The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-13

back here iOr yOu; We Will bc married 1t
once and % to our new home in the
WeSt, away from this languid, encrvatins
South. Then | shall be man again, and
We viii be- happy"
"But-oh, Ralph. must Won GO? hal
- built on the holiday with you. 1
thought We could have such pleasure,
such delight. such real taste of the dpicc
Tor Hielsts; AMI YOU know" she contin-
u,.d, laughing rimidly - she sIw Il slight
sha l., come over his lace, Il care for the
south, Ralph, and its flowers and fruits,
its sun and air
"Wcn,' he said, pressing his lips to-
gethcr firmly and then smiling sweetiy
IA way hc had. which seemed IL s;iv, II
am strong, but then will be gentle too ;,
Il suppose You can idle AMI lounge to
Your hearts content without me, and
must 20. For myself / shall be glad -
climb hill and see brown-fclt!icr,l
bird again. But, dear, i must not stay
here now. i have ali my preparations 10
make. have said nothing TO the Hey
wards rs yet / came first To You, AMI
you will consent, will you not, Amy, 10 be
my Amy IN September ?"
Il am yours now, Ralph. I have no
one TO ask and ii you wish it-are you
sure its best? The West is 50 lar, 30
drearyw
"Fdr from where, dear? This is no
home Tor us-nO, no. / win 90 and do
my work and come back for my reward.
And yuu VIII wait and miss me 4 little,
Amy"
~lndeca, dearest, / shall not know what
to do without you-no arm To lean on or
brain o. teach me; no heart 70 rest in"
Il will come back To YOU aud always bo
the same. 1t makes me happy To hear
You say that | am these things To YOU.
They are 80 prccmincntlv what ! think
II | yk-f-i In he IN,
woman / love"
"Wcll, dearest. YOU are all that to me-"
said Amy drcamily, and they turned back
10 the house.
Till tonight, good by,'' he said, draw
ing her toward him by her hands, which
he had taken, and looking deep into her
eyes. How blue your eyes are, Amy
Blue, blne a if that SKY let rilI
y flower from ia ceruluan WALL I"
"What. Ralph poetry from You ?''
Only Bryant" he said. laughing. "Sen-
timcnt, not passion thought rather than
feeling = Northcrner like myself, and
ike YOU too, my darling"
Il don't know that. Sometimes think
L have spice OF the South III me-" she
said.
No. no "A thousand times no. You
ere mine, and 50 right Northern violet,
u wren on an e,lelweisSH
''HOurs, certainly, and suppose. there
fore, what You make OF me-" And SO
they parted
That night he came anil bade her fare
well, held her - his heart, and told her
that lac loved her and would come again
amt marry her, and take her home-told
herSo strongly and calmly; and She rcsta,l
in his arms and bowed her head on his
heart, AMI felt n peace and rest. 80 then
gOO'l-by was said. The next morning
Ralph IIolcombe galloped past the cot
tasc before Amy awakened, looked up 1t
the closed lattices, and blessed her sleep
with all his heart then set his face
northward with rr>olute purpose and
calm assurance Of his power.
4 week had gone by-a week of perfect
summer; the holidays had begun, and
Amy had set her face to live as Ralph
had counselled and desired her 10 do.
She knew Just what he had meant and
wished Tor her to do that summer Vac.l-
ton - the course OF study he had
marked ont, the regular occupation for
body and mind, exercise for both coming
systematically and steadily upon each
others heels, both followed by rcpoSe
and rest Tor mind and body and she
hal determined TO carry out his wishes;
had begun, indeed, 10 do 50, and all had
run on smoothly and evenly Bat on
that seventh morning she awokc later
than usual, owing To the triflin~ accident
OF her blinds having been cios.d and
when her eyes opened the dav was upon
her, with all it, wealth OF color and odor.
The slight freshness and simpieness of the
early morning had gone, the sun hal
kissed every drop OF dew from the flowers,
and the shadows were scarcely visible.
Amy stood an instant II the door of the
cottage, and then plunged into 4 shady
walk, where she could sit and rad and
not suffer from the sun. She settled her
self in an accustomed place but she could
not command her usual power OF att..n-
ton. The day was 10 much for her.
She had all nature against her, and she
was not meant to fight aTinSt Nature, least
| of all 4 nature To which she WIS attuncd
and whose influences she felt the moro
| intensely that she WAS not = mere reflex
| oi the indwclling spirit about her, but q
! being of complex and intricate harr.orv.
| She was, indeed as Ralph had said. a
violet, northern flower; but there were
| possibilities IN her soul, Capacities in her
| nature, hos and fears that kindle
| hopes, an undistincuishable tnrong," of
which he never dreamed not being in
! his philosophy. The scarlet of one flower,
| the scent OF another, would make her
ewes gleam and her breath quicken - his
| never did. She was indeed of sUca "sttf
rs dreams are made or" 80 this morn
! ing the soul of the roses about her wenr
into her blood, as Mr.. Tennvson tells us
1t may do even in temperate, sober Eng
land; and she lOunged on ncr grassy seat
| tried to read her task and did not and at
last gathered bunch of roses and buried
her face IN them with long trcmulcus
sigh OF delight She lifted her head at
last; saying, "Oh, how delicious you are -
and saw before her young man. lie
stood motionless fOr a moment, and then
came forward, saying, Il beg your rpardon,
Miss Fortescue; my mother sent me for
you 1 am Victor Hayward"
The words told her that he was Mrs
Heywar,is eldest son, Ralph's first pupil,
whom she had never seen, and who must
have returned home unexpectedly from
the East, where he had been travelling
She collected her scattered wits, and
answering simply that she would 90 To
Mrs. HcyWard at once, rose To her feet
and started for the house. lie walked
by her side, talking easily and lightly
bowed at the door OF his mothers room,
and then, rs Amy put her hand on the
handle, said with a slight hesitation,
MAY /, might | spend an hour with Won
this evening ?' The simplencss and
directness of the request took from il anv
appearance OF singularity, and Amy
answered m ccianiD...,,, l e., II you 49,,
and he left her.
All that afternoon, while rca, ling aloud
to Mrs Howard and walking with the
children, her mind worked on this young
mans looks and bearing, on what h.. had
said to her, until he grew distinct al /
real with curious intensity ald vivid
ness She felt that he was part of the
world in which she was living. fe!t it in
stinctivcly, rs much rs If he hal been
bird or 4 flower, as clearly rs she felt TIL
want of harmony between Ralph and the
atmosphere about her. THIS youth who
had come in ON her dream to-day had
seemed the proper divinity Of the spD-;
he might have been the spirit that dwclt
in a stream near by, and had cnl5odicl
ifsnlf in hum f.rt, r.,....l.. La. IN,