Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-02-22

his bench. Industrious as ever. there
the same old orchard In which he had
gathered stolen apples when he was a
boy. Then he was passing into the
open country. and always his feet led
him toward his fathers home He
had refused to rent the old place afte
the old people had died. from some
sentimental motives which he was
ashamed to confess to himself
How empty and forlorn II looked. with
its boarded windows. and the garden
once trim. but now overgrown with
weeds And at the end OF the lane
was the Grays cottage. That was not
forlorn, but stood. trim and immacu
late as ever, In its neat little garden.
woman was walking up the lane
She had turned in from below, just
where the Gray cottage abutted on
the pike She would see him when
she came out of the bend few feet
from the stile Bremerton remem
bered how his heart had hammered
that morning he had first kissed her
II was here. and Lizzie had walked
lust as she walked now. unconscious
that he waited there He had wanted
to run away. as he wanted to run
now. And she had looked up sudden
ly and seen him. just as she looked up
now
And both had trembled. just as both
were trembling now.
And he had kissed her. just as he
kissed her now
For the rush of the years was swept
away. and they we're boy and girl
again beside the rustic stile And
1t was only afterward. when they
started guiltily away. that they re-
membered
Bremerton remembered that he was
mature man. verging upon middle
life. who had lost all the happy as
pirations and ideals of youth And
She She had hardly changed
except that her figure had grown
mature and her face more thoughtful.
/ graver
you arA-not married Them" he
stammered
She looked at him coldly. the flush
Of shame slowly fading out of her
cheeks
How can you ask me that. John?"
she said
But i heard-I heard"
That's why you ceased to writer"
He had never been able to deceive
Lizzie. Now the old impulse toward
confession burned in him.
No" he answered, IL ceased to
write before was told. But still, I
am sure that II ! had not heard so |
should some day have come back"
! F>r I,fx
I, Well. release you from it. So let
your conscience rest. My school occu-
! pies all my life and is my whole inter-
est While you-you are. or were
! very busy man and a very famous
one"
Then you have heard?" he asked
"Ofs course I've heard of you. John
8remertcn." she answered. 1--we
nave all followed your career with the
| greatest interest" she continued col
bring family You know We are all
proud of you in Pennington"
Were proud" he corrected.
Are proud. JOHN she replied.
looking steadily into his eyes. BE
cause you fell lighting like a man.
and never did single dishonorable
thing And when they got you down
1t was they who were disgraced. not
J you. ! am glad you came back for
This little while, John. SO that could
tell you this-that we all believe in
you"
| 20, If only had never gonei" he
| cried. IF could have life over again
would stay here and live out my life
with you. I've been fool, Lizzie
and in searching for the pot of gold
under the rainbow found the gold
! but l guess l missed the rainbow But
now the gold is gone and the rainbow
| is still shining. Lizzie. I've come back
10 stay-with you"
with me?" she repeated. with
me. .John?"
II want you" he cried Il have
never known what happiness meant
! since l went away And even though
/, ceased to write and--well. forgot
you'll always had a vision of time
when should come back to you.
But you see thought l had lost the
right 10 come. Lizzie. dear. have
found you again ] want to keep you
win you be my wife?"
"You-you mean that. john" she
stammered. Butch, no. John, you
! are Just chivalrous am not for
you now; your place is in the city.
where you win again make your mark
while H."
He drew her into his arms. and she
lay there at last, happily. He bent
his face to- hers.
"Tell me you love me-" he whisi
pered
81 have always loved you. John .
! she answered back And somehow I
always knew that you would come
I OH"
She disengaged herself hastily
looking up the lane In terror. and
following her glance. Bremerton per.
cetred the reporter approaching to.
ward them He was walking blithely
and whistling He had evidently not
seem them. but now. coming upon
them suddenly. he stopped short and
began spologizing nervously
Il was just taking walk" he be
gan. Il thought need not sit in that
station tin four I didn't know"
That's all right. SON" answered
gremerton Never mind that ap