Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-06-07

ing than usual; Susy wanted TO hear sew
eral stories, and Louie begged for little
more play. Finally she compromised the
matter, by promising double portion to-
morrow night, and they succumbed.
Dan had not yet made his appearance.
Pretty soon he came, and wanted to see
Cousin Harrie, and tell her something
He commenced in a roundabout fashion,
in this wise:
81 say, Harrie, would you be awful mad,
If fellow'd done mean thing and was
sorry for itp'
81 don't know, Dan, maybe wouldn't.
Whose been doing an awful mean thingW
81 have, but / didn't mean to, and I'd
give anything if could undo it," said the
penitent Dan.
"Well, wouldn't feel so bad then,"
said Harrie, not intensely interested in
Dams delinquencies. She concluded he
had fibbed, or ran away from school, or
clicked" some smaller boy which, accord
ing to his code of honor, was mean, or
borrowed some boys fish line or gun
without asking, or some such heinous
ofense; and so she was not just in the
mood for playing confessor.
81 say, Harrie, would you forgive fel-
ler / was awful mean, but / forgot to
give it to you, and then went cunning,
and since that I'd forgot it. / thought
twas too late, any way. And l used 1t
for waddin', and Oh, dear, tell you I'm
dreadful sorry, and l couldn't say my
prayers till told YOU"
"What in the world do you mean ?"
said Harrie, ''please tell me all about 1t?
don't understand thing you say"
swell, now, twas just this way:
When was coming home from school
| xl.;e 400, Will WALLACE fhaf faIIar fhQf,a
always comm up here to see you, you
know, was standiiI' on the tavern steps,
when he see me, he said, Oh, Dan, wait
minute, / wish you'd give this little
note to your cousin. Miss Harrie, and l
said [ wouldn't forget it, but did,"
sob! Dan," said Harrie.
"Just wait minute" said the boy, who
by this time began to be interested In his
own story, ''you see met the other boys,
and they coaxed me to go of with 'em,
and that old Mrs. Gilman was here to din
ner, and was in hurry cause the boys
was waitin', and forgot all about It,.
You don't care much, do you, Harrie
'Taint much matter, is it? Twas such a
little mite of note, couldn't ha' been
much in it."
All! Dan had yet to learn what lit
tie mite ofa note could hold.
"What did you do with it, any way ~
said Harrie.
"Well, 1 told you. 1 thought 'twarnt
o. no account, so we wanted little wad-
din, and, and, I'm dreadful sorry, Harrie,
1 am sure, and I'll never do SO again.
Please forgive me, will youY'
There were tears on the boys face, and
he did not feign his sorrow, and Harrie
leaned over him and gave forgiving kiss,
1 Al~~%< f<S va
than he could realize.
If she could only have known what the
note contained. Perhaps 1t gave some
reason for the change in him. Perhaps II
was some fault in her, that he took that
way to tell her of. Perhaps 1t was a good.
bye, and he trusted 1t to pen and ink,
rather than his own lips. She could never
know. Oil careless Dan, your repent
ance has won forgiveness, but what can
undo the mischief.
i She thought, how close and oppressive
the night is growing. She took of the
pretty blue percale that she had put or
; that afternoon with faint hope at her
heart, and put on an ancient pink wrap
, per; she took off the blue ribbons and LEI
down the mass of heavy soft hair tha
was her greatest pride and beauty. Their
she went out on to the little veranda, ant
, though she was as miserable as doubt
ing, distrustful and slightly fretful y0unG
; woman could be, there was grain o.
; comfort in the thought that nobody knew
it.
If she only could know what was in the
note--if she only could.
, Of course he was down there at th'
I party, and of course he would 20 back Il
! the city on the one o'clock train, he al
ways did, and equally, of course, sh'
! would never see him again.
1t was nine O'Clock. Still she sat OF
the porch, and from down the street sh'
, could hear the music, and almost hear tn
/ pat of the dancers feet. She could se'
!. them all there; girls In bright ga.
dresses, and with gayer, brighter hearts
Mollie Black, and In her hair and on hel
, bosom, were the flowers that had com
; down from the city that day the flower
} viii Wallace had brought. Then she saw
herself in her loneliness and vexation
: and sorrow; and up stairs she saw tn
, white dress and the fiat-iron shaped bur
that ruined It. She could not help smil
J ing at the contrast In the pictures an
3 then was amazed to think she coul
4 smile.
Pretty soon q sound that was wonder
! fully familiar fell upon her ears. "Bell
e Mahone'' whistled as only VIII coul
] whistle it, was coming nearer every mir
Y ute, and In another the little wooden gat
swang as wide open as the state of II
8 hinges would admit, and VIII Wallae
f sprang upon the porch beside her.
S Well, Harrie, most ready for tf
party ?' was his first salutation.
!. 81 don't understand you. Pm not q
o ing. You needn't wait" and Herrie
/, voice began to choke little with all h
4 effort to keep it steady.
0 Needn't wait? What nonsense
d What is it little girl? Tell us all about
b first let me get a look at you," and
!, drew her into the moonlight much again
d her will. "Dear me !" he exclaime'
''you look like something between q me
e maid and a washer-woman-hair adoa
o arms bare, and the pink gown on tn
o you wore five years ago. Oh, Harri'
e something dreadful has happened / kno'
" to bring you to this" and he laught
r merrily. But he added tenderly In q m
y ment, "Come, let's divide the trouble
T. Tell me all about it. OF course you g
my noter'
n INo I didn't" said our brave Harri