The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-04-27

| was sure she would have done as tnucl
for me. 0 Lord emphatically there il
nothing like it this side of Jordan.
In and out of the room fitted the calm
dignifed, beautiful Lena, while Bella
and sat there together, her head confid
ingy upon my breast, and my eyes look
NC fondly down into the heavenly blue
of her own. You could not have told
had you not known Lena as well as |
that she was gladder than usual; but I
saw gladness in her dark eyes-they
sparkled so-and gladness in her hesita-
ting step,for she hardly knew how to act /;
and gladness in the absent way in which
she went about, humming snatches of
glad songs, with o trembling voice. Beau
tiful Lena !she loved her sister very much,
and rejeiced with her in her JOY, as she
was sad with her in her dark hours. And
L, too, was glad to know she loved me
very uuCu, Uuu HoI tlS oh0 HouIo " io'ci
= only a brother.
I think God is very good. I never
thought SO, though, as much as l did that
night. while toyed with the curls and
kissed the round, clear, rosy cheeks of my
own Bella. would marry her-we wo'd
be very happy then. I loved her--and
her only. With her the world was a
good old world, and without her the world
was vast humbug with little or no Joy
in it.
When I was twenty two or three--I
am now quite old-when ! WIS worthy
of my Bella, and really worthy, there was
wedding in tho Smith mansion; and
Bella was bride and was groom. But
so it was all right, and
So much for prem milton.
AS for Lena. what shall say? Well,
I'll tell you all. She was single till her
twenty fifth birthday (don't shudder, l
pray you young men and maidens-for,
really, she was more beautiful than ever
before) land then she married an old schoo!.
mate, or rather an old sweetheart-a
good friend of NINE who ran away to sea
in his youth first bidding good bye to and
pledging love and eternal affection with
Lena.
III tell YOU how it was: You see, |
knew the girl was in love-for | was
shrewd and first rate reader of human
nature in those days-I knew she was,
and | was just foolish enough to be.iev
she was in love with me; that she had for
gotten all about her sailor lover, or at least
had given up hopes of seeing him again.
But, after all, women once in love are as
true as steel, and uncbanging as morning
and evening, Gake Bella, for instance,)
there is no mistake about it.
Well. when Lena told me she could not
anil would not marry me, l was surprised !;
but knew she was in love. Time pass
ed on. Bella and l got married: and Lee
ia was getting old, and yet wouldn't ac-
cept one of the many good fellows who
made proposals. Strange, said |; but Lee
ma will get married one of these days
! Premonition tells m so.
Snre enough One day, tall, well
built. and handsome fellow, with a sun
burnt face and hard, rough hands, and an
honest, straight foruarl way, dressed i'll
duck trowsers, and roundabout with a
huge turn-down neck collar over it, with
tarpaulin on. No sooner did Lena see
him, than she turned pale, and then red
and then pale again; and then she was all
in tremble and a hutter and l could
hear her fingers drum nervously on the
window-caslng while she watched.
The sailor came on, paused opposite
the window where Lena was. and looked
at her an instant, then CALAMITY dotted hi
tarpaulin, and then ieaped the ferce out
side at a bound, and ran Up the walk ane
into the house.
Dash the fellows impudence said l
maxi. q for the door. What does ht
mean!
Arast there, Tom, my boy said he
dashing through the door, and grasp ne
my hand, and squeezing it terribly. GIVE
us your grappling-irons for the sake o.
the times we have cruised together-and
good times, too. wern't theys
You have the advantage of me, my, n J
friend. said |, rather cooIly, and trying
to release my hand from his vice-hkt
gras,. Blame it!what do you mean, sir
and turned red with anger.
What, Tom-don't You know me b.
asked, starting back. Do | hang on
false colors, or do you? Come, now
give us broadside Of congratulations OIL
my safe return-there's a jolly old mess
mate. SILVER my timbers. he added, q
I scannc bis weather beaten conntenanc
without sign of recognition, you old
: shattered, blind ASA bat sulk you? III,
I names Jack Bowhni don't yoH sees