St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-07-14

requirements which sutticed to proclaim
her the LADY, who dared to wear ginghum
at tea time, and yet approached with as
stately step as though she were clad in
silks and laces. Philip North must how
ever have found it u pleasant picture which
the sunset illuminel before him, for his
eyes kindled, and a delicate thrill of appre-
citation lowered tenderly on his lip. Elsie
tried to say something polite as she passed
close by, but meeting those warm obser-
want eyes fixed upon her ,he relapsed into
shyness, and retreated 10 the kitchen,
A glass dish Of water-lilies stood in the
centtr of the tea-table, and Philip North
said, 81 think saw you gathering these"
They were the first words he had spoken
to her; and Elsie colored and overflowed
a cup, and then looked up in surprise and
said, "Did you? Where 90
''Down by the side Of little lake. And
after you had got them you stood for a
long time in brown study, looking at the
sky"
And this was uil the conversation they
had till after tea Then Elsic's mother.
having conversed TOO much and 100 eager
y for her strength. lay resting on her So
ia, and Elsie, looking out into the starry
shades Of the twilight from the open win
dow, forgot her reserve, and found herself
talking quite frinkly.to the stranger, tell
ing him how she spent her time (not con
cealing the fact that she baked the bread, J
what books size read, and a number of 9TH
er small things too tritlir to be recorded
And then the moon appeared between two
mountains, large and yellow il the soft
purple night; and Philip North cnraptured
Elsie by telling her that he had beheld no
finer scene in any land. Then he describ-
ed to her countries whose very names made
ber cheek throb Poor little Elsie that
was night never to be forgotten while the
light stayed iu those earnest eyes.
One evening soon afterwards it hapf en-
ed that Elsie came to the door just as Phil
ip North arrived from the moors with his
gun and his dogs and his days spoil. He
stopped ana laid the dead game at her feet,
and passed on to put away his gun. Some
Wild idea suggesting the poem of eliza
watha'' flashed tierily through her brain,
and sent fearful delight tirgling ,hrough
l,H. her veins; Hi She stood pale and trembling,
up It i s and threw herself on her bed in d
passion Of tears-why, she did not dare to
know. She felt something cold on her
face, and looking up saw one OF Philips
dogs staring at her with mute sympathy.
She leaned forward to kiss his rough face,
but checked herself, pushed him fercely
from her, and q1ove'him IRON the room
Weeks passed, and still Philip North
stayed, and still Mrs. Leonard observing
him, weighing Ills words and his looks,
and studying his characteristic Elsie's
mother was glad that he stayed And
even Bah had forgotten her dream and
Llesscd him for kindly gentleman. And
Elsie, tripping happily about her house
iold work, did no. care if lie saw her
through the open window baking her
bread; nor was she ashamed when one
day he came in and asked her for one of
her cakes, fresh from the fire. And 50
her life wore Oh towards that sunnicst
point where the glad feet were to stop,
where the music was to be hushed, and
the light 10 60 down. Oh, dead eyes it
you can look back cn life, how do you
thank God for the blisslul brightness that
blinded GU to the end and let the grave
open beneath you Lnawares!
Was ii the creeping ch of the shadow
Of DEATH, that restlessness which would
not let Elsie be happy in peace or was
it the ghost Of Gab's foolish superstition
rising after she herself had laid it? A,
evening, when she closed the door upon
the sad mountains, Elsie longed 50 TO shut
out the world that they three might stay
together thus forever. At night she lay
broad awake assuring herself "Our frieno
is here" Then the shadow would reply
''How long will LIE be here? He will 60
and you will never behold linn again
never, never, till the last trumpet shal
SOUND" And weary and teverish .sh,
would rise when the dawn had swept ava,
the night clouds, and in the fresh pal,
morning, while the birds chirruped sleep
lily under the caves, she would haunt tn,
restful house; stealing out to feed and Pc
Philips dogs; and then ia again to ~atcl
the sunrise, now from Que window an<
now from another, reading the pale scrolls
OF early clouds, and wondering at how
recklessly we sleep away half rur brigh
youth, drowning in dull dreams happy mo
ments whose fast waning measure has beel
meted out to us with a nice balance. Ant
ut last>when her eyes grew pained will
vigil she would steal to the garden ant
bring u handful OF flowers and place then
on her pillow, and laying her check agains
their cool sweetness would full asleep.
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