The Penn's Grove record., 1883-09-01
Then and Now.

dow. There is a feeling of profound
peace over everything.
All the earth seems restful.
Only my heart is full of disquiet,
for the pain of parting lies heavy on it.
She looked so winsome and loyal in
her simple white dress, this well-be-
loved comrade of mine, with all her
riotous golden eurls pushed in care
less, schoolgirl-fashion into a con-
fining net, as she stands beside me
silent-a remarkably strange mood for
her.
With IN impulsive movement OF awk-
ward, boyish love, Idraw that dear head
to my broad shoulders with Characters
tic shyness.
Then the tears come into her eyes for
the first time.
Her cool, soft hands steal con6dingly
into mine.
sob, you dear old Garry, what shall l
do without you? How | shall long for
youp'
Then, with a shy, upward glance Of
softest feeling, she asks
''Shall you miss ne 2"
| strive to recall some touching suit
able answer from the depths of my lore,
but it is a failure.
And who is eloquent at such a time ?
so / said only
"Yes.n
when you are ia Kamtchatka or in
the interior of Africa, and | am in this
hateful school, will you sometimes
think of me ?"
"Oh, won't l., though !" | say, in
solemn earnestness. 2
"I'l remember how we read Lucille, }
in the apple tree, and padded around
the pond in the dear old punt, and were
lost in the woodsl I'll remember what
a jolly little thing you are, and how
much We love each other, and then
-" l say, breaking off rather alb
ruptly.
"Andt then ?" she asks nterrogatively,
rubbing her soft, rosy cheeks against my
hands.
swell, then, when my trip to the ends
of the earth is over, and Your ~schooldays
are done, why-Iu come backs and marry
you"
Rhoda bushes, and | am not sure
that | did not blush myself-though,
fortunately, my manliness did not suf-
fer, since it was almost dark by this
time-as l fold her to my heart like an
affectionate bear and kiss her over
and over again. oh, how well | loved
her then
Every feeling of my unclouded young
heart was ruled by her.
She was a frank, simple child,
and l an honest, rather lanky, youth,
brimful of ferver and fidelity worthy
of the days of the Crusades, when
we parted for five years on that summer
night.
y
"The time went by like a tale that is
told"
Years have bloomed and faded,
and it is the evening of another sum-
mer day.
10 Is only three months back since
l arrived home again, and after the
rapture of reunion with my numer-
GUS brothers and sisters had in a
measure subsidized, l came straight to
my old sweetheart's home to await
her return, which is daily expected.
l have been here about a month.
"Rhoda will be home surely to-
morrow" says the youngest daugh-
ter of the house, with a laugh of
expectant happiness, coming to my
side.
My heart gave a passionate throb at
the sound of her dear name, and all
through the following hours the words
''Rhoda will be home tomorrow" kept
ringing in the happy Measure through
my brain.
Closing my eyes I can see her again
as she lives unfaded in my memory
with her tlower-like face, and shining
hair, dressed in that soft muslin dress,
and the twilight shadows falling around
her.
Though a man now, of soberer
thought and sterner heart, Rhoda is as
dear as in my boyhood.
These last hours which must pass
until she is once again by my side seem
almost interminable.
In restless impotence | saunter out
for a solitary walk.
The evening is soft, and rests like a
blessing on the earth after the noontide
heat has passed away.
High up in the heavens the full moon
is shining from a pale background of
heecy cloud, and the fragrance from
nyaclnth Deiis steals refreShlngly ON me
as / saunter on, until a fence bounding
a neighboring meadow is reached, and
l find l am not alone.
Standing against the low, white rail-
ing, with her elbow resting on the
upper bar looking thoughtfully out into
the lane, is Doris Harper, the children's
goYerness.
Since the beginning of my visit we
have grown great friends.
She puzzles and charms me at the
same time, this young girl, with such
lustrous meditative eyes, dark, soft
lair, and independent manner.