into the
parlor for while l see Malvy has brought
in the lamp" SO they went in.
But time would not stand still, and the mo-
ment of parting came. He rose, he clasped
her slender hand and let it go, then stood
while longer, then said, "GoOd-by," and took
her hand again. But he fingered still he
found it hard to go. Oh, how could be leave
her again, Just as he found her out Just as
he had learned that this Lydia was even
sweoter, braver, dearer, more beautiful than
the Lydia of old 1t would be too much to
say perhaps that he had loved her and
thought Of her steadily for all these years
His life had been a hard one, in which every
faculty had been put to its full use. Men
cannot dream as women do. But the en-
chantment of past days fingered around this
woman's little fragile form in her presence
was rest from toll, and tranquil, tender Joy
His old love was his new friend, and more.
He felt with great yearning how much more
she could be.
As he looked wistfully around her pretty
parlor, his glance suddenly fell upon the cab
met, with its background of ferns and leaves,
the cross, aud the little card beneath. He
recognized the Madonna of the Chair" and
his eyes frightened.
"Ah," he exclaimed, that is the Madonna
that you and used to love so well Do you
remember how we admired it, and spoke of
the deep, wonderful, motherly tenderness ex-
pressed in it, and the beauty of the Child's
face! That was one of the few things you
cared to talk to me about silly insignificant
boy that was. But in our love of pictures
we were on common ground, and We agreed
that there was no picture in the world like
that"
To her dying day Lydia will never know
what prompted her to say the words that fol-
lowed she is almost afraid TO say that she
was inspired to utter them.
Il remember very well, Gilbert" she an
swered. "That is the reason l bought the
card and placed it there And have an en-
craving of the same picture in my room.
Will you keep n" she added, as she took up
the card and held it out to him. 'It will
help you to remember your old friend, and
though it is not Christmas time now, you can
look at it next Christmas-day, and it will
serYe as a greeting from me for all the Christ