Tempest and Sunshine

Next morning he took leave of Mr. Middleton's family. When it came Fanny's

turn to bid him good-by, she noticed the absence of his accustomed

cordiality, and wondered much what she had done to displease him. That

night she wept herself to sleep thinking of it, while Julia, secretly

exulting in her sister's uneasiness, laughed at her for her foolishness,

and said, "It was probably a mere fancy, and even if it were not; what

matter was it? What did she care for Mr. Miller's good or bad opinion? She

mustn't expect everybody to pet and caress her just as her father did, who

was an old fool anyway, and petted her and her dogs alternately." This

kind of reasoning did not convince Fanny, and for many days her face wore

a sad, troubled expression.

Thus the winter passed away. Spring came, and with it came an offer to Mr.

Wilmot of a very lucrative situation as teacher in a school in Frankfort.

At first he hesitated about accepting it, for there was, in the old rough

stone house, an attraction far greater than the mere consideration of

dollars and cents. Julia at, last settled the matter, by requesting him to

accept the offer, and then urge her father to let her go to Frankfort to

school also.

"And why do you wish to go there, Julia?" said Mr. Wilmot, laying his hand

on her dark, glossy hair.

"Because," she answered, "it will be so lonely here when you are gone."

"And why will it be lonely, dearest Julia?" continued he.

"Oh," said she, looking up very innocently in his face, "you are the only

person who understands me; by all others, whatever I do or say is

construed into something bad. I wish you were my brother, for then I might

have been better than I am."

"Oh, I do not wish I was your brother," said Mr. Wilmot, "for then I could

never have claimed a dearer title, which I hope now to do at some future

time."

Then followed a declaration of love, which Julia had long waited most

anxiously for. Most eloquently did Mr. Wilmot pour out the whole tide of

his affection for the beautiful but sinful girl, who, in a very becoming

and appropriate manner, murmured an acknowledgment of requited love. Thus

the two were betrothed.

And truly it was a fitting time for such a betrothal. The air had been hot

and sultry all day, and now the sky was overspread with dark clouds, while

everything indicated an approaching storm. While Mr. Wilmot was yet

speaking, it burst upon them with great violence. Peal after peal of

thunder followed each other, in rapid succession, and just as Julia

whispered a promise to be Mr. Wilmot's forever, a blinding sheet of

lightning lit up for a moment her dark features, and was instantly

succeeded by a crash, which shook the whole house from its foundation, and

drew from Julia a cry of terror, which brought Fanny to see what was the

matter, and made Mr. Middleton swear, "Thar was noise enough from the

tempest outdoors, without the 'Tempest' in the house raising such a devil

of a fuss!"