Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-11-02


quite settled that, as soon a. could man
ago little house TO myself, We should
be married,
The Jamess we're very pleased, aud
everyone was delighted, aud the septem'
ber days went by on wings u never
seemed to rain on those lovely alter
moons, and tho evenings were warm
enough to wander about on tho heath
that stretched away for miles over the
hills 10 tho sea, that, on very still nights
we could hear fall regularly on the
shingly beach,
One afternoon ! sol on to walk to
Dorchester. and had arranged that Mar
ian and my sister Alice should walk
across tho heath TO meet me on nay no.
turn. was In excellent spirits and al
though tho sun beat down on my head
aercely, and tho road looked like q
dust.heap, | sang as | went, and having
made what few purchases ! required, !
set out TO walk back egen more cheer
fully than had started In the early aI'
ternoon.
When | left the town and got out on
the heath, | waa rather surprised ut not
seelng tho girls, and ! put my mlSfor'
tune to account by listening eagerly Tor
their light footsteps brushing tho heath
or that was purple and pink around me,
and was inll OF buzzing beea. even At
that late time Of the year
At first l could hear nothing, hut
presently ] perceived faint sound OF
sobbing, and tho deep tone. OF q mans
voice struck on my ear, and after liston,
ing intently for some few seconds, ]
made out that young Lord Weston and
Marian were engaged In an eager debate
In little wood Of ilr trees that stood on
knoll away TO the east OF whore ] was
walking.
Soon discovered that Marian was In
distress, and without waiting to hear
more, | dashed across tho moor, now
stumbling into rabbits hole, now
catching my coat in thick iurzo brake,
and finally reaching tho wood just aS
Marian gave an agonized shrek for help,
for Lord Weston had no inr forgotten
himself as TO seize her round the waist
and kiss hor heartily,
II didn't take mo very long to knock
his lordship down, can tell You, and ]
do not know what / should have pro.
ceeded 10 do had not couple OF tho
i. .gamekeepers como up Mt the same time,
and assisted him 10 riso before l could
give him tho thashing he no richly de-
served.
However, he got up, and, holding out
his hand to mo said -
"You're quite right, my good fellow |;
and you've given mo lesson ! shall
never forget. only hope you will for
give me, Miss Lucas, can assure You
/ will never offend again. Do shake
hands with mo and let us part friends
cannot say felt much like being
friends with him but / could we'll un-
derstand tho way James spoke OF the
family, for he stood there ready to ask
looking like young god-and so
frank and really ashamed Of tho part ho
had been playing, that felt constrained
to take his hand, and then said =
"Marian is engaged TO be my wife, my
lord, and although do not suppose a
man who can insult the niece OF one of
his fathers Oldest servants will care
about that, l just tell you to let you
know what to expect if you meddle with
her again. Sho wants none of your no.
tice, and you will please to remember
that next time you waylay defenseless
yir1 in thia daao1ota nlaCp"
81 have begged pardon, and cannot
say anymore" said Lord Weston. 81
had no idea you were engaged, but any
how, was brute to be so rude. How
ever if You won't forgive me l can say
no more"
81 forgive YOU" answered ], "but
don't do it again !" and then l drew
Marian's trembling hand under my arm,
and marched of with her as quickly as
ever l could.
My stay was drawing to a close, when
all Of a sudden I began to notice that
Mrs. James was getting eccentric again
not that she did anything ont of the
way, but that at times her eye would be.
come like blank wall and had not the
least expression in it, and at others she
would talk below her breath in such an
indistinct manner that I, with all my
sharp hearing, could not make out in
the least what she wanted to say. AT
times, too, her hands were most uncer.
tain in their movements, and one day
she put down her tumbler, after drink.
ing, in such way that it fell on the
floor and smashed, instead Of reposing
quietly on the table. She burst into
tears and declared that Lord Weston had
passed the window and frightened her,
and as he came in few minutes after
wards, she showed him the pieces and
declared it was his fault. He laughed
and promised her dozen now ones from
Dorchester, and although they came the
very next day, she would hardly look at
them, and said they wern't her pattern
and therefore were worthless and from
that moment she would hardly speak to
his lordship when he came in, and would
never allow his name to be mentioned
in her hearing. She became 80 tire
some, too, that she would hardly allow
Marian out of her sight, and although
Alice was very kind, and did as much as
she could for her, she would not ac-
cept her services unless she was literally
obliged to do SO; and openly told us,
that she should really be glad if we
would go home. If had not been SO
fond of Marian I think l should have
been glad to do so, but I must say l felt
more uneasy at leaving her, for 1 could
not forget the first time We met and, re-
membering Mrs. James's penchart for
carving. knives, was never certain when
she might not take to them again but
I spoke strongly to, her husband on the
subject, and he promised me that if he
saw any more signs of madness about
her, he would at once seek advice, and
if he did not send her back to her Lon
don doctor, he would take care that
Marian was neither frightened nor hurt.
l was forced to be content with this
promise, but when it came to my last
night in Dorsetshire, was SO restless
and unhappy that could not sleep. and
at last, as early morning broke, l wan
dered out on the heath, trying to recov-
er my spirits before saying good'by to
Marian.
1 shall never forget that day as long