The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-11-14

whom they meet than bird can help
singing in the sunshine.
"What lovely afternoon" cried oMar-
garet, az she sat by the window after din
ner. al believe will 60 out and gather
some autumn leaves for winter bouquets.
A walk will do me good. have not been
out of the house for two days."
Margaret made herself ready, and was
just going out of the door when DIR. Stol-
berg drove up.
"Miss Margaret" he said, al heard
you express wish for some autumn
| leaves. There are some brilliantly col
ored ones on the clump of trees just this
side of the red school-house. May have
the pleasure of taking you there ?"
Margaret had resolved to be on her
dignity when the doctor called again, but
the prospect of a ride on this sunny DC.
tober day made her forget her vexation.
Dr. Stolberg was unusually silent dur
ing the drive to the school-house; but
Margaret was 80 absorbed in the beauties
of earth and sky that she did not notice.
When they reached the clump of trees,
the doctor helped her out, and then
turned his horse so that it could feed on
the crisp. green grass that grew along the
roadside.
Margaret was standing on tiptoe, trying
to reach branch of scarlet leaves which
hung Just above Der head. He broke off
the branch, but instead of handing it to
| her said:
1T was not simply that you wanted
| leaves that | asked you to come here. /
have a confessian to make. was unjust,
brutal to you this morning. 1 would not
believe that | could 80 dishonor my man.
hood; but 1 am proud and you touched
my pride. l love you, Margaret--love
you so that the day which passes without
word or look from you is a lost day to
me. l have not asked your love, because
| know that you could not give it now
Can you forgive my words this morning p
He looked so strong and brave as he
stood with the maple branch making a
crown over his head, that Margaret felt
for an instant an almost irresistible i'm
pulse to cry out, al will love you," and
fall into the arms that would open so
gladly to receive her but the feeling was
gone before she spoke.
"Just because / believe your love to be
strong and pure am grieved that you
have given it to me, for l have only
friendship to give in return"
81 know that you have only friendship
to give now."
"Aud shall have only friendship in the
future
"We shall see," said the doctor, simply.
"Do you not see, DR.. Stolberg," said
Margaret, her eyes filling with tears,
" that you are feeding your love on hopes
which ought, which | must, destroy ? l
know myself much better than you can
know me she hesitated, then with a
blushing face went on. 81 am twenty.
five years old, and you are not my first
lover. Men have offered me love who
could give me wealth and position"
"And can give NEITHER" interrupted
the doctor.
al honored them as men," continued
Margaret, not needing the interruption,
"loved as friends, but when they spoke
of marriage l felt frozen. If they per-
sisted, felt strange repugnance, which
destroyed the friendship 1 had until then
felt"
al will not talk of love. 1 will not ask
you to marry me-"
"Will you promise here that you will
give up all hopes of winning my love ;
that you will try and content yourself
with friendship :"
DR.. Stolberg was silent.
81 knew you would not. You are all
the time deceiving yourself with the hope
that some time | will love you. DR.. Stol-
berg, will you not believe me when | say
that can never love you ?"
"No."
"Why not ?"
because you cannot know what you
will do in the future"
Have l not told you that / am NO
child speaking without experience 7" said
Margaret, asgrily. "Other men have Of
tered me love true and pure as yours"
"Atalanta was fleet-footed and many
lovers lost their lives, but at last Nippon.
enes came and gained the race. The
Ida of your English Tennyson turned
away from love and marriage, yet the
time came when the prince won his
princess"
Margaret opened her lips to reply, but
what could she say She resorted to an
essentially feminine weapon. She sat
down on stone and cried, partially from
vexation, partly from other feelings which
she could not have analyzed.
The doctor made no attempt to comfort
her. He stood leaning against tree un'
til she arose. Dashing the tears from heI
eyes with an impatient movement of hel
hands, she said:
II want to go home"
GAS we came for leaves, it might be
better to gather some," suggested the
doctor.
Margaret began picking leaves with lit
tie regard for their claim to beauty.
DIR. Stolberg brought up the horse; as
he took Margarets hand to help her to hel
seat, he said:
81 know that have vexed you, but
cannot help it. will make no promise
that | cannot keep. l shall try in every
way to win the greatest good earth cal
give me-your love. The Holy Book tells
US that when Jacob served seven years fol-
Rachel, they seemed to him but few
days for the love he bore her. can wait
as long as Jacob, M .rgaret."
"But, DIR. Stolberg, it is not just to you.
"Can you not trust me to take care fol-
myself Z" he interrupted, with tone Of
the old pride.
Margaret hesitated, then putting both
hands into the doctors broad palms, and
looking straight into his eyes, said:
"Dr. Stolberg, give you no hopes o.
ever winning my love, but how and wher