The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-08-24

not IN the least III, FRANK. sHe eatd
quietly, 'but you must remember L have
not seen you for nino months and you
startled me little
nv household fairy hal fled, and l
could only mourn that | should never
look upon Ter sweet young face again.
It was another Alice, this. | had slain
my own Alice, and nothing could reanl-
mate her.
[ was ike one IN dream ali through
the day; and, when we came home, |
could not wake. [ had made many
changes in the house, and all for her, L
took her through the rooms on the day
after our return, and showed her the
improvements. She was pleased with the
furniture; she admired the pictures aud
the conservatory: and seemed delighted
with the little gem of q boudoir which l
had pleased myself by designing express
" Cor her. She thanked ne, TOO. No
longer ago than a year she would have
danced through tie rooms, uttering a
thousand pretty little EXPLANATIONS Of
wonI, and delight, and | should have
been smothered with kisses, and called a
dear old bear, or some such fit namo at
the end all Of which would have been
very silly, but also very delightful.
] think | bore it for a month; but one
morning, as | sat at my solitary break
fast-for Alice took that meal in her
room now-the litter sense of wrong
and unhappiness and deserion came over
me so strongly that | went up to her
room.
'Aro you busy g I asked, as she laid
down her pen and looked around.
Not too busy to talk to YOU she said.
'Alice, how long are we to live this
Iitep
She changed color.
'What lie, Frank:'
THE one we are now living. 1t is not
the happy, loving life we used to live.
You are not mine as entirely and loving
" IS you once were
i know it, And she sighed and look
ed drearily at me.
'Why cannot the old days come back
again. If | made terrible mistake, can
You never forgive it? 1 thought
it was foolish for us 10 love each other
| rs we did-at least, TO show it as we did
but l have found now, that love is
earth's true WISDOM
She smiled sadly.
Give me back that love, Alice, which
I would not have. Oh, give me back the
lost sunshine.'
1 rose from my seat and stood beside
her, but she drew back aud shook Der
head.
'F'rauk, don't ask me Tor that
Il shall know how 10 value it now,
Alice
THAT may be, but have it not 10
give you, my poor Frank
| cinsped Der TO my heart. The pass
ion in that heart might almost have
brought life back TO the dead; but she
did not move. She was like statue in
my arms, and only looked at me and
| sighed.
Too late! Too late, Frank,
viii YOU never forgive me?
7 Forgive, Do you think Chat have
one INK nj thought or feeling towards
you, Frank? All, mol But | am chilled
through and through. My love is dead
and buried. Stand away from the grave,
and let us meet tic world as We may
leaned my head upon my hands,
and my tears fell, and l was not ashamed
of them. But they seemed TO rouse her
into kind Of frenzy.
Your she exclaimed, suddenly. You
who year ago, sowed The seed which
i has borne this fluit, can you weep over
your husbandry now? Don't, Frank.
Take what [ can give you-take my
earnest fliendship-and God grant we
may never part, here or in heavcn.'
'Ah. in heaYen-if we ever get the'o
YOU will love me again
She quoted those sad wolds which poor
st. Pierre uttered on his dying bed:
Que ferait une anne isoleo dams 10 ciel
| meme "-(What would an isolated soul
DO even in heaven itself9 and laid her
hand gently on Diue.
Heaven knows, deer Alice, that Low.
ed YOU when we FIST met, loved you
on that unhappy day aud love you still
Il am glad to hear it, she said, hur
riediy. 'HcaYen only knows what days
aud nights were mino ut first. For my
life had been wrapped up in yours, Frank,
| and it was terrible 10 separate them. l
thought at first that l could not live. /
suppose every one thinks so when heavy
blow falls. But strength was given me,
and ty and by, peace. We seem like
Two gray shadows, Frank, in silent world,
and we must only wait Gods time; and
hope thai, on the other side of the grave
at last, this g,e,t mistake may be set
right. Believe me, am happy in being
with you, Frank : happy thi::hhiirg that
the same Ioof shelters us, aud that we
shall not part til! one Of us two dies
| opened my arms, and of her own
accord she came TO my heart once more;
her arms were around my neck, aud her
head upon my shoulder, and her lips
meeting mine. Not as they used 10 do,
yet tenderIy and kindly.
we are older and wiser than VIC were,
and sadler, two, dear Frank, she said,
with smile. yet who knows? Ii may
be that all the love has not left US yet
And thus that chapter of cur life
o,IoI