Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-07-13

nearly drove her out OF her senses will
horror and rage, She took advantage
Of James absence, one afternoon, TO seI
Mr. Crawford, and tell him what Wa
said,
lilo was terribly shocked, and agee(
with her that he ought to 81
away,
"It's all that lIenshaw woman, She'i
tho wickelest cretur' that ever lived,
Miss Norris said III can't tell you all
they say-it amt III to talk about, Oh,
to think they would have the heart IA
speak agin motherless gal-why,
o child amt more innocentn ON
Jane"
And poor Jane, passing through the
hail. overheard the words She knew,
only too we'll, what they meant, That
afternoon she hal met an acquaintance,
OF her own age, and when she stopped
to speak tho girl'a mother. who was
withheEhad angily called her daughter
away,
"Come away Maria Ann" she had said,
Whether the stories are true, or not,
You are not going to hurt yonr reputa'
tion by knowing her,"
In her distress, Jane had gone at
once 10 an old lady whom she had known
all her life and her inaiStance finally
brought out tho whole tale.
Sho had returned home, broken.
hearted and despairing, Just In time 10
hear u portion Of ofJerusha'a remarks, She
got away without the speakers being
aware OF her presence, and was not seen
by either OF them until evening, Then,
Mr. Crawford found her, sitting in the
garden, In tho sunset, He hurried to-
ward her,
81 have been looking for you every.
whore" he said, His own agitation
was 80 excessive, that he did not notice
James altered locks. "Im obliged TO
90 to Philadelphia, sooner than OK.
pcctod,' bc continued, rapidly, 81
want to toll you something, first"
"No, mol" she cried, Don't tell me
anything"
II must" he pleaded. "Listen to me,
Jane. Win You be my wifeY"
"No,' she answered, mo. | could
not to save your SOUL would not to
sayo mine"
She believed, that, in his generosity,
he made the proposal, in order to
amend the wrong he had unintentionally
done her She would have died, proud
creature that she was, died thousand
deaths, sooner than accept his sacri.
flee.
She ran past him, and entered the
house. He did not see hor again, until
Just before he was ready to leave.
"At least, Jane, We are friends" he
aid.
"Oh, yes" she replied YEARLY.
"But there is no-no hope for
me-"
"None" she said, her voice sound,
ing as hard as iron. She longed to
thank him for his kindness; to tell him
that she knew why he spoke; but she
could not bring herself to utter n
word.
A few days after his departure, she
received letter from him. She did not
open it. She felt certain what its tenor
would be. She would not risk her own
ebbing courage, therefore, by reading it.
He should not sacrifice himself for her
sake.
She wrote few lines, and inclosed
the unopened letter. She asked him
never to refer to the subject again. She
could not marry him, she repeated.
So another beautiful dream died sud
denly in Edward Crawford's soul; for he
loved the GIRL he discovered it, only too
surely, when he heard how she had been
slandered. But, like q brave man, he
tried courageously to subdue his suf-
ferings, though it was a hard strug-
gle.
Meantime Jane lived on, as best she
might. She lived the ISLANDERS down.
She lived even past the bitterness and
distrust of humanity which such horri-
BILE pain brings to the young. Jerusha
Norris resided with her on the farm.
Now and then, Jane heard from Mr..
Crawford. He wrote quiet, friendly let
ters, which she answered in the same
spirit. But he never spoke Of coming
back.
When she was twenty one, great
changes came into her life. She pub
lished her first book, and it was sue
cessful. Soon after, the farm was dis
covered to have valuable coal,vein be-
meath it. Jane sold the place, for q
large price, reserving the old house and
few acres of ground. She showed,
too, business faculty, which caused
Miss Norris to swell with pride. She
insisted upon retaining certain shares
and royalties in the mine. The son of
one of the directors wanted her to take
him, also; but that bit of property she
declined to include in her portion.
She desired to carry out what had
grown the ruling desire of her soul, a
wish to travel. She asked Jerusha
to accompany her. She was alone in
the world, and the spinster's fidelity
had greatly endeared her to Jane.
claw, 1 amt ft," said Miss Norris.
"You're rich, now, and you're gittin'
famous. I'd better stop where I be, and
keep the house ready fur ye to come
back to, when you like"
But Miss Norris was prevailed on to
make an extended tour, even visiting
California and Mexico, before she re-
turned, to overpower the neighborhood
by her travelled grandeur.
Jane spent the summer in her old
home; then sailed for Europe, under
the charge of some of her numerous
new friends. Only one sentiment re-
mained unchanged-herlove for Everard
Crawford. But she was too sensible to
call existence barren, because it might
have borne no fruit.
Everard Crawford had been in South
America, for some time. He did not re.
turn until the spring after Jane sailed
for Europe. A great longing came over
him, to visit the spot, where he had
known so much tranquil happiness, in
her society. 30, in the pleasant spring
weather, he went out there, knowing,
by the newspapers, that she was in
Rome.
He astonished Miss Norris, by his sud-
den appearance; and spent the evening
with her. In the excitement of seeing
him, she revealed certain suspicious of
her own, which caused Crawford, sud-
denly, to alter his plans.
Three DAYS days later, he was OH the