The Shasta courier., 1867-06-08
SHASTA COURIER.
ONLY WAIT, SUSIE!

ONLY WAIT, SUSIE!
9 Only watt Susie I'll come back soon"
cried a boy to his little playmate, as he
started on brisk run, flying his kite
And the child replied TO him, raising her
sweet voice that 1t might reach him as he
ran, In wait, Charley, but don't stay
long"
The gentleman, passing by, started sud
denly at the words, and yet he was not one
to attach undue importance to children s
nonsense.
Mr.. Charles Mllard, at thirty, was an old
soldier Of the world, and had long ago had
all the romance worked out of him, or thought
he had. He stopped now, looked at the boy
as he ran gaily and happily down the street,
at the girl standing patiently waiting for
him, yet following him with triumphant
happy smile-the kite was so high-looked
at them, turned and sighed. "Our very
Words" he muttered, as he walked on
Our very words ~
the speakers. The boy was already out of
sight; but the girl, true to her promise, and
hope, stood where he had left her, shading
her eyes from the slant rays of the setting
sun with one little hand-stood patiently.
hopefully watching and waiting Poor
chlld ~ said Millard, under his breath
Poor, pretty, pltient child ~
That evening, nothing satisfied Milard.-
He who was so easily satisfied, that he was
the delight of his landlady's heart. He had
been hungry, but he ate nothing; he had
prepared the daily and weekly papers for
perusal yet he read none Of them, but
lounging back in his easy chair, gazing out
into the star lit Summer nigut, he dreamed
and these were the dreams he dreamed =
In the shadow and fragrance of the locust
tree he saw an old farmhouse. How we'll he
remembered it The dear old homely house.
the spring at the foot of the hill, the little
path leading thereto, and that other little
path, worn only by childish feet, running
like a silver thread over the hills, through
the valleys where the wild plums blushed
and fell, over another hill across the little
brook (where he had laid three fiat stones
that she might not wet her feet, and SO to
Susie's house.
Scene after scene of his childhood came
up now and then, and the dreamer sighed.
He saw himself, a tall. slender boy, stand
ing beneath those same old plum trees, and
Susie was by his side Susie, no longer a
child, but q fair young girl, with large blue
eyes, full of loving kindness, and crimson
little mouth all aquver with emotion He
saw again the soft brown curling tresses, the
dear clasping hands, and heard again her
low tones, so low that the ripping of the
brook almost drowned them. .'Only wait,
Susie I'll come back soon ~ he had said
putting her hair from her brow tenderly;
and she made answer, smiling hopefully
through her tears: "I'll wait Charley, but
don't stay long ~
And that was ten years since. Ten years
and she asked him not to stay long Ten
years, and he had said, ''I'll come back
soon!' Was Susie waiting? "No, no !"
cried Charles Millard mot that, not that
o. she must have forgotten I" But the
sanity face, rising softly in his memory.
said . 1t is not the face of one who forgets."
Father, mother, sisters, and brothers, all rose
to condemn him.
oh, l wonder,' he thought, " if mother
is so delicate as she was? The hair must
be gray now; and father, does he stoop anv
more? His face cannot be so clear bv this
time. | wonder if Kate has lost her pride
What glorious woman Kate will make i
She was such regal little thingl VIII
make? She must be woman now That
was ten years ago George and Henry are
men now, and little Clarence is at least
fifteen. And Susie Oh, Susie, Susie
are you waiting for me yet, my darling?"
Silently the tears weled up to his ewes.
and fell unchecked for an angel had stirred
the waters of his soul, and be was healed. =
. will go to see them,' he said softly. 81
will ask them to forgive me-will tell them
that the cares of this world choked the good
seed | will 80 to them and find rest but
Susie may be married by this time. Oh, my
darling, you are deservedly lostl"
The strong man wept; but as he wept,
the picture OF the little child standing on the
curbing rose to comfort MIN. This must
be tbs land of Cod" said he. "They need
me at home. Susie may be waiting for me,
as the little Susie that | saw to night was
waiting. | have been flying my kite these
many years: Only wait, Susie, and I'll
come back ~
Then he thought upon the injustice that
had driven him from home how patient he
had tried TO be, how he had tried to like a
farmers life, and how his father had re.
fused to let him 60. AT twenty-one he went.
and only Susie knew that be was going:
only Susie bade him not to stay long. He
had taken the horses to water, and little
Clarence with him. He had watched them
drink from the moss covered trough. and
fNb hi' al iio ubuHt luelF heckS ike child.
Then he kissed little Clarence. and folded
him in his arms, until the pretty child ourv.
ed his lips in pain kissed him for father.
mother and the children; and then he tied
a little note in among his curls for mother
and set the child upon the back of gentle
old Bess. She led the way home; and
Charley, through his tears, watched father
and mother at the window smiling at the
royal little rider. saw Kate with her bright
hair flying, run out to him ; and George and
Henry smiling from the doorway: saw
them all SO happy and so loving, and then
turned with q full heart from father. mother.
and home That night there was sorrow in
the old home. Little Clarence CRYING for a
lost curl, aud mother crying for lost son.
Charley was dear boy at home. & tender.
genial, loving, playful boy but once having
turned his back on it, it was not in his ma
ture to regret or turn back He shut up
from eFen his own thoughts all memory of
home, and went boldly out to work; and as
he worked, the dear old home scenes grew
fainter, and he turned to the world for the
IOy that he had haen rnnt m fpj N tLa