Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/61

 MY FRIENDS AND I: MEMORIES.

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��from her words of cheer, and joyous in the smiles of her ruby lips; for such smiles! they were like the blessings of angels. But I am dwelling too long upon her loveliness, and you sneer — at what? The picture I have given you of her love or her beauty? Well, doubt it if you will. You did not know her. There is such love in the world, and such ex- cellence, and such beauty, too. You may not have seen it.

A twelvemonth came and went, as all years have, and will, and naught seemed to occur to disturb the quiet river of the lives of the young lovers. But now a change came over the spirit of their "love's young dream," the nature of which we already know; and it appeared in this wise.

An undeserving scion of a gold-bearing stock, a stern, cold-hearted man of the

orld, who knew no love but the love of wealth, and possessed in his soul no mu- sic but the click of gold, a business friend of the merchant Burton, was in- troduced to the family and cast a shadow into the quiet home; and that shadow grew.

He was wealthy, as the world counts riches, in stocks and lands, and the gold that glitters; but of the wealth that en- riches the heart, builds up the divine man- hood, and makes the world brighter and better, he was sadly barreu. There was in his nature no sunny spot where could grow and blossom bright flowers to scat- ter in bouquets of love and charity along the pathway of life. But I will not de- scribe him. We all know such, and meet them in our daily walks and feel the icy chill of their presence.

Did you ask me if he was welcomed at the Burton mansion? By the father he was; and Ellen, who loved her parents with -all the love of a fond and dutiful heart, accorded to him that respect and attention due her father's guest. But it was not until a recurrence of his visits again and yet again, that his true inten- tions were manifest to the mind of the innocent girl; and when next he came, for come he did, ostentatiously apparelled and outfitted, Ellen was not at home, and diligent inquiry failed to find her. A

��messenger was sent throughout the vil- lage, but no one had seen her, and when hour after hour had passed and she re- turned not, the wooer reluctantly relin- quished the purpose of his coming; and the early-rising moon of that evening saw the aristocratic carriage of the heir of the house of Ross, disappearing south- ward along the valley.

A week later saw its return, and this time unannounced; but the bird had flown again, and no one knew whither. Shall I tell you a secret? I will, since it is difficult to keep, and I am not sure but it has been told, for this was years ago; more, indeed, than I care to remember, so fast do they come and go.

The winds knew of her hasty flight; the birds welcomed her to their shadowy retreats; and the wild mountain stream that went laughing adown the glen and among the rocks, bearing no impress where those dainty feet had trod, told not the secret of her flight and hiding- place. I think Will knew, however, al- though he never told me so; but he did tell me how, very soon after the disap- pointed visitant had bidden his perplexed host "good night," and said adieu to the genial hostess, a light glimmered sud- denly out, like a guiding star, from the west window of the old garret, facing toward the mountain and the glen, and half an hour afterwards came "Black Ben " from up the ravine, followed by a rustling among the shadows, as of the evening wind among the bushes. And I think, too, the moon was in the secret, for as Will and " the rustling" met at the pasture gate, she came smilingly from behind the hill, beaming with joy at the meeting; but then, she always laughs at those glad scenes.

But I am wearying you with details. I must hasten to tell you how the next day brought around an interview be- tween the father and daughter, at which he told her his wishes, that she should encourage the attentions of " Walter Ross " with a view of becoming his wife. He looked upon it as a very desirabU match, as, in addition to his actual pos sessions, which were ample, he was the prospective heir to a large estate of ten-

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