Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-21
Font be rash boy, Bert" I said. warn


him for a delightful row upon the lake after
water-lilies. OF course she went, in a bewtch-
ing boating costume, and came home three
h later wreathtd with the beautiful white
lilies, lustrous-eyed and stately As Helen of
Troy.
she did not seem 80 much Ike astateIy Helen,
however, when toward twilight 1 heard her
over the garden wall talking Win Rite as /
walked down the lane.
on the stairway. after YOU had gone up
with your arithmetic she was saying (what
much 10 keep it,"
You may keePit and welcome" said Rite.
And you won't tell any OHe." pleaded Miss
Devine, in an eager, anxious way: "yOu won't
tell, IA YOU happen To see il again, that ii was
yOurs--that II, that did not 10 it myself, you
know? And will give you such a pretty gold
set, with ear rings. Rite"
. don't want the set E" said Rite. slowly. 90
don't know what you mean, Miss Devinc; but,
81 course, should sPeak OF the paper unless
some one asked me"
BY TIN, time lad joined Rob, and was out of
hearing.
After this Kate Devine was very gracious To
Rite, and took unusual notice of her-excopt,
ind, ed. when Rob and Bert were around. One
suitTy afternoon We three-kate, Rite, AMI /
sat out under the shadeSt appie-trce tanning
ourselves, and now and then talking "A little.
Rite said she would like to be strong AMI brave.
like Ida Pfeiier, and go travelling all over the
world.
"Alone?" asked Kate Devine. incredulously
% Would you leave love OutI Now don't tell
me, Rite, that you don't think OF lovers and
husbands just like other girls for / Shan't be-
heve yOu.''
l was provoked at Kate for speaking so to the
child; for what's the of giving a girl fancieS
till they come or themselves? But Rite sur
prised me by having her ideas already formed;
and. child that she was, let her hearts chords
he played upon even by the careless hand, and
respond sweet music.
.'Yes, l do believe in love-" she said, blush
ing and honest. " But l believe lover ought
to be brave and lofty and noble and like a STAIN
less knight. And should not think of looking
for him, for he would be sure to tnd me-"
"Then YOU are sure there is this wonderful
he somewhere for you ON earth?'' demanded
Kate Deyine, with laugh
Il don't know said Rite, gravely; "but if
there is, pray to God every day to keep him
A little hush fell over us at this, and then
Aunt Robbie called Rite from the window, and
away she ran.
Was there ever such an odd little thing?''
exclaimed Kate; and when, presently, Bert
Morley joined us, languidly tanning himself
with his palmetto, she told him as good joke
poor Rites heart speeches.
"What! that sunburned little school-girl!''
calculated Bert. 90 Does she have fancies like
that? Why, what darling she is, just like
Mrs. BrOwning's little Ellie, that had the swans
nest among the reeds! 1t used to be the dream
of my youth to go roaming about till | fOundiust
such a love as that. But the world knocks the
notions out Of one. You and have grown more
practical, haven't We, Miss kate?"
She smiled half absently.
Z" oh, Bert" said, with sudden feeling, "dOnt
ishly."
"PeThaps there's mint that keeps coming"
he said, smiling at me; and, then. starting up,
" believe III go to the woods / can get two
hours cunning before supper"
" If We were at the sea-shOre, )" said Kate De-
vine, - would ask you TO get me gray gulls
wing, Mr.. Morley. i want one so much for my
hat. But maybe you can find something else:
If any great brilliant bird comes in sight, shoot
HIM for me-"
81 obey, lady fart, said Bert, with lowly
bow; and then he OFF for his rifle, and di-
rectly We Gsaw him crossing the fields to the
woods.
just before sunset he returned, tired, flushed.
and successful. with three beautiful red-winged
blackbiIds lifeless and swinging in his hand. He
laid one at Kate Devines feet and one at mine.
60 oh how gOrgeOus!" cried Kate, in rapture.
just the thing for my black hat! But you'll
cut the wings of for me, won't you, Mr.. Nor
ley; for that never could bear TO do"
=" oh yes, I'll disSect it, he said, lightly, "and
yours, too, Mrs. Hathaway" L had taken the
poor dead bird up in my hands. do not want
the wings myself, but remembered two sisters
at home whose hearts they would rejoice; 50
a. The other bird is for the little heart that
dreams" said Bert. Schoolgirls like such
things. Where is Rite?"
"Out at the back-dOOr feeding the chickens"
replied Aunt Robbie, cOnciSely.
We all went out there, and found her sur
P Dy 6er tS 0ck 81 G0Tny PETS bert made
explained. Rite took ii in a sort of pitiful
amaze, caressing the dead, dropping head.
N.
our surprise she burst into tears.
"Oh, how could you-how could you'll" she
sObbed- /" He was so free and glad and happy
mp in the tree-tOps. Put his pretty wings in my
hat! No, indeed, he shan't be robbed of a sim
gle bright feather! am going to bury him just
as he is, out under some beautiful tree"
Bert cOlOred, and Kate exclaimed, " Welt"
the bird in her hands.
ola, child" called Aunt Robbie after her, sit
amt 50 bad as ii it was a robin. Those pesky
blackbirds eat the corn up as fast as it grOws"
But Bert followed Rite silently, looking like
the knight OF the rueful countenance, and i'm
agine he made his peace with her, and helped
her dig the blackbird's grave; for when they
came back the indignation had died out of her
honest young eyes.
/ was amused when Bert sought me out the
next morning with a sort of eager interest and
told me that Rite was really one of the brightest
little things that ever lived.
" She's sitting out on the doorstep now" he
said, drawing map of Greece for a school
exercise, and it's regular gem. Do come and
see her, Mrs. Hathaway"
told him, with an air of superior knowledge,
that was aware of 1t all, and that if he would
look through her atlas he would find it perfect
portfolio of sketches and bits of design more
charming than maps. " Her father was an artist,
you know" i concluded: Away he went at
once to take possession of the atlas, and fol-
lowed, well pleased to see my little comrade get
appreciation.
She took it very quietly-his delight over her
slight pencil sketches: studies of old stumps bits
OF gray wall, lchens, a bough with birds nest,
a clump of viOIets. Suddenly, as he turned over
the leaves, he came to something that made
him tart and change color. He looked up in a
laZed sort of way.
Whats the matter, Bert?" asked.
ooh, nothing" he said, drawing a long
breath; ''Oniy felt just if some one had
struck me in the facet Did you draw this,
Rite?"
Eyes" she said, simply. looked over his
shoulder and saw on the paper he held out the
first rough design of the monogram Kate De-
vine had given him-less elaborate, but the
same dainty fancy.
"Then perhaps you drew this tOO?" he re-
marked, taking the cherished monogram from
his notebook.
eyes," said Rite.
Miss Deyine, impelled by merciless fate, came
strOlling toward Us Just at that moment in one
of her prettiest morning dresses, her hands full
OF EOneysuckle blossoms.
" All, what have We here?" she asked, lightly,
a. she joined Us.
ooh, host of pretty things-and-mono
grams!' said Bert, looking her full in the face,
with a cold brilliance in his eyes.
She saw what he meant, faltered, tried to
laugh carelessly, but failed; and then, with
some half-uttered word of apology or explana-
ton, turned and lie IT Us, gliding away over the
green grass again, dropping honeysuckles as she
went.
An, how the wheels of life turn round, if we
only wait little while and watchl
A few days thereafter, when 1 drove Bert
Morley in the light buggy over to the station,