Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-05-18
RACHEL M0FFAT'S SHADOW,
From Harpers Weekly

IScuUcu nOudt duu heZldt MS wife
received a triplet of white wedding
cards from the hands Of their daugh
ter Rachel, and fell into serious chat
over the bits of cardboard. George
| Reynolds, the groom, was discussed
with positive knowledge, gained by
acquaintance with him from boyhood
: Kate Maurice, the bride, was discus.
sed with the speculative knowledge
: that characterizes remarks concerning
, strange brides.
Rachel Moffat had left the room
while George Reynolds was under
,, discussion, and her mothers careful
! eye had observed that there was sur.
. prise, anger, almost tears in the girls
, face.
81 Fay, Reuben" began the good
mans wife's, after Rachel had gone.
eyes," assented Reuben Mofat,
signifying his readiness to hear what
his wife had to say.
81 want to call your attention to
our Rachel"
"You needn't call very loud" was
Reuben Moffat's answer. "My at
tention goes good deal that way
naturally"
"To be sure" answered Kezia
Moffat. "How could it be otherwise,
and you the father of such girl as
our Rachel ? am sure / wonder
that young man like George Reyn.
| olds should look farther than such a
trim, handsome girl Rachel is, and
he knows all about her housekeeping
too"
"Look farther, and fare worse, is
an old proverb, you know" rejoined
Reuben Moffat.
"And in my opinion he's done
worse, and deserves to do worse"
said Kezia Moffat, with anger in her
eyes and tones. 81 am sure | hope
| Rachel will get over it and go to the
party"
'"Get oyer it ?" replisd Reuben Mot
fat, "You don't mean TO say that
Rachel" The old man paused
and surveyed his wife critically.
| Kezia Mofat nodded her head af-
firmatiyely.
ooh, nonsense, Keziar" exclaim.
ed the old man. "You feel unpleas.
ant like because George Reynolds
should prefer any other woman to our
Rachel. It's my opinion that Rachel
hadn't thought of George Reynolds,
| except"
A shadow fell on the porch, and the
old man suddenly changed the sub
sect of his remarks.
/ The shadow that had fallen on the
porca was Rachel Moffet's. 1t follow
ed the young girl across the green
fields where she walked, magnifying
her son bogpet into an unshapely
thing, and leagthening her slight fig
ure into exceedingly lank proper
tons
(which way, Miss Rachel ? Are
you running away from yosr shad,
ow p asked young man stepping
out from an oak tree that stood MID
way in the field.
Rachel Moffat gave a sideleng
glance at her shadow, and said, with
an effort, "we can't escape Them any
more than we can our thoughts"
cts lucky for us that they are
harmless things" answered the young
man with a smile. 81 shouldn't think
you would want to escape your
thoughts, Miss Rachel. I'm sure |
shouldn't. And if you had no objec
ton, l will walk in your shadow, as
you seem to be going nay wsy."
Rachel Moffat bowed, bSt TIE
young man, glanced into her face,
Jaw that she accepted his company
with resignation.
81 Dresume you have received
George Reynolds cards ?" asked the
Young man, aAter pause.
eyes," Rachel answered gravely,
"They are very a-alish," she added,
with an effort.
"Miss Maurice is aaid to be
wealthy" the young man seantinued.
"Ah 90 Rachel exclaimed, 9th .
curl of lips that was full of scorn.
/ With delicate intuitive sense that
would have done honor to men of
finer clothes and loftier sphere,
Walter Gibbs changed the subject
with the remark: 81 have the book
of yours that borrowed, in my peck
ed, Miss Rachel. There were scraps
of paper in it and some bits of faded
flowers. / have saved them all and
return them with the book"
"Thank you; it did not signify,
| Rachel replied, indifferently.
She turned the leaves OF the blue
| and Gilt volume with the uneasy mo-
ton of restless hands, aud then drop
| ped from the gilded leaves the faded
| lowers. They were all alike, mere
bits ofpink coloring on a wooded
stem-pink not so deep as the color
that glowed on Rachel Moffat's
cheeks at the sight of the flowers.
ct is the Cercis canadensis, or
Judas-tree, "her companion remarked,
picking up one of the fallen bits and
pulling it in pieces.
"The Judas-tree I" echoed Rachel
Moffat, all her tones full of scornful
wonder.
eyes," the young man said, ans
wering the wonder in her tones. "ln
the spring it is tree of promise, with
all its rugged branches crowded full
of blossoms but the blossoms die,
and there is never fruit or beauty in
ful6llment of its springtime promise:
There is but one in the village that |
know of, and that is in Squire Rey-
nold's garden"
| Looking up to see if Rachel
Moffatt rem EN- bered the tree. Wal
ter Gibbs became painfully conscious
that his remark had dyed her face
with tell-tale bushes, and the tale
they told was about George Rey-
tnolds. Then he remembered how
he had forced his company upon her,
and his conscience smote him when
he thought how his careless words
might have added to the trouble OF
L d.