Joseph and His Friend

ght have been a little surprise in some quarters, when the fact became known in the neighborhood through Joseph's invitation, but no expression of it reached t

or outdoing Mrs. Warriner. Moreover, the Rev. Mr. Chaffinch had graciously signified his willingness to be present, and the stamp of strictest orthodoxy was thus set upon the entertainment. She was both assured and stimulated, as the time drew n

er!" Joseph

and that's all! There's a hundred things to be thought of that women must look to; you couldn't even

th her wonderful instinct, her power of accommodating people to each other, and the influence which she had already acq

eemed nothing better to do than to ride over to Warriner's in the hope

fficulty in making his message known, and was therefore much relieved when she said: "Now, Mr. Asten, I see by your face that you have something particular to say. It's about

How easily she solved the absurd doubts and difficulties which had so unnecessarily tormented him! How clearly, through her fine female instinct, she grasped little peculiarities of his aunt's nature, which he, after years of close companionship, had failed to define! Miss Rachel, she said, was both shy and inexperienced

ventionalities of life, had a natural talent for smoothing difficulties, and removing obstacles for others. Her friends had told her that she possessed this power; and it was a great happiness to think so. In the

u must remember that in the city we are obliged to know all the little social arts,—and artifices,

he maiden secrets of his own. The confidence already established between them was wholly delightful, because their sense of reciprocity incre

id you not suggest this

as talked about, and I couldn't help saying Ay. I lo

nderson obje

ection was inexperience, and not want of will to entertain company. And very likely she helpe

d, which he seized so warmly as to give her pain. But she returned the pressure, a

peedily joined them. It was, in reality, a private arrangement which his aunt had made, in order to secure at the start the very assistance which he had been plotting to render. One half the secret of the ease and harmony which he felt was established was thus unknown to him. He looked

ils, and his fourth cup of tea made Rachel Miller supremely happy. The meal was honored in silence, as is the case where there is much to ea

iller," said the clergyman. "And now let us go out on t

ch," said she, "whether you think it righ

sation is modest and becoming. It is easy for the vanities

ascination for so many several classes of the human race; but to her there was nothing on this earth so delightful as to be told of temptation and backsliding and sin, and to

n the valley. Anna Warriner laid her arm around Miss Chaffinch's waist, and drew her towards the mown field beyond the ba

above them deepened into the violet-gray of coming dusk. The moist, delicious freshness which filled the bed of the valley slowly crept up the branching glen

this is too sweet to last: I

then glanced away. It seemed th

her hand on his arm. "Hush!" she said;

. The next moment it broke on the irregular topmost boughs, and then disappeared, as if blown out by a breeze which came with the su

he exclaimed; "I must see it a

and senses, had hidden them from the sight—and almost from the hearing—of the guests on the portic

, so interfused with pleasure, that it was impossible to separate the sensa

whispered, at last, "we should not need to seek for tr

k they are to be

ly I was satisfied with life as I found it: I thought it meant diversion, and dress, and

y towards him, as if drawing away from the dreary, homeless world. Josep

re like yours—you mu

have sought, or waited for recognition. I do not know why I should say it now. I try to be myself—my true self—with all persons; b

united that they shall dare to surrender all knowledge of

m! I thought I was alone in cheri

invoked sprang to life and urged him forwa

the hope we find in no others, and which alone will satisfy our live

pt me with what I had given up, unless you

answered breathlessly. "I

e throwing itself upon the waiting strand. Joseph had no defence, knew of none, dreamed of none. The pale-brown eyes, now dark, deep, and almost tearful, drew him with irresistible force: the sense of his own shy reticent self was lost, dis

w," she murmured: "I nev

, bending over he

of her heart seemed to claim from Joseph the full surrender of his own. He returned her caress

e you happ

appier than I ever tho

cannot understand the school in which I have been taught. I tell you, now, that I have had to learn cunning and artifice and equivocation. I am dark beside a nature so pure an

w. But Joseph caught her back to his breast, touched and even humiliated by such sharp self-

e you do

aid Joseph, "though you should

pressions of bliss, which are so inexhaustibly fresh to lovers, so endlessly monotonous to everybody else; and Joseph, lost t

l be looking for me. O, the world, the world! We must give ourselves up to it, and be as if we had never found each other. I shall be wild unle

Joseph hurried across the bottom of the lawn, to meet the stream of approaching guests which filled the lane, Miss Julia, at the top of the garde

ppy, light

the pirat

d, and even his nearest acquaintances were astonished at the courage and cordiality with which he performed his duties. The presence of Mr. Chaffinch kept the gayety of the company within decorous bounds; perhaps the number of detached groups appeared to form too many se

as not so quietly attractive as usual. Yet on meeting her eyes he felt the absurd blood rushing to his cheeks and brow, and his tongue hesitat

than of pain. As she did so she felt that there was an eye upon her, and by a

ome soon!" There was a long, fervent clasp of hands under her shawl, and then the carriage drove away. He could not see how the hand

rned to the latter, conscious of a tenderer feeling of friendship than he had ever before felt, and begged him to stay for the night. Elwood held

y mean it?" h

derstand yo

he next moment he laughed, and then added,

e company had been discussed, in a way which both felt to be awkward and me

ul secret. Elwood suddenly rose up in his bed, leaned forward, and whispered:

O,

ace told some sort of a tale

ely not to her!"

wood quietly sai

ge of his friend's bed. "Elwood!" he cried; "and you are ha

he presently added, "but there's a deal of difference between a mitten and a ring. You will have one and I have the o

warm flood of his feelings. He could only stamme

there's many a roundabout road that comes out into the straight one at last. Bu

ardly guessed it u

e; but maybe I know a little more of womankind than you. It's best to have a longer acquaintance tha

s against you, Elwood, for you

me, Joseph: promise me that you won't let

nterrupted, "she knows it now!

—not to-night. The way things are fixed in this world stumps me, out and out. Nothing fits as it ought, and if I didn't

btle chill in the heart of his happiness, which all the remembered g