Year: 1873

~ - ~ NNH'F's


After striving all day with the total de.
pravity Of chairs and tables and beisieads
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 expressed it,
ia tumble up and down my chest
And 500 what my soul doth wear.
! II was the avenue which made me take
the house nobody's avenue in particular,
yet it seemed to belong to each one of the
small group Of cottages to which it led
from the high road. 1t had existed as a
sort Of lane before the cottages we're thought
Of and great trees had had time 70 grow up
in eisurely way and meet overhead. 4
long gate closed it nat night from the snares
Of the outer world, and gave greater sense
Of security to the lonely spinsters and timd
widows who lived in the cottages


On this night thick mist enlolded the
trees and me as with somber garmeut and
the remark Of one Of our old neighbors
when she heard our destination came back
to me ike bird Of il-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
10 write their wills Il is too far from the
village TO walk, and to near to make it
worth while to ride"


She evidently spake not without knowl.
edge, and kcenly felt the little fine point
that was wrapped up in it. Il had fear
tul sound, to be an old maid all my DAYS.
for old maids do live immensely long lives,
having neither great Joys nor great sorrows
to wear out their bodies 1t almost seems
that with little more effort they might
live forever. was twenty-five years old.
and no love passages had ever been mine.
IL one must be an old maid, it would be
some consolation to have few old letters
and a bunch Of dried flowers to turn over
IN winter evenings. 1t was an old familiar
track Of 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 il was i'm.
possible to tell, as distinguished no foot.
steps.


"l fear we have made mistake" said
woman's voice, trembling 10 spite of hard
tone in it. "If you cannot bear with me
while we are lovers, what will become Of
me by and by?"


alt is only when we are alone that
should ever suspect that we were lovers"
rejoned a masculine voice


"You were willing that our engagement
should be a secret


"Yes, because you besought me so aux
iously; but your manner to other men is so
uttery-utterly-"


"Don't hesitate for a word assure
you can endure it. My manner is so--?"


Unengaged, would say, to put it very
mildly"


"Perhaps it is better that my condition
should fit my manner"


Perhaps; unless you change that manner" "


81 could no more do that than the leop-
ard could change his spots. / have loved
you well, but that is no reason why we
should marry, suppose"


ooh! none whatever. | hear some one
coming. Here is the ring that you meant
for fetter. Goodnight, and good.by!"I


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


e. IL q. Ii
been tormented with other peoples secrets
against his will. leaned my arms on the
gate, until the fog cleared away and a soft
weaving moonlight fell on the trees, which
seemed 10 whisper together about the very
secrets that had shared with them, ln "A
crack between post and bar something
cleaned in the moonlight. picked out
ring which one had thrown away in her
angry haste, and which the other looked
for on the ground in vain It was a violet
formed of small sapphires, with a diamond
in the center. carried il home and tucked
it into the furthcst corner of my upper
drawer, and for month | pondered il in
my heart looked eagerly for all notices
under the head Of "Lost and Found"
Vast hordes of dogs seemed to have gone
upon their travels about that time; muffs |
and bouds and other small matters we're
entreated TO return, and no questions asked !
but no one had lost ring. composed |
with infinite pains at least a dozen 0dver-
tisements which should delicately convey
to that outline OF a man that his ring
might be recovered if he desired 1t. | |
aaiH IN iurtt hat |
shared the cottage and all other worldly
goods) of my little adventure in the even.
ing If she had ever had any nonsense
about her it had entirely worn off before
my time. She would have sought for the
owner of that ring in the same straightior-
ward and exhaustive way as it it had been
a stray hoe found in her garden. These
two lovers would have been forced 10
stand and deliver their names aud their se-
erets within a week.


Aunt Esther had brought me up in the
same way that she did everything else; she
never forgot to wind her clock on every |
seventh day, and she never failed to give
me good measure of home comfort, but it |
was not pressed down and running over.
gave her honest respect and liking without
any love. and she never missed it. Never
theess, it gave me terrible shock when
her vigorous life was suddenly arrested by
a stroke Of paralysis Our only servant
in her fright was as helpless as her mis-
tress, but Miss Purdy who lived next door,
came in to stay with my patient while
ran through midnight darkness down the
avenue aud the long village street after the
doctor. DR.. Gilman was the name on the
first door that had light behind il. At
the first pull Of the bell the handle came
off 10 my hand, but opened the door and
found myself in the Office. The doctor lay
on lounge sleeping heavily, as If be had
just thrown himself down after hard
days work. called to him in vain, and
finally laid violent hands on him. He
must have been dreaming some fearful
thing, for he seized my wrists as in vice
and roared, Now have you - before he
opened his eyes.


:" You are mistaken doctor, il is who
have you" said, laughing. lie released
my wrists and sat up with his eyes very
wide open. !