Year: 1873

After striving all day with the total
depravity of chairs and tables and bed
steads, which refused on any terms to
look hOme-like in a new house, it was
comfort untold to rush out into the
avenue, in the dusk, and take sweet
counsel with myself, or, as quaint old
Herbert expresses it,


To tumble up and down my chest


And see what my soul doth wear.


It was the avenue which made me
take the house nobody's avenue in par
ticular, yet it seemed to belong to each
one of the small group of cottages to
which it lead from the high road. 1t
had existed as a sort of lane before the
eottogns were thought of, and great
trees had had time to grow up in
leisurely way and meet overhead. A
long gate closed it in at night from the
snares of the outer world, and gave
greater sense of security to the lonely
spinsters and timid widows who lived
in the cottages.


On this night thick mist enfolded
the trees and me as with sombre gar
ment, and the remark of one of our old
neighbors when she heard our destin-
alton came back to me like bird of i'll
omen: Going to Dovecotes Then
You will live and die an old maid. No
one ever goes there but the doctor to
make them sick and the lawyer to write
their wills. It is too far from the vii
lage to walk, and too near to make it
worth while to ride"


She evidently spake not without
knowledge, and keenly felt the little
fine point that was wrapped up in it. 1t
had fearful sound to be an old maid
all my days, for old maids do live i'm
mensely long lives, having neither great
joys nor great SORROWS to wear out their
bodies 1t almost seems that with a
little more effort they might live for
ever. was . years old, and no love
passages had ever been mine. If one
must be an old maid it would be some
consolation to have a few old letters
and burch of dried flowers to turn
over in winter evenings. 1t was an old
familiar track in my mind; my thoughts
travelled it often. The hour was not
very late, but the fog made darkness
that might be felt. Suddenly / heard
voices near me, but whether in front or
following it was impossible to tell, as i
distinguished no footsteps.


" fear we have made mistake, !"
said a woman's voice, trembling in spite
of hard tone in it. eff you cannot
bear with me while we are lovers, what
will become of me by and by q


&c 1t is only when we are alone that /
should ever suspect that we were low
ers," reloined masculine voice.


you were willing that our engage
ment should be a secret.


eyes, because. You besought me so
anxiously ; bRt your manner to other
men is so utterly-utterly-


Don't hesitate for word. 1 assure
YOU I can endure it. My manner is
so"


Unengaged, would say, to put it
very mildly"


Perhaps it is better that my con-
dition should fit my manner"


g Perhaps-unless you can change
that manner"


81 could no more do that than the
leopard could change his spots. have
loved you we'll, but that is no reason
why we should marry, / suppose"


ooh none whatever. L hear some
one coming. Here is the ring that you
meant for a fetter Good. night and
good-by!"


A woman ran by me so closely that
her skirts brushed mine, and the fog
lifting a little at the same moment L
saw the outline of a man take his ell
3 bows from the long gate, on which he
had been leaning, and STOPPING down
seem to look for something on the
ground. Then he hurried away toward
the village, and as Bunyan says of his
pilgrims, - / saw him no more"


felt like a person blind-fOlded, who
: has been tOrmented with other peoples
secrets against his will I leaned my
ow4 arms on the gate until the fog
cleared away, and a soft, wavering
moonlight fell on the trees, which SEEM
ed to whisper together about the very
secrets that shared with them. In a
crack between post and bar something
cleaned in the moonlight. / picked
out a ring, the ring which one had
thrown away in her angry haste, and
which the other had looked for on the
ground in vain. 1t was a violet formed
of small sapphires, with diamond In
the centre. / carried it home and tuck
ed it into the furthest corner of my
upper drawer, and for a month L pom
dered it in my heart. / looked eagerly
for all notices under the head of Lost
and Found" Vast hordes of dogs
SCENE to have gone upon their travels
about that time muffs and bonds and
other small matters were entreated to
return, and no questions asked; but no
one bad lost a ring. / composed with
infini' pains at least dozen advertise
ments which should 6elicately convey
to tina outline of a man that his ring
might be recovered if he desired it. I