Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-12-14

TIE HAPPY SURPRISE.
A Connecticut Thanksgiving Story.

clouds, and throwing long buis OF crnlgt
l.ht nil wurt he dreary pasture fields aud
d, wn tie valley thar shittcd the slow lip
NJ ufihe iIous liouic river. Thanksgiving
eve. with moaning restless wind that
fi red the drifts Of yellow leaves In the
CHI stnut-copsc, long ago rilcd OF its glossy
tr asures, and rustled sadly among the
dead ironds of the sweet fern on the
"iu, k'theriv lois,i here the golden rod
and the luc-frinael aster had faded, and
TIE sharp fo.t4 had touched the viues
W b crimson as vivid as If every Leaf had
D. "a dplel in b'ooi!
YrtnotWithstandlngt the keen touch Of
the bleak November b ast, growing kceUer
still as the sun dipped lower behind those
VIC ct massts Of clouds, Elan Barsiow
stood leanil agaii 81 the stile Of moss en-
aueled bars just where you left the road
and struck into 'the cross cut" through
The woods. 1t was sylvan spot in the
summertime. fnll of d,nse shadow and
vague, licious scents: nor was II entire
is Withuu q RUE iasc nation even on the
v,ry outskirts Of winter. The old trees,
with their moss grown and lichened trunks
the carpet Of rustliug leaves instinct
with aromatic odor, and the sweet mourn
full hush of the November twilight-Elam
BusloS could scarcely have defined all
these influences, get he felt them stirring
the depths Of his soul as he stood there,
Whstling softly to himself. and watching
bright eyed squirrel us it glided up the
trtuk ofa gigaitlc old chestnut tree be-
y0td. Aud then Flam shaded his eyes
Ni'l one broad, sun-hurnt pllm, and look.
ed eagerly OIL 10 the westward.
1t h,at- al she don't come ~ he NUT
ttrd, uutHsilY.
He vas tail, athletic man somewhat
past the boundaries Of middle age, with
rude yet not uncommonly features thick,
hair, oddly waved and crmped, and an
eye rs keen as falcon's-an eye which
lighted suddenly up as a slight figure be-
came outlined for an instant against the
western gold of the sky, where the wood
land path opened, far away aud then dis
appeared into the valley.
Yes it was Rachel Rivers coming from
her daily work in the g eat biiek factory
In the vac beyond Many and macy a
night he had watched for her, and woulC
have known her Fight football had he heard
It at thu very worlds end
She came up shrined in sunset, like 9
pictured saint which had stepped from IN,
window of some great catht dral-a fair
slender gill with that brilliant type o
New England beauty which ia at once st
cur osly uuii ted for the bleak climate il
whi Ia 60 some im,c ovpands Her hai
was brown, lirutol with CLEANS Of bur
nished gold her deep liquid hazel eyes
bordering on black, lad in them dreamy
languid glitter, stolen from the Orient
and her skin was tinted as an oleander
blossom, while her liis, red and ripe an
velvcty, we're ike fresh coral. Aud witt
al This, our cal ca dressed dnm,cl carrie,
the small head right royally ufon its slen
der throat, and mOv,d Ike princess q
the blood, worn and faded as was Il,
shawl. amp shihhily trimmed as vas a.
coarse straw hat with its ilutlyiirg blu
veil
''Rachcl, let me carry your basket 80
But Rachel rerulsed him with Iiquau
dignity.
al can carry il myself Elan BarstoWl
Elan was lii le annoyed he bit hi
lip.
~ suppose may walk with YOU pal
Of The way -
81 suppose you may, if you please. Th
road is open to all !''
Her haI oibs shot out a mischievou
gioam as she spoke. Elam Birstow ie
It's soft, def NJ flame.
Rachel 80
Yes
Il wish you'd stop a minute.
'siop here What for : FIN in huri
to get home"
'Bnt, Rachel-I must know can
endure this suspense, blamed If / can
there now why don't you tell felo
out and ouf-yes or nor
Rachel stopped 10 loose a red map
Leaf fo,. the fringe Of her old worst
shawl.
"Tcll fellow what 2" she question,
somewhat imperiously.
"Whethcr you love me or noti'
"That is easily told-no :"
sBut Rachel-liule Ray-you car
mean il, am sure just listen TO me o
minute I've got good farm and got
house YOU would be lady, Ray, al
never cross the factory threshold m "
I'd make the old folks welcome at ms III
side, as howe's in May-you know
would Rachel, for your sake. Aud Hep
she'd love YOU ike sister she's tod I
so, time and again You'll marry /
Rlchcl-sly you will.
u shall never say that Fam Birstow
''But, Rachel, why"
ishe looked at him in that royal way s
had.
II do not think you have any right
ask me that question Fam But | "
All~Mtl u IfNFlANAAtEaI II hAaNN ~
another -btcause have promised 10 w
for Charl, Waylnnd your own cousin
Elan Barstow's COu tenaucc fell VI
bly,.
II thought you had forgotten that b'
and-girl fancy long ago"
u have not forgotten it-no,uor ne'
shall :"
DO you believe he will ever come ba
to claim you ~
II he lives-yesl"
And If he should be dead ~
Then | shall live and die true to
memory '
The words dropped in low-sounding
yer syllablcs from her lips. She !
spikcn them very qmrtly,yet L amBarst
felt that all lhe world could not move
one hair's-breadlh from her resolve. \
the sun went down behind the clouds,
gloom and shadow seemed suddenly
snwrap the twi light solitude, just as
dnrkened round his own soul.
'Very well, Rachel" he made ans'
sadly. 81 can't press You any m9rei
Rachel
Eyes -
You'll come to our house 10 morrC
Your fltncr and mother have pronl
Helsy to cat their Thanksgiving q
WI h us. You'll come, Rachel, just
show you don't bare any NAL ce Tor
foo ish words I've spok,n 2"
Yes Elan, I'll come :"
- Elan Blrstow left her, where the
light from the broAn cottage under Be
MuMntt n shown out across the lol
road, and Rach went home alone.
Tue light from the great wood
q amed chceriy upon h'r as she op,
the door, disclosing a quaint u Tie 70
loW-c'i'el. aud hHgran' with the rcsii
sap which was bubbiug ouf az the en-
the blazing .Ogs-a 70 m waiuscotcd
Wv TO the ce Ing, AID covered WI
We l-woin rag CARPET, woven by
Rivers own ttrity hands. There
two TO kers, cushioned in rainbOw-col
pa chWork and an old clock all fe,to'
with red-berred asparagus, spin
legged tab C, and a fat copper teak
sNngine from the crane, and cat
ring softly on the fire bricks and val
elrments Of the picture which constit
home in Rachel Rivers eyes.
Mrs. Rivers glanced up from her wo
iot. rosy little woman, with cheeks
winter apples, and eyes that spai
br ghtly behind their spectacle glasses
seems 10 me you're arlY ton