St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-04-24
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wrote tliose tender sentences of fire1iteil
Ask hinn-av. ask himls 1.$>EyI ;ystp< :.

Ask hins-aJ. ask bimla 1.S>.ol :'.t">' 81
But the, flushing Of tie cheeks, ehs
trembling of the hshds, had something Of
expectantt joy in their signs. She only
thought he. had written to her! But when T
She knew when u moment after and VIII
lie, standing there, even with his untaueht
boys teart, knew what that voiceless calu
meant far better than Kitty Mills would
have known. And as the + oeful eyes mp:
lift he realizes something more Of Iife's'
stern passion than his fifteen years had
ever co'hIreher ded before : -. -: ~
He understands SO delicately and wisely,
that, as Kitty enters an opposite door, hs,
sends her away to the cupola by some hint
of tents ne"ly pitched, and rumors Of !.
newly forming. emp And while Miss
Kitty forgcts her Incidence in the charm
ing prospect of Il fresh court Of suitors, and
flies off to greet the welcome sight Of their
floating flags, her cousit, Hope, escsp plcs to
her room with burden Of death npon her
soul. a II night with this heavy burden
she keeps a fearless watch: All night she
goes over that bitter, bitter parting, when
her cruel words belied her heart. And all
night she is haunted,by the ID" - = :
Never, never, whispered by the phanto.
years"
When. Will came down to breakfast the
next 1pornikg his sister was not there, aud
Kitty poured his cotfe. for him in he, de-
fault for Hope had been both mother and
sister to Will five years that very month.
Though her absence was by no means so
unusual, Win was uneasy on this morn.
ing. He hadn't forgot the odd effect Of
that letter; so he evinced bis uneasiness
by kicking the table-legs and :quarellins
with Kitty-two accomplishments in which
he excelled.
At dinner the same cause Of uneasinesa
existed, and the same consequences en-.
sued +; he kicked the table-legs and quar-:
relied with Kitty. (Query: do all boys
have natural propcn ,ity to kick table,
legs! the narrator never saw one that did.
n't) At tea, again he missed the familiar
face; and this time forgot toquarrel with
his cousin, even if he unconsciously per
formed the other accomplishment
10 his inquiries. Kitty answered careles.
ly, slope had a headache.
Going up to bed he 'loitered by her
door-not sound Then he ventured to
call softly, slope" No answer Then hs
entered
Hope was lying where she had flung
herself the night before, and dressed as he
had seen her when she read her letter -
But the white lace of woeiul passion vas
gre:tly changed. Fever burned upon tho
cheeks aud the parched lips, and 10 ftf1l
slamber into which she had fallen she
moaned restlessly Unused to such signs
Of illness yet the boy was we'll aware it
was 10 light matter.
HI turned to call for Kitty; then back
he went, with grim determination on his
face, and deliberately turned the key upon
his sisters writing-dcsk and transferred it
to his pocket, mutteripg at the time,
lyon don't get into that, Miss Kitty,
while I'm round!"'
When Kitty came she was shocked and
sorry enough. .:'She did not know, ahs
was sure, it was anything serious, for Hops
often had headaches"
viii growlcd ut her, and jumped down
three steps at a titlre as he ran tor the dog
tor. For ten days Hope Bayne hovered
between life aud death on the twelfth she
awoke to sens:bility aud suffering. by
her BEDSIDE she found watching fresh
young face, whom, she had often, kindly
enough, but sel6shly, overlooked. aua
haltlorgo.ten in the past. She found it
had been her most faithful watcher these
ten days: 1t lokeed anxious aud worn now,
anu her heart smote her as she realized
what a fount Of love she bad neglected.
Here was something 70 live for, after all ;
and the paug Of her awakened memory
so:tencd "Dcar Will" And the facs
she turned to his had resumed its calm,
but the old expression of proud and lone.
ly bitterness had departed ..-,,.>...
A fortnight alter they wore en- eroute for
Washington to join her father; resident
for the winter there, iu his attendance up
on several law cases. :,> Z, '>'~C
Hope, still pale and thin from her re.
cent illness, had ample excuse in remain
ing at home, while Kitty participated in
tbs gayities of the season.
Left thus alone with Will ono evening
he was almost her constant companion
now-she asked him the question which
had possessed her u4iud for weeks.
"Will, you were with lie much during
those 0elirOus days-did I mention anv
names p, So. ~s....
The lad looked, away from her a. he re-
piled, ''Once Hope" -. -
"Was Kitty, preseutl'', '.... ~:
triumph. ...~ ..-...-..- -. .,.- ..
"What did cay, winr' 49,. .~..::' -. :
"You just called Frank, that was al"