The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-24

'enco s3elH Jec0mmenoO0, / ret 20
work At my eroeheting With burning
cheeks, and heart lying in ny boz m
like q lump Of lead. Now I realized
that l might have owned up 1t dlst 1t
the cost Of triaisg morti6ation, but this
Lei 1t would be . thousand times
worse to confess this too. So I said
no'hlog: Nothing whom fathsr aod
Will discussed With our oonvAleseiue
patient the merits Of Black Ranger,
Gong since installed in our stable } and
oondoled With him on tho vice Of skit-
tishness which had caused biz accident,
As one Of the worst tricks tho horse
could have; remarks which Mr.. Ran.
some received impassively, never tempt
ed into defending his horses character.
Nothing through the days that FOL-
lowed bis recovery, when every one
discovered in him some trait Of pleasant
ness or Kindness, of keen intelligence,
tha: would have made the visit of his .
time Of great enjoyment to me as 70
Others, had it not been tor the thought
Of that ugly bit Of deceit lying eoiled
like snake under the dovery pleasant
ness of time.
Mother axed me With not seeming
like MYSELF That might well be, I did
not tell her why. I never saw her
show 50 sudden friendship for any
one as for Robert Ransoms but I did
not wonder At it, for his manser to
her was most ingratiating-son-lks, a.
most lover-like. It Vas no doubt the
memory Of bis own mother, loog-lost,
that made his heart 90 ont 70 to our
dear, sweet house.mother; and on her
part, to hear her say "Robert" was Is
good as . legal instrument Of adoption.
He was rather grave in his manner,
but when anything was said that
pleased him, his sober faoe would
sparkles on. with surprise brightness.
In the came way, from his quiet, ,eri-
GUS talk would fash out some bit If
humor, surprising ono with tho sud-
denness Of its fun.
Laughing did not come 50 easily Is
usual to my lips that week; but one
eveuing-we chanoed to be alone just
tben-he was telling me some littl. TO-
cident of Canada lifs, 10 which an old
Yorkshiremau figured whose remarks
he gave with so oomical an imitation
of the old mans dialect and stolid stare
that I was surprised into . sudden
laugh, 80 hearty, that-my old triok-1
put my face down in my hands, sway
ing myself about as I laughed.
Mr. Ransome broke of suddenly to
say, "There! that is just tho way
you were laughing, Miss Frank when
I opened my eyes on you, sitting 1t
my bedside. Do tell me now what you
were laughing about that dayl Con.
fess that you we're amused by the
thought Of my ludicrous appearance
when I was so suddenly dism ountsd BY
that mysterious relative Of yours-the
one that is not crazy, only little Wild
and odd.'
I was sober euough before he had
get thus ta1 and stood up suddenly,
making up my courage With = great
wrench.
"Mr. Raosome," I began With .
trembling voice; but just then in came
Will.
"Come, Robert" he called out,
won't you come down to the lime-kiln
with me? 1t is my watch till mid
night, aud it would be splendid help
to have you With me an hour or two.
You come, too, Frank" hs continued,
turning to me. "You can roast apples
and sweet potatoes for US, and it will
be as good as picnic"
l shook my head, but Mr.. Rans,ms
persuaded mo.
"Come and take . look at it, at
least" said he; "and as soon as you
are cold or tired I will bring you back
again, you know"
eyes come along" said Will.
"Don't bother me about wraps, for it
is time vas there now. Here, this
will keep you warm,' and snatohing
down, his red comforter from = nail in
the closet, he bundled it about my
head and neck, called out = word Of
explanation to mother, and carried me
off batween them.
I went quite silently feeling a. If not
4 word wouldor could come till that Bit
ter bit Of confession should be over.
A little bluff ross near tho margin
Of the larger oftwo "muokshaxs, !" aud
in its side father had built our lime
kiln. 1t vas fully in sight tong
Bright flames qoivered aud leaped from
the glowing rsd-hot blocks of marble
that heaped it; and as We drew near
We heard tho iron door of the furnace
opened with clang, and = black figure,
outlined on its intolersble glow, threw
NJ great logs to feed the roaring mon
ster Graded there. Will hurried on,
to announce his coming and dismiss tho
workman Who wss tending it, and Mr.
Ransome and I sat down on log just
far enough off to give us . good view
Of the great torch that lighted up tho
surrounding shadows 80 pioturesquely.
The moon Was just rising, aud her
rure silver li1ht minplAd and yet oon.