The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-05-03
CHAPTER XXI.
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CHAPTER XXI.
CoNsTERNATION.
Saturday, the day of Hermann ar
rival, had come and gone, and brought
him at the appointed time, and Sunday
morning found him exceedingly hap
py, and Grace no less so in pretend
ing to make little of him, while in
reality she made very much of him.
Thus Mabelle found herself with
portentous amount of solitary
time on her hands, to dispose of as
best she could. Fortunately, at Foul
haven, she was never at loss for means
to do that; the sensation of being in
place she liked. and amongst persons
she loved. went long way toward con-
stituting the happiness of Mabelle Fair
fax.
Accordingly she left Grace and Her
mann to their own devices, while she
amused herself after her own manner,
sitting with Mrs. Massey in the painted
chamber up stairs, and listening to the
discourse of that lady; sallying forth,
hatless and bonnetless into the garden
to gather bunch of flowers, or walking
about with DIR. johnson following or
preceding her at q sedate or decent
pace; wandering out to the cliff, which
last was her favorite resort. She ex-
perenced a profound pleasure in the
mere fact of walking over the breezy,
undulating downs, and letting her cot
ton gown trail over the clean, short,
crisp grass. Each time as she mounted
the CHEST of the ridges, and the great,
shining. CLASSY sea flashed like beam
of light upon her eyes, there came the
same thrill of joy and wonder, the same
sensation of longing satisfied in broad
and ample measure by something so
vast and boundless that no effort of hers
could ever compass its mystery and
hidden meaning; while the hoarse under
current of the ground-swell, and the
rhythmic break of the waves on the
shore, never lost its stately music for
her ear.
AS she sat, or stood, or lay upon the
edge of the cliff, she might have passed
for Wordsworth's louisa everyth ny
in nature was Joy to her, and, as she
watched and listened, the poets words
were fulfilled
And beauty, born of murmuring sound,
Shall pass into her face
Mabelle was not homely maiden to
look upon, but beautiful with rare,
delicate beauty of her own; and this
beauty, which passed into her face dur
ing these hours of converse with nature,
only added another loneliness to that
which was already there.
Thus she had passed the Saturday,
and Sunday came, and Mabelle, having
been to church in the morning with
Mrs. Massey, and passed the afternoon
in her faYorite haunt, came to the house
in time for tea, and found Grace look
| ing out for her.
ave have planned an expedition"
said the latter. ''Are you tiredP or do
you feel equal to a good walk?"
81 feel equal to a good long walk"
replied Mabelle, promptly.
$50 do Hermann and I, and we are
going to walk down to the town, and
up the steps to the Abbey Church, go
to service there, and then walk home in
the cleaning, if you are equal to it,
that is. !"
"Oh, deIightful-most delightful!
But would not you and Hermann prefer
to go by yourselvesP"
Hermann and | have had quite
enough of each other, and want some
/ other society"
Hermann ob'igingly said he would
rather die than contradict her. and Ma
belle, treasured, announced that moth
ing could give her greater satisfaction
than the proposed expedition.
1t was some distance from Red Lees
to the oil Abbey Church at Foulhaven,
a1i every step of the way was beauti-
full. They formed very merry trio as
they traversed the up-and-down road
which led them era 'ually into the town,
AMI took their way along the banks of
the river which flowed into the sea, and
which here, inland, was crow ed with
black hulls of ships sent in for repairs,
and rolling over to one side, stranded
high and dry by the outwar lset tide,
into the narrow, winding street, with
the odd little lanes and alleys lead ng
to the river side, till they arr we'd at the
foot of the church steps, long, inter-
minable fight OF well-worn flags lead,
ing up to the top of the East Cliff, on
the highest point of which stool that
ruined fame already spoken of, and Just
below it, almost overhanging the sea,
the stumpy- looking, ancient Abbey
Church of st. Marys.
They climbed the steps, and stroll ed
through the churchyard, passed the
numberless headstones erected to the
memory of such and such a one, "mas-
ter mariner.
TO BE CONTINUED.