River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-09-11


some cottage gate n9ar by, and so he
did presently. A pretty low-roofed
house stood just in sight, with a row Of
red and white hollyhocks nodding up
to its caves. A scarlet-runner, drip
ping and shining in the shower, half
hid little window facing on the lane,
wherein fantastic assemblage Of
spools, beads and jars of confectionery
looked out with an eye to trade.
The girl flung open the gate.
Won't you come in?" she said.
Aunt Polly will be GLAD to see you.
No, thank you,' said the young
man, staring stupidity after her, as she
disappeared among the hollyhocks.
Lives there, does she?" he said.
contemplating the tiny shop window.
"I'm too late for the train to-day.
Guess TIL call in tomorrow. Wonder
if they keep fishing lines?"
The young man fingered about the
village, and trying vainly to get a sense
of his situation, or rather want of one,
young BROMLEY brushed his coat with
extraordinary care.
No signs of a shower to-day" he
said, as he strolled up the road.
Wonder if I'd better take the train ?"
And with that he turned up the lane
toward the little shop. A clean old wo-
man, IN wide-frilled cap and wrinkled
face, sat rocking herself in the doorway.
She looked up as the gate latch clicked !;
a great cat purring mt her feet rose
sleepily, curling his tail, as the intruder
entered. " Fishing lines % The old
| al g., IL \
search among her motley stock, but
none We're to be found. He could get
them up at Squire Vander's big store
in the village. All well, the young
man rocollected just then that he want
ed some thread. He was often in want
OF bit to sew button on with. "Poor
Young fellow - said Aunt Polly to her
self, commiseratingly Boarding, |
suppose. And needless? He couldn't
get no better than her'n anywhere. No,
to be sure not. And while the good
woman was putting up parcel suffi-
clent to restore all the stray buttons in
Christendom, her customer sat expect
ant, waiting, but not for the package !;
perhaps a trim little figure might sud
denly alight iii the room, coming in
from among the hollyhocks, or tripping
dainty down the old stairway visible
just beyond.
"Did-did your daughter get very
wet? he inquired, very abruptly at
last, considering how long he had been
contemplating the query.
Sairy Jane? | hain't seen her to-
day; but their house do leak some
that's certain, which is bad for Tom,
who's got the whoop-"
But suddenly the old lady grew EN-.
| lightened. Her spectacles seemed to
enlarge themselves. The frill on her
cap widened out interrogatively.
Bless my soul F." she said "what
upon airth am | thinking of, to be sure.
| do get things a little confused, what
with so many inquiring AFTER Sairy
Jane and Tom. And you be the young
man that see her home with the UNI
brella Miss Wander, / mean. Oh,
bless your heart she only stopped
here to ask after Tom, and to get in
out of the wet; though she did match
some worsteds, | rec'lect, and what's
more left them behind her when she
hurried after the shower. I'd be
obliged to you, sir, if you're going
that way, to just let her know they're
all safe
Going that way The young man
fingered as he closed the gate, and the
sense of his poverty and idleness did
come upon him then with a madly
weight. What matter to him, OF to
any one, which way he drifted? AS he
walked down the path among Aunt
Polly's nodding hollyhocks, he could
have found it in his heart to envy the
old woman her quiet little wayside
nook, and the undisturbed certainty of
her homely existence
So it was Squire Vander's daughter
he had escorted so bravely with the
umbrella Squire Wander. who owned,
as Aunt Polly had told him, ono end of
lands in these parts" "What fool /
am to be lingering about here +"
though our friend, as he wandered on ;
I'll be off by the next train.
But then hadn't he n commission to
Miss Wander, wasn't he charged with a
message for her, and wasn't business
business He heard the resounding
whistle of the train as it swept out of
sight while he still loitered He pass.
ed the squire's big mansion wistfully.
What right had he to took in ut the
pickets--a poor wandering walf that
would shortly be in want of a break
fast? The great fields of waving corn
goldened in the sunlight, the orchards
on the slopes hung Justify ripe with
fruit, and under the trees here and
there the cattle stood cooling them-
selves in the shade, and lazily whislIing
off the flies, pretty sun-lighted scene,
where probably no comfortable farmer,
no hospitable house mistress. would
have conceived it possible that the
decently dressed young man strolling
idly by was without dollar in his
pocket or nm object in the world.
Object Oh, well, perhaps not ex-
actly that. For if one can translate
the CLEAN in the young mans eyes, rs
through the trees that skirt Squire
Vanders lawn, he catches a glimpse of
a pretty figure in tluttering muslin, sit
ting and swaying itself leisurely in a
great swing under the boughs of
spreading oaks ; to and fro 70 and fro,
the airy figure fits, the leaf shadows
embroidering her white dress, and