The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-29

j
ted IN haste for the train, leaving Fred bus,
on his picture hardly looking up when h
said goodbye and prophesied my return in
few days.
| Several times, after my return 10 the city
! came near doing SO, wondering if 1t were
not cowardly in me To strike my colors al
such q moment, and if"Puss' did not eXpcc
me to come over the mountain to see her.
Nearly two months had elapsed, and
heard no word from Fred. l was on III,
point of putting q change OF linen in sach
ell, and taking atwo.days' run in search o
him, and to see if Miss Perry had returned
when received letter, which, to say the
least indefinitely postponed the matter.
give only those parts my readers will b'
interested in:
Ny DEAR BoY-Congratulate mc-that is
with an if. She won't name the day, mol
positively promise that she ever will but il /.
SO we'll settled in my own mind that ] shall
order the SUIT as soon as I arrive In town
which will be some day next week il | car
tear myself away so soon
How did do it? Blcst If know never
dreamed of such thing till you dropped thai
remark you did when gave you the sketch
of the lady in her masquerade dress, that "a
man IS content with what he can get which
that you had been rejected, or were satisfied
you would be. Why never could conceive
for always supposed You to be the favored
one, but didn't puzzle over that conundrum
very long. From that moment gave myself
up to the task of winning her and went in
rough and tumble. never went into any
thing before so recklessly, because never be
fore had ! been so seriously interested
But you don't care for details II "nonc
but the brave deserve the fair" have at least
won the trophy / shall bencetorth wear Sc
proudly on my breast,
Before Fred returned from the country |
was upon the Atlantic. had again behaved
In a cUwardly manner and deserted my colors
when q vigorous movement on my own par
instead of resulting os would have had de
cIdedly contrary result.
But I was both blind and stupid | could
neither see nor understand what had taken
place nor how 1t all tended to my advantage
did but follow 1t up. That knowledge did
not come to me till many months atterward
Gu the water and pressed 10 the brim with
work supposed should forget the little
country girl and return hcartwho from the
European trip had been commissioned &c
take by the house in which / was engaged
but every day only added to the intensity OF
my suffering, and finally the longing felt
must be forever unrealized, because so much
d part Of my existence that even sunlight be.
gan to take its hues from the halt-ripened
orange
But the exigencies OF the business | was
demanded my continued stay and
levied such tax on my mental capacities
that soon began to look on my trouble as
but not serious, and as though a
callus had grown over il and no pain would
result from it unless violent strain was
brought to bear upon it.
Then disaster came and the house failed,
leaving me adrift; and was preparing to re-
turn home when ! was offered an advanta-
geous position in foreign house member
of which, was courteously informed, had
had managed the affairs of the branch which
had been intrusted to me-"
So of course it transpired that did not re.
turn to my native land that autumn nor the
next, NORM fact, ii was three yeas from
the time left for Europe before | returned.
1 landed in the middle of August, last sum-
mer, and at once began to hunt up old GRO
MES, by aid of memory and directories. But
| had no luck. Fred could get no track of,
only that he had just returned from Euro
pean trip; but where ne might be at that par
ticular 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 fool to come across the water at so I'M
proritious a time My own immediate FAM.
ly found, on inquiries were stopping for a
few weeks at a remote place twenty miles or
more beyond the little valley where Fred and
| summered three years before, and toward
that point turned my face.
lust before sunset the train made a halt at
the little village overlooking the valley where
| had met my fate, and where the last time /
bad seen Fred he was engaged in making a
sketch of the valley, hardly taking his eyes
from the canvas to bid me his cherished good.
bye. For some reason the tram was delayed
a few moments, and, as gazed over the val
ley, the old feeling of three years before was
instantly surgng 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 impeiiing me there,
thinking could pursue my journey the next
day as we'll as this
After the train had departed, and observ-
ed the curious country eyes scanning my sin
gular movements, l suddenly realized my
a wkward position. and wondered what 10 do.
strolled toward the spot Fred
had chosen for his vantage ground TO view
the valley. Little change was visible. The
sunset co;ors were less vivid, and consequent
" the shadow over the valley was less som
ber-a much more pleasing picture; and yet
| could not help feeling that the somber
shadow was over my heart instead.
/ aimlessiy followed the winding road into
the valley, descending at every step farther
and farther into the shadow; yet my soul
into its own shadow plunged more reckless
ly still, the gloom surrounding il seeming al
most sullen in It's intensity.
Suddenly it grew lighter VIVA; did i;
presagc? \ large cumulus Of cloud had
dritted into the range of the suns rays, and
caught the splender, sending them down To
the earth in glow of reflection. at my
own soul could drift into such a volume oi
lightr thought, bitterly, and walked slow
ly onward.
What marvellous shapes the clouds take at
times! This one and smaller ones, drifting
with and counter TO it, suddenly took the
shape OF huge anchor, a gleam OF mighty
irony glowing with false glimmer.
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