The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-02-02
ON THIS ROCK.

rev TO dispute 1t with them, but now and
then Cupid, unfettered, HES him thence,
and poems are written in the lives of
youths and maidens, set to the rhythm of
the rushing waters.
Such poem was that which Ralph
Reeder and Anne Martin inscribed one day
before the roaring rapids, the towering
cliffs and the great overhanging trees as
witnesses to their troth. They stood out
on an impending rock, far above the tor
rent, and in this temple of nature gave the
word to each other that may never be gain
said.
"Dear Anne" he said, for he was Sc
rious man, not given to fine speech, ION
this rock we plight our troth. Here, with
no human witnesses, but thousand eyes
to see us, we promise to love each other al
ways
"On this rock, - she echoed as she chung
to him.
''On this rock" he went on, eff the
evil time should come when that love has
grown cold and bitterness has come into
its place, we must meet to break the ties
in the presence of the same witnesses which
have seen us seal them this day"
ION this rock" she whispered, clinging
closer as he bent and kissed her.
Then they passed under the vines and
through the low hanging branches into
the open grounds, away from the brink of
the great chasm, and strolled back to their
hotel with the newly made music in their
hearts and its softer notes murmuirng in
the words they spoke.
Three months later, when the leaves were
crimson and gold in all the forests, and
the air was touched with the grateful crisp
ness of the first frosts, these two became
one in the old church where Anne's moth
er had been married and where Anne had
been christened, and it seemed as if no
cloud could ever shadow the blue of their
sky.
But the clouds will come, and to some
they show no riffs through which the sun
may shine, and to these ere the year had
gone the clouds came.
For three years more they thickened,
and then the evil time came when they
thought it was not possible for them to
live the life their married life was, and they
resolved to sunder the tie which bound
them.
Why they had grown apart in this dread
full fashion neither could say.
She had been frivolous, as most young
women are whose lives are passed in plen-
ty, and he had grown cold and hard as
men do who devote themselves to their
ambitions.
He had not thought enough of her, and
she had thought too much of herself.
With this as premise there can be but
one conclusion, and that conclusion they
had reached, more in sorrow than in anger
for each of them, but with the calm cold
ness which nothing can melt.
"You remember, Annie, he said to her
vii bod HaI tha
ence which was to finish their dream OF
love and hope, tive promised each other if
there should ever come such a time as this
that on the rock where we stood above the
tumultuous waters and made our vows
there we should stand again to break
them.''
81 remember" she replied coldly.
1--WE leave for Niagara mt o'clock this
evening" he said to her in that firm tone,
which chafed her spirit, though it compell-
ed her obedience
She nodded merrily and went to her
room as he went to his.
She thought of many things as she made
ready for this unexpected journey, and
when they met again at dinner her eyes
were red, and his voice trembled as he
spoke to the servant, for between them, as
for months past, there was a silence that
shivered.
The next day at noon they were at the
hotel, where four years before they had
been, but the harp strings were broken,
and the music was dead in their hearts.
They had scarcely spoken on their jour
ney, and now she asked no questions, but
followed him as if she were walking in
nightmare.
AS they left the carriage near where the
little path led out to the rock of their troth
he stopped in the shadow of a tree, and she
stood by his side waiting.
"In few moments, Annie" he said,
with quivering lips, 1.-THE tie that we made
for ourselves will be by ourselves broken.
When we have retracted the VOWS on the
rock where we made them, you will return
in the carriage alone. shall not return
until the sun has SET"
She tried to speak, but her words were
only great Sob and she followed him as
he moved on toward the rock. At the last
turn in the path, where the rock first came
into view, was rough place, which he re-
membered to have helped her across on
that other day four years ago by giving
her his hand He remembered, too, how
it trembled in his and what thrill this
reliance of hers upon him sent through ev-
cry nerve of his body, and unconsciously
when he came to this place he held out his
hand to her and she as unconsciously took
it. Then, hand in hand, they stepped out
toward the rock, but it was there no longer.
The never ceasing power of the rushing
waters had swept out its foundations, and
it lay sunken in the dark current below.
For one instant, standing there on the
brink of the chasm, they looked into each
others eyes, and then he opened his arms,
and with a little cry of joy she went to
them.
"Thank God'' he exclaimed. And smil-
ing they turned from the chasm to the
open beyond, where the sun was shining,
and they drove back together before the
sun had set.-W. j. hampton in Detroit
Free Press