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SADNESS . "It pains, it troubles me, Preston. With you , I would have no faults." The cloud settled heavily over his face now ; so heavily that it seemed like a spasm. "Are you hurt ? Oh ! how could I let you move ?" cried Ruby, bending over him in real sympathy. "Oh ! how pale you are, my poor, poor Preston !" Quick as thought this woman, given up for once to her impulses, bent down and pressed her beautiful lips to his forehead . She felt him shrink suddenly, and thought that some motion of hers had angered his wound. " Oh, forgive me ! I did not mean to hurt you," she pleaded, with tears in her eyes. "Everything I do seems to give pain ; and I so want to comfort you." Preston looked by her through the window with keen anxiety in his eyes. He saw the white dress of Zua Wheaton fluttering upon the terrace, but her back was toward them. "You are kind, indeed , Mrs. Gray ; you always were kind to me ; but I am not so very ill! Only chained down here, you know, with a pang darting through me now and then like a spear. This is a sort of thing that time alone can cure." "But you are lonely ; you must be sad." "Lonely, am I ? No, I rather think not. They let me read now ; then there is a queer little fellow that comes to me sometimes from the garden, the most absurdly amusing creature you ever saw ; and his sister, a strange, bright girl ; beautiful, too, in a certain way ; full of originality, and kind-hearted as a creature can be. She always wears roses in her hair ; and with such shoes- but there is nothing to laugh at in the girl. I wish you could see her and take to her, Mrs. Gray." "Mrs. Gray-this is the second time you have called me that. When you prayed to call me Ruby, did I refuse?" Moreton laughed ; but a flush of color came into his face. He made no direct answer to
her reproach, but went on about the girl, who had evidently excited his interest in no small degree. "She is affectionate as a child, brim full of romance, and ignorant of the world and its ways beyond all belief. She has a sweet voice, too, perfectly uncultivated , but with a world of power in it. I wish you could see her. " "I will, if it pleases you. Indeed , I am ready to accept or reject anything at your desire. " "That is promising too much ; but it will be a kind thing if you interest yourself about this poor girl. Her mother is a washerwoman, somewhere in the neighborhood , and her name is Clark. " I—I have "Clark- why that is the girl seen her, Preston." "Seen her! When?" "The the night you were brought here-I will not conceal it. I will conceal nothing now ; but the news reached me, and I went wild. All day I had been watching for you with such sweet hopes, such anxious longing for your presence, that at last suspense made me faint. I was like a child waiting for its mother ; like a flower asking the night for its dew. When the night fell, and you did not come, I sat down and cried ; you will not believe it, Prestonbut I did. Then it was that I heard of your fall, and where you lay suffering. My little boat lay at the foot of the hill, I got into it and came over. First I went to the washerwoman's house, where I saw the girl you speak of; then I persuaded the woman's son to bring me here. I saw you ; I was in the room with you, my darling ; I -—————” " Halloo, old boy ! well enough to see company I find. Will you let a fellow in?" The voice came from a window close by. Ruby turned her tearful face, and saw young Gray leaning half into the room, with a half smoked segar in his hand. (TO BE CONTINUED. )
SADNESS . BY S. E. EVERETT.
My heart is filled with strange unrest ; I'm sad, I know not why; This world seems all a weariness, From which I fain would fly. It is not that I envy those By fortune more caressed ; Nor is it strife with worldly foes, That brings this wild unrest.
My friends are true, the world is kind ; My wants are well supplied ; Nor can my wishes be defined, Or tell what I'm denied. Yet strange it is, my heart is sad; The days are long and drear; And oft I wish their measure had Fulfilled their courses here.
