The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-05-04

.~s. u NO.4z. a~g
shadow Of the grapevine to snatch -.
parting kies, she saw the corner of .
letter peeping from his pocket. and
took it slyly ont. Before she read the
address he discovered his loss, and
caught her hand 80 roughly that she
cried out With the pain. . |
s"Give me that letter." he said, stern
~; and there was look in his black
eyes she had never seen there before
but a moment later he apologized for
his rudeness, kissed the little hurt
hand, and made his peace as well rs he
could -. '- ''
-. III. CHAPTER ".
Before harvesting was over the we'd
ding-day' was fixed. A hired girl took
Susie's place in the kitchen, and she
sat all day at her chamber window
overlooking the beautiful golden fields
where her lover was at work, making
her wedding-dress. And when the corn.
crib was full, and the wheat was in the
barn, and the potatoes in the cellar, she
came to Samuel Dale and asked him,
in her pretty, coaxiug way, not to leave
Barclay Farm till after the wedding.
The poor fellow, whose heart grew
sorer and sorer at the thought of his
loss, looked in her bright face with pas
sionate, regretful tenderness. "l'll stay
fyou bid me, SUSIE" he said.
And now commenced grand prepara.
tioos, and tho beating Of eggs, the
pounding of spices. aud stirring and
shaking and sitting were sounds all day
heard in the great kitchen Of the farm
house, for the bride-elect aud Betsey
tho hired girl made the wedding-cako.
Only the brides loaf was ordered from
Cleveland, for Susie Barclay declared
she could not be warried without cer-
tain wonderful structure, to be made
with frosting an inch thick, and sur.
mounted with two sugar doves, their
bills meeting in a coDjugal kiss. Great
was her distress, therefore, when, the
evening before the wedding, the stage
failed to bring the expected box.
"Don'ttret, SUSIE" said Samuel Dale,
who could not bear to see shadow on
the dear face. "I'n ride over to Les.
ters early in the morning, and if its
there you shall have it by ten O'Clock" !"
| Accordingly, he was up betimes, and
as the wagon ratified out Of the yard
the bride put her head from the win
dow.
"Ride fast, Samuel" she said, "apd
be sure and be back by ten O'Clock, or
you'll miss the ceremony"
"Confouud the ceremony p said
Samuel Dale, for there was a limit to
the long-sufering patience of even this
exemplary young mau and then aloud,
"All right, Susie I'll be back in good
time," and so departed.
| At Testers Corners he found what he
sought, and, pleased to think that now
Susie would have her weddine-loaf, was
leaving the depot when the station
master called after him.
"There's a woman here waiting to
take the stage to Barclays" he said
twill you give her ride ?",
Samuel Dale turned back with re-
luctance:
"I don't know how t. stop minute y
he said:"I agreed to be back by ten
o'clock."
The man called to some one within,
and small woman, with a pinched,
careworn face, and thin, light hair, ap.
lpeared in the doorway: She was Dress
ea 10 shabby black, and her clothing
; was creased and tumbled and soiled BY
a long journey.
"Here's gentleman will take you tt
Barclays, marm," said the man. "Har.
~ up-he can't wait"
She looked timidly in Samuel Dale'e
face, but still stood in the doorway.
"There's the box, sir" she said i:
"~ould the gentleman kindly take the
box 2" ..
"Oh, that's all right" said the off
oial. "I'll send it up by the stage
, Come, jump aboard"
"lfyou please, sir, I couldn't leave
F it behind. 1 have brought that box q
long way:1-I'll wait for the stage
"Wait, then!" he said, grufay bu
!, Samuel Dale marked the womaa's wea
> ~, disappointed face.
! "Fetch along her traps" said he,
: and don't be all day about it, either
! but half repeoted his kindness, for tn
box, unwieldly in its proportions and o
, no light weight, occupied goodly spac
: in the wagon, and the woman betrayet
!, 80 much anxious solioitude about it
, disposal as to somewhat impede their
journey. >
. "ls it quite safe, sir, do you think?'
, she inquired timidly As the wagon jolt
!; ed down the bill. ''"
"@"1 should say it was, ma'am, unless
} there's ehiuey or glass, or some such
brittle thing, inside of it," "@s 1:,ss
"Oh, sir, it. . deal more preciou.
than that. It's a stone, sir-a tomb
stone. I Lave brought it oil the waJ
from sinsbury to put over my hus
bands erave." " l.. ...' .''~'
"Do tell p said Samuel Dale.
His sympathising tone rendered he,