The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-09-02

was i'll, but I grew feebler, and, if pos
sible, stller: I think John Melville
who had contiued to visit me, as {
friend, he said, first called my father
attention to this. When once it hat
been SO called, no one could be morl
anxious, more attentive than my fathe,
was. He brought our good oil docto,
to see me, who recoL- -mended change
in my case as he had done in Lily's.
"Where would you like best TO go %
he asked me.
My cheeks burned with the con.
sciousness Of a little want of candor as
1said, ITO the Virginia Springs au,
so weary Of Saratoga and Newport
10 not know why I thought o.
Lily as in Virginia, except that be,
last. letter had been sent from tina;
State. Ny father, if he suspected my
motive, did not betray his suspicion.
"That will suit me WE'LL" he said, II
should like to look at some of the iron
mills in Western Virginia. I will leave
you at the springs, and take . light
wagon across the country"
,"Do not leave me; it is not the
Springs l want, but travel, change
let me go with you"
And so it was arranged. We set ta
the last week in May. I shall sag
nothing Of our journey but only ask
the reader to come with me on a June
evening, when the western sun was red.
dening the forest, as in a light Rock
away, driven BY black boy whom ny
father had hired iu Baltimore, because
Of his professed knowledge Of the coun-
try, We were proceeding toward tie
village Of K, in West Virginia.
We had occasionally caught glimpses Of
a column Of black smoke rising above
the wood at some point where it appear
ed less dense, and, Just as a great bell
Changed out from its iron throat call
to the hands to rest from their labors,
We came in sight Of one Of those iron
mills which the neighborhood of coal
mines makes so frequent in this re- (,
Of country.
Forth came the hands, looking, with
their begrimed faces, like SO many OF
Pluto's dusky ministers. Ny father
had hoped to arrive in time to see the
mill in operation this evening.
E'Thc agent must be here, suppose,
and I can see him." he said, speaking
more to himself than to me. "Drive
slowly, boy"
1t was well this order had been Civ.
en-, for at that moment our attention
was attracted to beautiful boy of about
three years old, who, with shouts Of
pretended fear, but real delight, was
running hither and thither, chased by
one of the hands who was threatening
to make an iron-worker Of him, by rub
bing his sooty hands over the. pretty
white kilt and jacket in which he was
dressed. Intent only on escaping from
this Cyclops, the boys, the moment af-
ter We saw him, ran directly under our
horses heads In an instant, my ia.
ther had pulled the horses back with
irresistible force, and, with scarcely a
breathing-interval of time, had sprung
from the carriage, and raised the child
in his arms, unhu:t though a little
frightened, as We saw by the trembling
lip and the little sob which the manly
boy would not suffer to become a cry
"What is your name, my little man p
asked my father, while 1 was brushing
the dust fron, the white dress and gold.
en- cu,ls.
cannon Fo'ester," was the answer,
in sweet, childish treble. My heart
swelled, and with an irresistible i'm,
pulse I caught the boy in ny arms, and
kissed him again and again.
b. "What does he say ?" asked my ia
ther of the man who had been chasing
him, aud who had run as my fathe,
raised him from the ground, but hat
not offered to touch him.
Raymond Forester, sir ; he is th,
son of our manager"
"Papa, mamma p. shouted the boy
leapiug from my arms at the risk Q
another fall, as lady and gentleman
emerged from the agents cfioe. Ih,
lady was dressed in pretty light cali
%, fitting neatly; T., e, a t4all, vell=m.epaldef ~
form, whose graceful, easy movement'
gave her az air Of refinement whicl
jewels and brocade cannot always. COZ
fer The gentleman was habited witt
equal simplicity 10 light summer cloth
ing, which eontrasted strangely will
his black curling beard and darkly
bronzed face. But for. the child's rev.
elation, We might for a moment have
doubted who he was, s. had the youth
full proportions Of Elliot Forester ex
pandcd in this tall, broad-chested
powcrful-look;ng man.
The reader will suppose, perhaps
that I rushed into Lily's arms but no
Sony whole being was absorbed il
watching my father aud Elliot Forester
for I we'll knew. that on their mectin
now depended the future for ua al
I saw Elliot ,Forrester's face flush, q
he recornixcd us. Lilv's ewes vel