Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-17
BRATTLEBORO, VT, FRIDAY, AUGUST II, 1888.

I came along. lie almost stopped for a sec.
ond when he came up to me, and looked
down into my face. was terribly startled,
for recognized at once the man of my
dream, aud can't tell you how horrible and
uncanny II all seemed for a minute There
was tho same handsome dark faco there
we're the broad hat, and the velvet coat and
the easel under the arm. Well he passed on,
and did but I was in hutter all day, and
his eyes seemed to be looking into mine con.
tinually.
"a few days afterward he called upon me
with Mrs. Graves, lady who used to live in
Ware and take boarders she moved away
some years ago. l learned that he was an
artist. His name was-no, will not tell you
his name he is from your city, and well
known. He had engaged board with Mrs
Graves for the summer After that there was
scarcely day but saw him. We were both
entirely free to seek each others society, and
we were together a great deal. He used to
to take me sketching with him. and he would
come here at all hours of the day as uncon
cernedly as brother might. He would sit
beside me in the parlor and watch me sew,
and in the kitchen and watch me cook. He
was very boyish and unconventional in his
ways, and used to think it charming. We
soon grew to care a great deal about each
bthoAi VI Noutotg hANuOuBh no rhlu uUbuAhB
about it to mo for a long time. | knew from
the first that loved him dearly, but from
the first there was, as there was in my dream,
a kind of horror of him along with the love
it kept me from being entirely happy. The
night before he went away he spoke. We
had been to walk and were standing here at
my door lie asked me to marry him.
looked up in his face, and felt Just as 1 did
in my dream about giving him tho flower,
when all of a sudden his face looked different
TO me, Just Rs it did in the dream I can not
explain it. It was az il l saw no more of the
kindness and the love in it, only something
else e-eyil-and the same horror came over
me.
Il don't know how | looked to him as
stood gazing up at him, but he turned very
pale, and started back. My God Caroline,
he said what is it ?
"I don't know what l said, but it must have
expressed my sudden repulsion very strongly
for, after few bitter words he left me, and
went into the house. l never saw him
again have seen his name in the papers,
and that is all.
NOW l want to know" Miss Munson went
on, ''if you think my dream was really sent
to me as a warning, or that 1 fsncied it all,
and wrecked-no l won't say wrecked-dull
ed the happiness of my whole life for ner.
vous whim z"
She looked questioningly at me, an express
sion at once serious and pitiful on her deli
cate face hardly knew what to say. 1t
was obvious that l could form no correct
opinion unless l knew the man. l wondered
| if did. There was an artist of about the
right age whom thought of. II ne was tine
ono-wel, think Miss Munson was right.
She saw that hesitated. Never mind,
she said, rising with her usual quiet, gentle
smile on her lips you don't know any more
than do, and l never shall know in this
world. All l hope is that it was what God
meant, and not what imagined. We wont
| talk any more about it. have liked to tel
you, for some reason or other that is all
Now am going to take you into the garder
and pick your last posy for you"
After had gone down the stone steps with
my hands full of verbenas and pansies,
turned and looked up at her standing so mild
and sweet between the lilac-trees, and said
| good by again. That was the last time saw
| her.
The next summer when l came to Ware
the blinds on the front of the Munson house
were all closed, and the little flower beds il
the front yard were INTENDED only the lilac
were in blossom for they had the immorta
spring for their gardener.
Miss Munsor died last winter, said Mrs
| Leonard, looking reaectively across the street
'She was laid out in lisc-colored cashmere
| gown it was her request She always wor,
/ lilac, you know. Well" with sigh 81 dt
believe that Caroline Munson, if she is an an
| gel-and suppose she is-doesn't look mucl
more di6er ont from what she did before thai
those lilacs over there do from last year
| ones"