Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-01-30

It Tor they had TO touch up the curle
and braids after the windy ride befor
the dance.
: "Why do you want it ~ she asked
e "To put something in it which yo,
must not look at till you reach home,
| said.
o "You arouse my curiosity" she said
81 shall look the instant | have /,
lamp"
And as she spoke I had dropped il
the letter and snapped and clasp.
Not word more could | speak
But at the door / tried, for the first
time, to kiss her. Her lips eluded
mine, and l dared not to repeat the
attempt.
l took the red sleigh home and
waited, waited hopefully, as | knew
afterwards, for an answer. None came,
a week, month. Then all the hope
was over. had seen her. She had
given cold, smileless bow. 1 was
rejected
Mother" | said, that night, eve
must have some one to farm the place.
| am going to the city"
"Why 2" she said.
'To make my fortune" said.
"For that girl-the school ma am ?"
asked my mother bitterly.
"No, never for her"
Mother knelt down beside me as |
sat on a low stool. She put her hand
on my shoulder and looked in my face.
"She didn't dare to refuse you .
Boy, | know you are in trouble. I'm
your mother. Tell me-" she said.
"She did not accept me-"
"Thc naughty mink l." and nv
mother burst into tears.
"And that is to part us ?" she said.
"Not if you will go with me-" was
my answer.
But she would not leave her home.
and l went alone. In the frosty morn
ing, as / turned to look back at the
village from the top of the old stage,
| saw the little children filing in at
the school house door, and caught a
glimpse of Hepscy's drees beyond
only fold of her dress, but | knew it. !
The school bell was ringing; but it
did not say "turn again." to me, as it
should have done, had | been such
prophet as Wilmington.
| made my fortune. | had a cousin
in New York who was deep in the
mysteries of Wall street. He helped
ne; so did luck, or fate In five years
was moderately rich man. NV
mother wanted nothing but my pres
nee. She would not come to me, but
he urged me to return.
At first my heart was too weak to
'e trusted am NJ those old faml ar I
Genes. To have met Hepsey would G
ave been too much to bear. But
ime helps all. At the end of five +
ears | wrote to my mother! !
~ am comming home again, since 8
ou will not live here with me. Ex- q
ect me tomorrow" :,
And on the morrow I went. Nv 8,
lother had not altered much, but | !,
ad grown a long, light beard, and d
as youth no longer-a fact which I,
rely troubled her. There was "
hanges in the place, too; girls were Sc
people dead. The tall L"
It, handsomest man | remembered. y,
I'd met with an accident and crawled i,
'out, a wretchcd cripple. The q,
hurch was rebuilt and huts in the II
blow had been burned. A factory In
I'd risen, and the factory people d,
'uses were about it. Instead of the y,
d frame school house, there was IL
ick building with many windows and 10
cupola. a.
Who was the teacher ? Was she w
ere--lIepsey Harrow l dared nj
I ask. =,
Idly / sauntered about the house,
inted and refurnished now, and idly, lo,
the evening of my second day at "a,
me, | went out to the shed where tb
little red sleigh stood-tho shah on
old thing with green patch on sb,
, cushions. u
1T amt been touched since you or
/, Almon," said my mother. "Poor Fr
Dobbin How smart he used to lar
;e it around felt as though I'd ru,
! d friend whef he died. Remem. IN,
my patching the cushion ?" ,;c,
She lifted il as she spoke. From be- b.,
d it dropped something. What ?