Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-02-29

night there came-a night of wroth-
Ihc rain heat ON the water;
The wind blew from the rushing North,
The cottage lights shoNe freely forth !
DC. al, the little daughter!
F., Low In tic dripping lock she lies.
With tangled hair and altered eyes
-irinsloy's Magazine.
49, MISS CARRINGTON.
The girl Elizabeth Darlington sal
alone in a quiet corner of the parlor-o
grave creature, with great shy, brown
eyes, and wonderful breadth of fore,
head. Outside there was merry cno
rus Of voices, and peeping through the
half-closed shutters, she could see O
laughing party at croquet, the girls
moving about like pretty blossoms, in
bright sashes and bows-the gentlemen
in their soberer costumes, formin;; 9
suitable contrast in the picture. Be
yond them, the shrubbery stood up,
glossy and green, showing here and
there, like piece of rare embroidery, 6
network of climbing roses and honey.
suckles,
There was nothing sad or sombre II
the whole scene, and thinking this, with
little sigh, she drew further back in.
to the corner. It was we'll she had not
Joined them. In her gray dress, float.
ing about her like a cloud, she would
have been ont of place-a shadow upor
the roses and lilies.
don't mean to convey the idea for q
moment that the heroine: OF my sketch
was morbid or over-sentimeutal but
she Was one Of those women in life who
cannot be butterflies, because, from the
start, Nature intended them for queens.
She could not talk norsense by the
hour; but she could say arch, witty
things, and give an opinion on any sub
ject that struck right to the heart of it..
1 think because she Was sharp, and
more given to books than to dressing
and flirting, that the gentlemen stood
in awe Of her; while the girls kept
aloof, because they coc1d not under
stand her. Where other g;r.s' names
were abbreviated into pet names, she
was always Miss Darlington. No one
called her Lizzie, or Lib. or at best
anything beyond stately Elizabeth.
This particular morning of which +
write, all these thoughts came home to
her, as she sat alone in the cool, wide
room, and listened to the merry souncs =
from without As general thing it
did not trouble her as she stood so by
herself. What did she ca-e for these
shallow men-these ',rainless, thought
less women3 But this molnire, she
knew we'll enough that one, al least,
among the players was not shallow, but
a true, brave, man, earnest and strong,
as some men are-gentle and good, as
are some women.
But-and here she sighed the sill
est girl, with the prettiest face, held
him captive, leading him as she pleased
in her fowery chains. He gathered
blossoms when the game was Shrough,
and stood beneath trellis of roces
and banded light gay words with her.
To her weakness, he seemed only to
show weakness. The lion strength was
hidden or gone. All! why did SUI h
men invariably seek such woman:
r With this question, Elizabeth turned
to thero open book upon he: lip. ~ was
that rare volume which has char med
and blessed so many hearts, ", n the
Heights" She had dreamed over it
for many weeks, and now it was as
fresh and sweet to her as ever. As she
read step sounded in the hall. The
blood qulckened in her veins, and a
bright flush came to her cheeks. Alb
how soon she had learned Robert Bur-
leigh's step! how quickly she cou' q
tell it as it sounded away down t,e
gravel paths! Was Jennie Locke, IN
all her soft foolisbness, haf so 100 :;b
as shea And now spray OF bejaris
fell upon her book-pale scarlet, coo7
and waxen. What did he mean2e Did
he think she was like that cold. mean.
ingless thing, without warmth or fra
grance2 She was not quiet and cool
now;' her eyes flashed, and upon hel
the impulse was strong to grind the
spray to powder in her hands. As wise
as she was, this girl did not know what
this feeling meant, or how the hond.
some, grave man watching her, read
her flushed face and frightened eye as
we read the pages of a primer. Only
he read them reverently-not lightly
"You do not like the flowers |" h.
said, seating himself near her.
"All flowers are beautiful" she an
swered, without looking a: :,im.
''But these are so cool and r., e
like little drops OF scarle; snow; in =. .c;
like" he hesitated.
"Like me, thank you. I am ]ik'
snow"
{: He smiled to himself. She did no
look like it, certainly, with her pinl
cheeks :. and flashing eyes.
"Snow above, volcanic fires below,
he said, =. / understand you bette
than you think"
II suppose you judge me by othe
women; men of your type usually sa,
that we are all alike"
"Men of my type-will you tell M
what that type is?"
"Excuse me, I have not made it
study"
just then Jennie Locke came dancin
through the ball, calling Mr.. Burleigll
He went ont to meet her, and as h
stood speaking to her, through tn
hall. open door he saw Miss Carringto
stand with the beiaria- blossoms in he
hand. They wee Ike coal in he
white fingers, and, without known
whose eyes were upon her, she pressc
them against her check, then tosse
them lightly upon the carpet, and wit
her book turned and left the room.
"Why. what makes Miss Carringto
look so beautiiul?" mnrmured Mis
Locke, as she crossed the hall.
"Eecause she is L| |on';,,'1, "answere
, MIR. Bncleigh, turning buck to the pa
lor to look for the spray of bejuria.
The afternoon following there was
gay party in the nciyhborhood: or,
quet and outdoor games until su,
down, and then dancing by moo,!icl
: ON the wide, smooth lawn. It wou]
have passed to Elizabeth Carringto
, es all such affairs passed, had not
= slight accident broken in upon h
a a serene quiet. It was not much,
seemed but little alter it was over.
: lamp, carele:'sly hung in tree und
g which she was sitting, dropped, like
!, star from it's place, and would ha
Q fallen npon her, had not 4 firm ha,
d caught her wrist, and in the twinkli,
j. OF an eye drawn her aside The esca7
= was II narrow one, but she did not c
!. ont, us some women would have don
y y instead, she thought Of him who h:
o "a.cd her.
"You were in danger" he sand, Il,