LOVE'S YOUNG DREAM.
"Oh, happy love, where love like this is found! Oh, heart-felt raptures, bliss beyond compare! I've paced this weary mortal round, And sage experience bids me this declare, If heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare, One cordial in this melancholy vale, 'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair In other's arms breathe out the tender tale, Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the evening gale."
Donald and Minnie had grown up together. They had shared in the sociallife of the village. They had been to little parties together. They hadgone to the same church, sat in the same pew, sang the psalms from thesame book. They had walked out together in the summer evenings, and bothhad felt the influence of the white moonlight which steeped the treesalong the Marsden road. They had, so to say, appropriated each other,and yet there had been no word of love between them. They had spokenfreely to each other; their hands had touched, and both had thrilled atthe contact, and yet they were only friends! The village had settled itthat they were lovers and that they would be married, and felt satisfiedwith its own decision, because both were popular.
It was a summer afternoon, and they were in the woods together. Minniehad a basket for wild strawberries. None had been gathered. They wereseated at the trunk of a tree. Donald had told her that he thought ofleaving the country, and she felt stunned. Her heart stopped. She becameas pale as death.
"Yes, Minnie," he said, "I am tired of this life. I want away. I want topush my fortune. What is there here for me? What future is there for me?I want to go to the States. I can get along there. This life is too dulland narrow, and all the young fellows have left."
"Perhaps I feel too that it is a little dull, Donald," Minnie said, "butnot being a man, I suppose desires like yours would seem improper Whenyou go," and her voice trembled a little, "I will feel the dullness allthe more keenly."
"And do you think it will not cost me an effort to sever ourfriendship?" Donald said with emotion; "we have been playmates inchildhood and friends in riper years. I have been so accustomed to youthat to leave you will seem like moving into darkness out of sunlight.Minnie," he went on, taking her hand, and speaking with fervor, "canwe only be friends? We say that we are friends; but in my heart I havealways loved you. When I began to love you I know not. I feel now that Icannot leave without telling you. Yes, Minnie, I love you, and you only;and it was the hope of bettering my prospects only to ask you to sharethem, that induced me to think of leaving. But I cannot leave withoutletting you know what I feel. Just be frank with me, and tell me, do youreturn my love? I cannot see your face. What! tears! Minnie, Minnie, mydarling, you do care a little for me!"
She could not look at him, for tears blinded her, but she said, simply,"Oh, Donald, I have loved you since childhood."
"My own dear Minnie!" He caught her to his breast, and kissed her sweetmouth, her cheek, her hands and hair. He took off her summer hat, andsmoothed her golden tresses; he pressed his lips to her white forehead,and called her his darling, his sweet Minnie.
Minnie lay in his arms sobbing, and trembling violently. The restraintshe had imposed on herself was now broken down, and she gave way to thenatural feelings of her heart. She had received the first kisses oflove. She was thrilled with delight and vague alarm.
"Don't tremble, darling," he said, after a long silence.
"Oh, Donald, I can't help it. What is this feeling? What does it mean?"
It was unconscious passion!