The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-06-11

Ously in ealnest.
"But you don't care for details. If
none hut the brave deserve the fair |
have at least earned the trophy | shall
hcnCCtOrth wear 60 proudly on my breast
Before Fred returned from the country,
| was on the Atlantic. | had again be-
hayed in Il cOwardly manner, and deserted
my cOlOrs when a vigorous movement on
my " part, instead OF resulting so,
would have had Il decided contrary result.
But | was both blind and stupid. |
could neither see nor understand what
had taken place. nor how it all tended to
my advantage did i but follow itup. That
knowledge did not come to me till many
months afTerward.
On the water. and pressed 10 the brim
with work. had supposed ! should forget
the little country Girl, and return heart
whole from the European trip | had been
commissioner 10 take by the house in
which | was engaged; but every day only
added to the intensity of lay suffering,
and finally the longing 1 fit must forever
be unrealiZcd became so much Il part of
my existence that even sunlight began to
take its hues from the half ripcncd orange.
But the eXigcncicS OF the business | was
tranSacting demanded my continued stay,
and levied such Il tax on my mental capa-
cities that | soon began To lock on my
trouble as annoying, but NOT serious, and
as though a cailuS had grown oyer It. and
no pain would result from L unless q viO-
lent strain We're brought 10 bear upon it.
Then disaster came and the house sud-
denly failed, leaving me adritt; and was
offered m adva. tageouS position IN Il for
ei@n house, a member of which, / was
c~0urteoUsly informed, had "0bScrVcd the
,,,,.r,air 49,. 49,. :, .~hT,j, | I.,l V,A,.nr,l
the affairs OF the branch which had been
entrusted to me-
So, OF course, i tranSpir1G that | did not
return to my native lani that autumn. nor
the next, norm fact, it Was three years
from the time | left for Europe before |
returned. | landed iii the middle OF Au-
gust, last Summer. and az once began 10
hunt up Old crQni"S. by aid Of memory
and directories. But | had no luck. Fred
| could get no track of. only that he had
Just returned from a European trip; but
where he might be at that particular time
was uncertain. All for whom | cared in
the city were out of town for the warm
weather, or else where | could not readily
find them. and | began to think | had been
Il fool to come across the water at SO IN
propitious a time. My Owl immediate
family | found, on inquiry. were stopping
for Il few weeks at a remote place, twenty
miles or more beyond the little valley
where Fred and | had sumncred three
years before, and toward that point !
turned my face.
just before sunset the train made a halt
at the little village overlooking the valley
where | had met my fate. and where the
last time had seen Fred he was engaged
in making a sketch of the valley. hardly
! +.l;p,r Ii, ,y-, t,..,, fl,, AZ, ~ 8. p, I'll NJ,
his CHEEKY gOOd-bye. For some reason
the train was delayed a ttwmOmcnts. and.
rs | gazcd over the valley. the old feeling
OF three years before was instantly Surging
and swaying in my breast /; and before the
train was again in motion | stood upon
the rude country-Station Platform. unable
to resist the force impelliu~ me there.
thinking | could pursue my journey next
day as well az this.
After the train had departed, and I OBJ
served the curious country eyes scanning
my singular movements, | suddenly real
lied my awkward position, and wondered
what TO do. Mechanically | stIolled to-
ward the spot Fred Lad chosen for his
vantage-ground TO view the valley. Little
change was visible. The sunset col0rS
were less vivid, and consequently the
shadow over the valley was less somber-
Il much more pleasing picture; and yet |
could moi help feeling that the SOmbcr
shadow was over my heart instead.
[ aimlessly followed the winding road
into the valley. descending at every step
farther and father into the shadow: vet
my soul into its own shadow plunged
more reckleSSiy still. the gloom surround
ing it seeming almost suilen in its in
tenSity.
Suddenly it grew lighter. What did it
presage? 4 large cumuluS of cloud had
drifted into the range of the suns rays,
and caught the splendOr, sending them
down to the earth in a glow of reflection.
If my own soul could drift into such a
volume of Light thought, bitterly, and
walked slowly onward.
What marvellous shapes the clouds take
at times! This one, and smaller one
drifting with and counter to it. suddenly
took the shape of a huge anchor, seeming
to me, in my shortened vision, a CLEAN of
mighty irony glowing with Il false glim-
mer.
SO intent was my gaze bent heaven
ward that | did o observe a figure inn
mediately in front of mt, emerging from
the valley. IT was q female figure, and |
hastily stepped OF n side TO allow her to
pass, hardly withdrawing my gaze from
the heavens. The moment she had passed.
in obedience to a sudden impulse, | turned
my head, to see hers also turned to OBJ
serve me. The light from the cloud of
hope shOne full in her face, and | started
at the recognition. Was my soul. then.
drifting as yOnder cloud had done? Was
this thrill that bathed it in pathoS the
light. indeed. that warns and glorities all
it shines On-or was it but mocking
irony.
Miss Perry" l exclaimed, "this is a
rare pleasure"
She advanced in the same shy n as
ofOld, and held out her hand in the old
coy style.
WAS it you, then, | was to meet at the