Year: 1873


the gloom, and through the mists and films
that gather over my vision. 1 see her afar
off, still the same angel in the distant heav-
en-, and reach out my arms to her, and
cry aloud on God to let me go find her, and
on her to come to me, and then thick dark
ness settles on me.


"The doctor calls this apoplexy, and says
/ shall some day die in fit OF it. What
do doctors know OF the tremendous inhuen-
ces that are working on our souls? He, in
his scientific stupidity, calls it disease, and
warns me against wine and high living, as il
| did not understand what it is, and why
my vision at such times reaches SO far into
the deep unknown.


Il have spoken of Tom Lewis, her cous-
in. Rumor said he was the old mans heir
in equal proportion with the daughter for
he had been brought up in the family, and
had always been treated as son. He was
a good fellow, if he was rough, for he had
the goodness that all who came within her
influence must have.


Il have seen her look the devil ont of
him often. I remember once when the
horses had behaved in a way not to suit
him. and he had let an oath or two escape
his lips preparatory to putting on the whip.
We were riding together down the avenue,
and he raised the lash. At the moment he
caught her eye. She was walking up
from the lodge where she had been to see
a sick child She saw the raised whip, and
her eye caught his. He did not strike.
The horse escaped for that time. He drove
them quietly through the gate, and three
miles and back without word of anger.


did tell you | was her cousin also A
second cousin on her mothers side, not on
the Generals. We lived not far off, and
lived much Of my time at his house. Tom
and myself had been inseparable, and We
did not conceal our rivalry from each other.


"' Tom said l. one morning. why can't
you be content with half the Generals for
tune, and let me have the other half?'


80 Bah! jerry said he, as if that would
be any more even, when you want Sarah
with it. In heavens name, take half of the
money, if that's all you want


I" Cant we fix it so as to make an even
division, Tom? Take all the fortune, and
let me have her, and I'll call it square


Just what | was going to propose to
you. Be reasonable now, Jerry, and get
out of the way. You must see she doesn't
care copper for you


a twirled rosebud in my fingers that
she had given me that morning, and re-
piled


Poor devil I did not think you could
be so infatuated. Why, Tom, there is no
chance for you under the snn. But go
ahead find it out as you will. 1 am sorry
for you


A hundred such talks we used to have,
and she never gave either of US one particle
more of encouragement than the other.
She was like sister to us both, and nei
ther dared to break the spell of our perfect
happiness by asking her to be more.


And so time passed on.


"One summer afternoon we were off to-
gether on horseback, all three of US, over
the mountain and down the valley. We
along the road down the side of the hill.


Philip, stir the fire little. That bot.
tie of claret is rather cold, it seems to me,
or am little chilly myself Perhaps it
is the recollection of that day that chills
me.


"I hId made up my mind, if opportunity
occurred, to tell her that day all 1 had
thought for years. l had determined to
know, once for all, if she would love me
or not


If not, | would go, l cared not where
the world was broad enough, and it should
be to some place where should never see
her face again, never hear her voice again,
never bow down and worship her magnif-
cent beauty again. | would go to Russia
and offer myself to the Gar, or to Syria
and join the Druses, or to India, China,
anywhere to fight. All my notions were
military, | remember, and all my ideas were
of war and death on the field.


81 rode by her side, and looked up at
her occasionally, and thought she was look
ing splendidly. had never seen her more
so. Every attitude was grace, every look
was life and spirit.


tom clung close to her. One would
have thought he was watching the very op-
portunity was after myself. Now he rode
a few PAGES forward, and as | was catching
my breath to say Sarah he would rein up
and fall back to his place, and would make
some fat remark that made me seem like
fool to myself, if not to her.


whats the matter with you, Jerry
said she at length.


Jerrys in love- said Tom.


/" | could have thrashed him on the spot.


LIN love! Jerry in Lowell and she
turned her large brown eyes toward me.


In vain | sought to fathom them, and
arrive at some conclusion whether or not
the subject interested her with special force,


The eyes remained fixed, till blunder-
ed out the old saw, Tom judges others by
himself


Then the eyes turned to Tom, and he
pleaded guilty by his awkward looks, and
half bushes, and averted eyes, and forced
laugh.


by Heaven thought |, what would
| not give for Toms awkwardness now
The scoundrel is winning his way by it.


g" Jerry, is Tom in lover


The nairete Of the question, the correct
ness of it, the very simplicity of the thing
was irresistible, and II could not suppress
smllethat grew into broad laugh. Tom
Joined in it, and we made the woods ring
with our merriment.


81 say, Tom, isn't that your whip lying
back yonder IN the road p


"'Confound it. yes; the cord has broken
from my wrist : and he rode back to get it.


80 Jerry, whom does lem love?' said
she, quickly, turning to me.


80 Gou,' said |, bluntly


'.' Why, of course but who is he in love
with. mean?'


I" 1t was curious way to. get at it.
Could | be justified? 1t was. not asking
what bad intended. but it was getting at
it in another way, and just as well, perhaps.
II was, at all events, asking Toms question
for him. and it saved me the embarrassment
OF putting 1t as my own. | determined
this in an instant.


g. SaIah cnnld von lora Tom we'll