The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-09


would not think of those maddening
events, and here they were rushing
pell-mell through my brain.
Ten years before | had been youth,
Minimum Fortunatus, " the only son Of
a wealthy man, strong, well favored,
we'll educated and, above all, beloved.
The Mainwarings were old family
friends From childhood Eunice and ]
had been comrades; from childhood |
had loved her At this time we were
affianced, and | was visiting at their
coy, comfortable, old fashioned home
at Grafton There We're but three in the
household besides the servants-the IA
Their, the mother, the daughter. Mr.
Mainwaring was bluff, hearty man,
arrogant from success and incredulous
of ills which he had never personally
known. Mrs. Mainwaring was an in
valid, confined to her room by one of
those chronic nervous diseases which
the lacking in sympathy are apt to pooh
pooh Eunice was a devoted daughter
truly. As for Mr.. Mainwaring it was
generally: "You are looking much bet
ter today, my dear. Well, so long,
with him. But Mrs. Mainwaring did
not crave for company She was strong
woman, fully as eccentric as she was
sick, fond Of her own society and of
polishing and arranging lot of trump
cry gems and coins and curios to which
rumor had given an inordinate value.
On this particular night, which was
now perforce recalling Mr. Mainwaring
was away in town on business '-his
business perhaps that is pleasure. Mrs.
Mainwaring was, of course, i'll her room
and alone by express desire. Eunice and
l had passed charming hours together
in the quaint, shadowy drawing room,
at first at the wheeIy old piano and
then planning that impossible future
which seems so probable to all lovers.
Good night, dear" she had said on
parting. 1.-The night is good, since it
smiles on our love, "
And indeed the night was glorious in
its lucent tranquility. l stood at the
window for awhile and looked out on
the simmer and the glitter of the
heavens. Glorious truly, but was it
sympathetic? Was there not something
derisive in its smiles, as if human af-
fairs, when considered at all, must be
contemned? l turned away with a sigh
vaguely apprchensive. | stopped i'll the
library and took book by chance. 1t
was Jane Eyre. Then | went to the
wing where my room was situated. Be-
,eath it was the great dining hall;
.hayo it, the suit devoted to Mrs. Main
warning; adjacent to it, vacant guest
.l-IDers. twas still early; so, lighting
, cigar, | sat before the glowing crate
and read, as tonight l have sat and
smoked and read.
As my reading progressed and my in
terest deepened, so, too, did that vague
apprehension settle and solidify. | have
ever been susceptible to influences little
regarded by the world i'll general l can
feel the gathering of storm and the
break of a cloud. l can catch the whim-
steal thought of a companion before it is
uttered. am moved by the spirit that
has moved an author in writing certain
passages. l am happy in the provision of
prosperity and detected by the forebod-
ing of evil. Without realizing it, for
some time / had been glancing uneasily
from my page about the room. My
hands, usually hot, gradually grew cold
and damp. l got up from my seat and
looked in the mirror. My face was livid,
my lips We're wan and my eyes glowered
deep in their sockets. What malign
thing had come upon me? Something. l
could not tell. Iwould not yield l was
interested in the book / would persist
in its reading! l did despite my fidgets.
l read on and on until | came to that
scene where Jane was so terrified by that
weird horrid scream. Then, when had
grasped its details by fitful comprehen-
sive glimpses, in an inthralling panic
sprang to my feet, hurried off my cloth
ing, blew out the light, and jumping into
bed pulled the coverlids over my head.
Oh, how cold l was, and how frighten-
ed How anxious to speak to some one
and how ashamed of myself! How con-
scious of my full 81 years of manhood,
| yet of my undeniable babyish sensibil-
| ity! could have cried from rage to think
that was like to cry from terror