The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-05-05

l
!, told him he had done right; he sa,
, that very gentle, tender look hal
come into the old mans eyes as h
l. leant back in his chair.
0 81 suppose you are going to get mar
!, ried," Charles said, family, "and thai
q kis the meaning Of all this? WE'LL" ht
, went on, recovering pecvishly, "whJ
the deuce don't you 60 on, sir p
This little return of the old name,
made it easier fer the young man tc
speak. GIVE promised to marry wo.
man ; I love her, and that is my Sc.
cret,'' he said, still speaking very
. quickly. "1'm not quity crazy she is
educated and good, and very beautiful,
but she is only g: farmers daughter at
Tracy. Her mother was a lady, and
her name is Reinc Chretien."
Dick, having spoken, sat staring at
the FIR
"And-and you mean to establish
that-this farmers daughter here as
soon as" -. Charles, trembling very
much, tried to get up from his chair,
and sank down again.
| "You know I don't" said Dick. With
a sad voice, "or should noe have told
you.
Then there was another silence.
1-I can't bear much agitation"
Charles said at last, while faint color
came into his cheeks. "Let us talk
of something else. Is the paper come
yet ? Ring the bell and ask,
The paper had come, and Dick read
out column after column, scarcely at
tending to the meaning of one word
before him. And yet all. the strange
everyday life rushing into the sick
room Jared horribly upon his mel yes.
Records Of speeches, AID meeting, and
crime, and advertisements-all the
Ebusy stir and roar Of the world seemed
stamped upon the great sheet before
him.23His own love, and and interest,
and future seemed part of this unquiet
tide of life, while the old man sat wait
ing in his big chair, away from it all -;
and the FIRE burnt quietly, lighting up
tho room, and outside the white mist
was lying upon the trees and the gar.
dens.
At last Dick saw, to his great relief,
that his uncle fallen asleep, and then
he gently got up from his char. and
went and looked out at the twilight
lawn. He thought of the picnic, and
all the figures under the trees; he
could not face the present; his mind
burned and shifted, as peoples minds
do in the presence Of great realities.
- "Dick !" cried the old man, waking
anxiously, "are you there Don't leave
lsme. I shall be more comfortable in
bed. Call Munday and help me up"
- They had to carry him almost up
the old-fashioned wooden flight.
Richard Butler dined alone in the
great dismal dining-rocm, and while he
VAS at dinner Munday told him the
lawyer had CONC. "Mr. Butler desir-
ed me to open bottle of his best claret |
for you, SIR" said Mundy s'he wishes
to see you again after dinner. Mr..
Baxter is with him now"
The lawyer had not left when Dick
come into the room. He was trying
red tape round long folded slips of pa
per and parchment. Old Charles was
in his old-fashioned four-post bed, with
the ancient chintz hangings, upon
which wonderful patterns of dragons
and phenix's had been stamped. Dick
had often wondered at these awful
scrolled figures when he was child;
he used to think they were horrible
dreams which had got fixed upon the
curtains somehow. . Charles was sitting
upright in the middle of it all she had
shrunk away and looked very small,
! '"I'm more comfortable up here" the
Told man said. five been talking to
lMr. Baxter about this business Of
yours, Dick. It's lucky for you, sir, it
didD't happen year ago-isn't it,
Baxter"
"Your uncle shows great trust in
you, Mr.. Butler" the attorney said.
"There are not many like him who" {.
"You see, Dick, one thing now is
very much the same as another to mi" !"
interrupted the master Of Lambswold.
sIt seems a risk to run, but that is
your lookout, as you say, and I should
have known nothing about it if you
had not told me. Ii in another years
time you have not changed your: mind
/. Mr.. Baxter has provided, as you
will find. I have experienced great
many blessings in my lite," he said, in
an altered tone--"a very great many.
I don't think I have been as thankful
as I might have been for them, and
and i should like you, too, to have
some one you care for by your bedside
when Lsmbswold changes masters
again." Charles Butler said, holding
out his kind old hand once more. 81
was very fond Of your mother, Dick"
Diok's>ansver was very incohereut,
but hir uncle understood him. Only
the old man felt ! doubt as to the
young mans stability of purpose, and
once more spoke Of the twelve months
which he desired should elapse before
tho marriage was publicly announced
be asked him to say nothing for the
present. He owned with faint smile
that he did not want discussion.
OF course Dick promised; and then
he wrote to RENE, and told her of the
condition, and Of the kind old uncle 8
consent.
Twelve months seemed but 4 very
little while to Dick, faithful and busy
With prosperous lifetime opening be-
fore him. As days went on his uncle
rallied little; but he knew that this
improvement could not continue, and
of fcoursehe was not able to get away.
He often wrote to Refine, and in few
simple words he would tell hor Of his
gratitude to his uncle, and Of his hap
piness in the thought Of sharing his
, future, whatever it might be, with her
. "Although heaven knows" he said,
? III .:r = ,,nlr r 'n.n~, IL, ~ th;s on.noo