St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-06-07
THE STEP UPON THE PATH.

I heard itfrst. We were sitting around
the fire, one cold clear autumn evening
Elsie Russell. my mother and I. Elsie was
reading aloud to us from quaint old book,
full of dwarfs and giants, enchanted ladies,
and valiant knights; and every now and
then, as she paused to turn leaf or make
some merry comment, the murmur of the
wind among the branches Of the old elms
around the house came family to our eals,
and made the inner comfort more intense.
could not see the cheerful room, or the
shining of the freight, or the bright young
face of Elsie Russell, or my mothers
smooth, white forehead, and clear thought
full eyes, although could remember them
well, oh !! how well, Of old. [ might ncv-
er hope to gaze on any OF these things
again! Yet, I was happy with that clear
voice falling on my ears, and that tiny hand
resting on the table, so close that could
touch it with my hand, as did, now and
then, by accident. I was often very mis-
erable; but just then I could have said;
had I been called upon to do SO, that sight
was nothing when compared with such a
home and such mother, and that it was
better to be led about, and read to, by El-
sic Russell, than to be independent of aid
and unblest by such sweet friend and
comforter. In a, word, I had forgotten
past and future, and was living only in the
present, when step, one that I had never
heard before, broke upon the quiet of the
little room, dispensing it utterly-so it
seemed to me at least. The others scarce
ly noticed it.
"There is strange footstep upon the
garden path," I said and I spoke sudden
y, with an unquiet Auttering ofthe heart,
and an underlined prescience Of sorrow, for
which I could have given no reason, or
rather, for which / was ashamed to give
one to myself.
at is Tom, my dear; I sent him out
upon message before dark" said my
mother kindly. , -.
"It is not Tom, mother. have never
heard that step BEFORE" persisted.
1T Is Tom, in new boots. What stran-
ger would grope his way through the Woods
to this out of the way place after nightfall?
laughed Elsie. "Be quiet, Paul Blair, and
listen to the story, as you value my appro-
baton. The knight is about to deliver
the enchanted lady from her traldom.-
Attention p Is - .:, rjf
Ere she could resume her book, howev-
er loud peal Of the bell announced the
fact that the steps Of which we had been
speaking, and to which / had been listen
ing all the while, had assembled the porch;
and in an other moment Elsie read from a
card, which the servant handed to her, the
name and title Of Doctor Claymore. "
"Whom / met at the Irvings,' last week.
III believe mentioned him." said Elsie
in a somewhat confused explanation.
"Show the gentleman in, Dinah:" :ss
The strange step fell upon my ear once
more, Across the hall, up the stairs to
the parlor door it came; thence, smother
ed by the velvet softness of the carpet,
into the room itself, and there paused, very
near me. L heard that alone of all. the
the other sounds; words Of welcome and
introduction which accompanied it. Only
when all'was quiet again and all were seat
ed, could I bring myself to listen to the,
voice Of its owner, and try to discover, in
my own way, what he was like. A hand
some, gentlemanly man, with that peculiar
dashing frankness Of manner which eaptl-
Yates all women and men, and q voice clear
and firm enough to match his step--tbis
was what 1 made Of him. =, That he was
possessed of intellect and refinement, and
that he could, at least, express excellent
sentiments, was evident from his converse
ton. The man Of all others to charm FL