The Red Cloud chief., 1875-12-16
AN OLD WOMAN'S STORY.

great.grandmother sat together-the girl
in tears.
Said Great-grandmsmma Hudson, sit
ing very straig ht, not lolling, at her
sevcnty.eight years, as did her great
granddaughter of eighteen:
"Young folks think old folks are
fools, but old folks know that young
folks are"
that's because you are old, grand
ma" sobbed Linda.
"NO; it's because l was once young"
said the old lady.
"But he's the only one I ever loved. or
ever shall love-" said Linda. "Papa, is
so cruel to M. Why should he think i'll
of Lewis9 He doesn't know anything
about him. l shall die if we are separ-
ated."
81 was going to die. too, if we were
separated" said great-grandmamma;
"but I Didn't"
"Oh, tell me, please" c;ied Linda.
"had you a loveri Did they separate
your Ohw-she put her arm around
her great-grandmother's knees-"oh! l
never knew you had a love story-thatis is,
that kind of one."
eyes," said the old lady, ~ had a
lover; and I had a mother and father"
"You can have many lovers, but never
more than one father and one mother.
aFolks think of that when it's too late.
"When father said that Cecil was Lord
knows who, and he should not come to
see me, I remember l almost hated him
for it."
"When mother said she did not like
the young man either, I almost hated
her."
"Cruel creatures that stood between
me and my young lover-that was what
my dear parents seemed to me then;
just what yours seem to you, Linda, 1
have no doubt.
"And l vas worse than you, my dear,
ever 80 much worse; for it seemed SO
wicked to me that any one should take
it for granted q man wa not good, and
worthy of love because he was a stran-
ger, that I utterly refused al counsel,
aud made preparations to run away with
Cecil and marry him at Gretna Green, a
place in Scotland where runaway couples
used to 60 at that time to be married by
an old blacksmith.
Everything Wa ready.
81 had my jewelry in my bosom, and
my little bundle of clothing on my arm,
and Was creeping out of a little side
door of our house, that led into the gar
den, when q hand came down on my
shoulder and a voice cried out:
"'My girl, my girl, is this tine way
you use uss' and there wa my father.
"Dear, dear, it's SO many years ago-
so many years ago but 1 remember that
moment 70 well.
The long, dark hall, with Its polished
floor and low ceiling, and the tall clock
standing in the r at one end, tick
ing, ticking, ticking.
"Outside, the moon shining faint and
white, and the dark ivy growing on the
low stone wall, over which I meant to
climb, and on the other side of which
Cecil stood quietly waiting for me.
my fathers face was as white as that
of . ghost in that light, and his hand
shook a. he held mine.
"'Oh, father, father I cried. if you'd
only let me have my will in this one
thing. You can't make q girl love or
hate by saying So
"He stood, holding me firm and fast
"Do you think l want anything bur
your goodf" said he. sWould I not be
glad to have you happyi You little
~simpleton, do you know that if you
had left my house this night, you would
have gone to your ruin"
sOuside was my lover and his kisses;
inside my father, stern and hard, as it
seemed to me.
ut seemed as though he led me back
To urison when I had . chance Of heaven
before me, q he bolted the door.
s.It is Enelire VITO has betrayed me-