Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-08-22

"But what if | love this fellow, Uncle
| Raphael" with n rush of carmine to
| cheek and brow.
ii sincerely hope you do not" re-
turned, beginning to feel considerable
uneasness.
as it because he is farmers SOM"
This was close questioning. One does
not like TO own to a want Of magma
nimity. such as an affirmative answer
would have implied. Yet l knew moth
ing against Caleb Armstrong except his
inferior social position.
"ls he worthy of you in other respects?"
asked at length.
81 think he is. But it does not mat
ter now. If you and | were the only
Mannerings could convert you to my
way of thinking in a half hour. But
there are mamma and Theo; they would
make drawn battle of it. Neither,
suppose, would papa and Madeline APP
prove. Perhaps could even carry the
point against them all, but at such a cost
of unhappiness to them and to myself
that | shall not attempt the struggle.
And, after all, what does it matter?
Only a few rays of brightness lost from
my life. / have but to make the most
of the light remaining, in order not to
miss that which has been snuffed out"
beatrice, you are a woman not only
to be admired, but honored."
"Merci! But methinks l like the adj
miration better. fancy it may be rather
fatiguing to pluck bright Honor from
the pale faced moon'-at least for any
body but Hotspur."
We had now come to the end of our
walk, and of our conversation as well.
! Beatrice tossed me a little bow, accom-
panied by a smile that was half arch and
| half defiant, seeming to say, "Don't
think me loveorn maiden because Of
what you have heard today" and ran off
to her room, leaving me to go to the par
Tor alone.
OF course | held what had passed at
our interview as sacred confidence.
But it had given me wish to know more
of Caleb Armstrong. The thought of my
favorite niece putting away so resolutely
what she believed would secure the hap
| piness of her life gave me an uncom-
Portable feeling, aud | had a mind to
! discover what there was about the fell
low to inspire her with such a sentiment
| Accordingly, on leaving the manor,
made my way to the Armstrong farm
house. 1t was tidy looking cottage
| painted grayish drab, with a rude
| piazza at one end. Here, on a wooden
| bench, two young men were sitting, one
| of whom l Immediately recognized as
| the person l was seeking. He started
up in some confusion on seeing me, but
his face soon cleared. 1t was q good
honest face, and had, moreover, fair
share of manly beauty.
II come to invite you to q sail with
me this afternoon. But perhaps you
are otherwise engaged" I said, with a
/ glance toward the second young man.
"Mr. Stephenson-Mr. Mannering,"
said young Armstrong, thus concisely
introducing his companion.
Il am glad to know Mr.. Stephenson"
| said with heartiness which was thor
oughly sincere. Somehow, too, | felt an
increasing respect for the young farmer,
owing, | suppose, to the company in
which found him. "Are you both at
liberty to try some boating?' l inquired
II think Armstrong is" said Mr.. Ste
penson. II have to meet friend, and
must therefore decline"
After a few courteous words he went
away, having laughingly admonished us
not to try any sub-aquatic explorations
in emulation of Schillcr'S diver. When
he had reached the street noticed that
he was joined by Julius Stone, who was
walking in the same direction Stephen
son had taken.
"An eagle and a vulture," said, or
rather thought aloud-a way Of thinking
to which l am sometimes addicted.
"By the nobler bird / suppose you
mean Julius Stone, said Armstrong sar-
donically.
mo. Such was not my meaning"
Take care! 1t is the fashion with
the Mannerings to prefer him to Allan
Stephenson"
"With whom of the Mannerings?'
madeline, for instance"
"What reason have you for saying
that"
1T is well known in Mannerington
that Allan was formerly her lover, and
that he was discarded for Stone"
"That is worse than Here stopped
abruptly, for l had again detected my
self in thinking aloud.
"Worse than Beatrice and Caleb Arm
strong, you were on the point Of saying,
perhaps" said the young man.
"Yes,"I admitted. "But it does not
follow that either is to be tolerated"
perhaps not, from your point Of
view. 1t IS undoubtedly true that / do
not derive my birth from loins en-
throned, nor rulers of the EARTH but l
have brain, and will to use it. be-
lieve, too, that l shall win my way TO
| success"
81 suppose scarcely a young man has
ever started in life who did not promise
himself some grand success as the result
of his individual efforts. But how many
Of these have redeemed that promise;
How many in comparison with the
whole, | mean"
perhaps one In a hundred; l don't
know the ratio. But, if you please, we
| ,,-;ll occt,n,a that IL IL that proviIaJ