The Penn's Grove record., 1884-02-09

49,
grateful 90 her in staying away e.,
long
There WAS ID minutes silence then
during which both seemed TO be gazing
visttully az the willows by the it'll,
u3cvN
will you try TO huish the sketch2'
he salt, at lass.
"NoS. she replied, sadly; aud, go
ing tn. she returned with her folio,
which he took from her mechanically
and placed beneath his arm as they
walked slowly and in silence toward
the pOol, and then round to the farther
side beneath the old pollard willow
trees.
He had never spoken words OF love tC
her, serious or light. Her intercourse
with him had been that Of one of the
sweetest and most ingenious of her sex,
but @ Il had come upon them sud
denly that this WAS the last day OF the
sweet communion they had enjoyed,
aud all the future seemed to be a
I blank.
John Layton was very silent rs they
walked ON gazing straight before them.
till, looking round, he saw that Fanny
was walking with her hands clasped to-
gether, and that her tears were falling
fast.
"Dout-don't. he cried. passionate
ly. TOR the sight OF her grief unnamed
INN. Il cannot bear to see You like
this.
She looked up at him wistfully. and
the folio fell to the ground. Not a
word was spoken then, but he caught
her handsin his and stood gazing almost
wildly III her soft wIstful eyes. Then
she Snatched them away and covered
her face. sobbing nov aloud.
Fanny" he SAID, laying his hand
upon her arm, ''this has come like a
surprise. l o%ughtnot, perhaps, tospeak,
but | am carried out Of my ordinary
way Of thinking by-by this shock. l
am SO poor-merely a country parson-
but / love you better than l a tell"
lob, hush," she said between her
sobs.
II ought not to nave spoken ought
not to have sent you away thinking of
my folly, but the words would out. |
ought to have had more self-command,
but this news seemed to tell me how
necessary You had become to my exist
ence. 1t has been 50 sweet a time, and
now-forgive met must end"
Must end, she said, softly, repeat
ing his words.
Il Lave been cruel to you to speak
as l have. 1t was my want of self-con-
troll. Fanny, God bless you'll Goodbye.
1 cannot stay"
he had turned to go, but a faint cry
arrested him, and, as he saw the blank.
despairing face and anguished eyes of
her whom he was about to leave, his
heart leaped within him, and the next
moment Fanny Anderson was sobblng
upon his breast.
It was a very solitary place, forum
ately, but they came to their senses
after Fanny had softly owned that it
would break her heart to leave that
pleasant. simple Eden now. Perhaps
If the Adam had been transferred to
town she might have altered her opinion,
but he was not going to be transferred
to town, and so they went on, in and
out among the willow trees, talking of
their future, when they both started
guilty as a voice behind them said:
"Ah, here you are then, eh?"
1t was the doctor, and a quiet smile
full of drollery stole over his face as he
said:
~ found a letter at home from auntie
saying you are to go back at once nd
l went to tell Layton, but [ found he
had come here, and-is 1t all rlght?"
No one answered.
You'll come back again, won't you,
my darlinP?' said the doctor.
"Oh, uncle!" she cried; and the tears
overfowed once more, as she flung her
arms round his neck, kissed him, and
then fed toward the cottage.
"Ah!" said the doctor, 'I've never
said a word since L brought you over
that day, l thought I'd let matters
take their own course. l prescribed,
and you took the medicine like a man.
John Layton, you've o about the
best and truest girl L yer knew"
THE best and %truest, said the vicar,
holding out his hand.
"And not the poorest either, for l
always look upon her as my child, and
some day perhaps. Well, there, John
Layton, I'm very, very, very glad"
The sequel to this needs no telling,