Year: 1875

/ ment with an air OF distraction ana oLs-
may, m one who stands without 81 prison
gate and finds that the misfortune of the
creature within, deprived of Gods sun
shine and the bountiful air, has tainted
his own freedom md rendered il for the
time abortive. Then he walked slowly
back to the spot where best he could
catch the light and shade on his noun
tain peak; but despite himself his
thoughts drifted 10 the little school
teacher and her love for the sea.


1t was SO readily seen, after all; quite
an ordinary matter to get down to the
ocean; even possible to do the trip and
back again, in day if one looked sharp
about the trains: amusing to hear the
little woman's excitement about 30 sim
ple a matter as the swash of the waves
on the beach. Blanche never looked at
things in that light but then, Blanche
| good Heavens!-Blanche De Vigne and
Melicent Wharon were two vastly differ
ent things. One was sunshine, the other
shadow; that was it; and to a painter
confound it.-both these elements were
necessary. A fellow grew tired Of a
blaze of light forever; he wanted rest in
the shade-natural, quite natural!


Many time that day his brush drop
ped from his hand and his gaze wander
ed down the rough red road. When at
length the shadows heightened into af-
ternoon, and the point of light down
that dusty perspective became little
black figure of woman, Lorrimer dash
ed his sketch into his box. wiped of the
color from his palette, and started out to
meet her.


His long swinging stride soon swal-
lowed up the distance between them. so
that he Joined her not far from where
they separated in the morning.


Il have a project in hand began
Lorrimer, with the air of one who takes
thing for granted, that will delight
YOU Miss Wharton. I find l must run
down to the sea-shore again and propose
to take one of your holidays for the trip.
Suppose We say next Saturday. Could
you be ready, do you think, for the ear
ly morning train? We'd have to be at
the station by FIVE twenty-eight.'
Miss Wharton looked at him in be-
wilderment He thought he had never
seen face so appeallngly weary; heavy
black rings circled her honest gray eyes,
and the long black lashes seemed too
tired to lift themselves to his face. Her
step was sad and slow, as if even the
light dust was an obstruction.


Lorrimer went on, eagerly. We
could get there in capital season for me
to study trick of green in that fore
ground wave that I've never yet dared
to handle successfully


Her talked on volubly as if it were
proposition to 60 blackberrying in the
neighboring field, and by the time they
had reached John Bradshaw's fve-acre
plot of timothy and clover that adjoined
the farmhouse Miss Wharton had been
able to about half understand that there
was faint probability on the following
Saturday of her not only seeing the sea,
but that she might even reach that rap
turous delight in the companionship of
Mr.. Lorrimer.


The cleaning of a ferocious scythe
through the fragant grass made
Melincent shudder. She felt that if
John Bradshaw could but know the
hopes and yearnings of that little hsur
they would have as little mercy at his
hand as yonder innocent blooms of clo-
yer.


The intervening days were passed in a
sort Of trance, the country school mis-
tress finding the blackboard once in a
while taking gigantic dimensions; and
the shock heads of her pupils swimming
before her delirious fancy. Even when
they were actually in the cars together
on that wonder Saturday she was afraid
it was a dream; and could only hope
that it would not be too rudely dispell-
ed


| as AOI 0OAAAAhcA, hOH bhoe eAC oAesAA
was really under way, he enjoyed it i'm
mensely, pointing out the various land
marks as they went along, and remark
ing to himself the rare talent Miss
Wharton had for saying nothing when
she had nothing to say. Blanche would
have driven him wild the first FIVE miles
with torrent of silly platitudes, would
have sent him hither and thither at ev-
cry station in search of impossibilities,
would have weighed him down with
ridiculous burdens, and would have
complained bitterly of the heat and dust
which really were aggrsvating. But
this little woman by his side uttered no
word that could not be construed into
ecstasy.


At last they stood upon the beach to-
gether and looked far out on ihe shining
sea. Lorrimer felt no particular exalta
tion till he was conscious that the hand
resting upon his arm trembled, and
looking down, he found her face paling
and glowing by turns, her lips trembling
actual tears falling out of her eyes.


Straitway the soul of Lorrimer took
fire. He saw with painters eye the
inimitable scene before him, and every
wave seemed to surge in his heart and
overwhelm it with beautiful fancies
Some of these he poured into the earl
nearest him, depicting with rare fecility
the emotion that her own agitation had
excited, and both of them stood there IL
that supreme exaltation of feeling 1ha
rarely overtekes mortality, however
happily situated.


Even when the intensity of those
emotions rendered them the less dura
BILE, and the great tidal wave of en-
thusiasm was geing out with every houl
that slipped by, there still remained tbs
reflection of joy rarely tasted, ant
Lorrimer declared to his companion
that thus far lt had been q perfect day.
She did not reply, but he had becom'