Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-13

Gypsy Lane, the daughter of :
leading man in Russian Bar, and
made wealthy by saw mill, whicl
all day long groaned and screamed
some distance down the river, die
not express her opinion as to Hough
toms merits, but III the summer
evenings when the schoolmaster
,oi in hand, wandered along the
stream and threw his line across
the mill-dam, Gypsy was seldom fal
away. Lane, bluff, hearty old fel
low, frequently asked Houghton to
spend the evening with him, and
told his adventures III early Calitor
MA to a patient listener, while Gyp
sy dutifully mended her father,
socks on the veranda.
Mrs. Lane, when Gypsy was but
a baby, was laid to rest in Long
Mountain, long before Lane thought
of settling at Russian Bar.
Seymour and Walter were the
best and most Industrious pupils the
young master had, and were happy
when accompanying him on his
fishing excursions. In fact, all
agreed i'm declaring that the educa.
tional department of the village was
thriving success.
One pheasant evening in June,
Gypsy Lane, twirling her straw hat,
thoughtfnlly picked her way across
the broad field that lay between her
home and the mill. The stream
was winding one, and as she pla
ced her tiny foot on the first step
ping-stonc she saw straw hat on
the grass which she knew quite
we'll.
"How is Miss Lane this EVENING""
said Houghton, lazily, from beneath
Manzanita bush, where he had
been enjoying book and a pipe.
"Well, thank you. How is Mr..
Houghton?" replied Miss Gypsy,
shyly.
Swarm, but not uncomfortable
Are you going to the mill?"
eyes; / have 4 letter that has
just come for f:.ther."
"May l accompany you?"
"Certainly, if you choose"
Houghton put on his hat and
helped Gypsy across the brook.
81 had 4 letter from New York a
few days ago. said he, after they
had left the first bend of the river
behind.
ga pleasant one?"
"Well, although in sense it
brought good news, can hardly
call it pleasant letter.
They walked on, and Gipsy swung
her hat pensively, longing, with a
woman's curiosity, to know more
about the New York letter.
81 am going to leave Russian
Bar" said Houghton, abruptly.
'Indecd; how soon?"
81 don't know yet, possibly with
in week"
The hat was swaycd from side to
side with increased energy.
"Do you care much, Miss Lane?"
this with an earnest look into the
hazel eyes that were kept steadily
bent on the brown parched grass
beneath their feet.
eyes, Of COURSE, we shall all be
very sorry to lose you," returned
Gypsy, evasively.
eff l como back in a few months
with something for my future wife,
shall l see this ring on her finger?"
said Houghton, capturing the little
hand which held the hat, and slip
ping pearl ring on the delicate
finger.
Gypsy said nothing; but her eyes
turned for moment on the school
MASTER S earnest face, and in the
next her soft cheek was resting on
his shoulder.
Russian Bar, TO man, turned out
to wish Philip Houghton God-speed
on the morning he took his place by
the driver who one year before had
set him down at Perkins Hotel
They knew he was on his way to
New York, and that he had been
left some money, and the gossips
more than suspected that there was
something between Gypsy Lane and
their favorite. At all events, her
eyes were red for week after his
departure.
Winter had come and the river
was swollen and rapid, and many a
lofty tree from the pine forest had
found it's way TO the hearths at Rus
sian Bar. One delicious morning,
crisp and cold after a nights rain,
the stage passed by the large white
oak, and splasled with mud, halted
before Perkins Hotel. 1t had been
all night OH the way, for the roads
were very heavy.
The worthy proprietor of that ex-
cellcnt house was in the act of toss
ing his first cocktail, when a hearty
hand was laid on his shoulder, and
Philip Houghton shouted:
"Pcrkins, old boy, how are you?"
The landlord returned the hearty
shake of the hands, divcd behind
the bar and had a second cocktail
mixed in q moment.
sand now," said he, as he pledg-
ed the ex-schoolmaster, "when will
the wedding take placc?"
Six weeks afterward the old mill
was hung with evergreen wreaths
and grand festival was held at
Russian Bar. Gypsy Lane was a
lovely bride, and when Houghton
took charge Of the mill and invested
all his New York money in the vii
lagc, and was admitted to practice
in the courts-everything seemed
to take fresh start. Through all,
his warmcst and most devoted
friend was Sam Seymour, once the
terror of Russian Bar schoolmas-
ters, and now the holder of that im-