The Republican journal., 1876-01-06

| ullcOUSClOuSlN uOlllS3 W st lllClONy
that would one day enchant the world.
But suddenly the exquisite notes were
hushed, and looking over at Dora, Jane
found her, with c!asped hands and rapt
eyes, listening to strain from Miles Van
Dorm. And even when the strain was fin
ished, pora's eyes still rested upon hlm
with an expression that caused that chill
to run down the vertebrM Of her sister
Jane.
The next day Jane carried her young
sister off with her to the city. She was y
reluctant traveller. and dropped percepti
bly, every mile farther from home
Although Jane persisted in drives and
promenades, concerts and receptions, al
though she procured for Dora all the
amusement that money and Il respectable
share of influence could obtain, Dora re-
manned obstnately docile, but wearied.
"a decided ease of ennui,n said one Of
James friends ''I'ye never seen that
bored expression so perfect before I'm
afraid, Miss Fairfield, its genuine; your
field daisy won't bear transplanting."
Jane WINGED at this. but bore it dogged-
ly. until. three weeks later the professor
himself declared that the child must 90
home.
|
cried the professor, ''that even her voice
IS dwindling away? 1t is thin-thin to
attenuation; there is no longer power nor
compass See, now, she must 90 back to
tLe green fields and the daisies 1t is q
terrible sickness. this nt0l dU }oYs In
the years that are gone, Mees Fairfield,
was near dying with it myself TO long
for ones native SKY, for the air that nour-
shed the young life, you see.''
Il don't see" said Jane, testify, look
ing at the poor old man with an air Of
stern contempt. ''Iou needn't tell me its
all Inconsistencies
Every bit Of it, Mees Fairfield Tell
her now this night that she shall go home
tomorrow and let us mark the result"
so Jane dropped into Dora's lstless ear
u few magical words, of which one was
''home." and forthwith that treacherous
color lcaped to Dora's check. her lips
trembled ooh, Janc.n She murmured.
and two big tears Of JOY tell out Of her
trembling eyes.
One little hour after, she sang 'livinely
to the professors accompaniment. That
good man clasped his hands and looked
upward with dcvout enthusiasm.
"-1ch SchoNm he said, 'rrhmlerschoH!" :"
and the exclamation was volume in it.
self ltprophesed success and glory, the
tullilment of all their dreams.
II suppose it might be homeslckness,"
whispered Jane to herself, consolingly,
''there's 50 much of maudlin sentimentali-
ty in some natures If this old idiot of Il
professor babbles thus of green fields and
daisies, why shouldn't it be for Dora:?"
All the way home, however, a moody
skeptlcism weighed upon the soul OF Jane,
and it was not until Dora had partaken
with spirit of the delicacies provided for
the evening meal and nestled close to
her mothers side i'll the evening twilight,
singing softly but ioyously Il little hymn
they all loved, that Jane was allowed to
fully rest upon the thought that it was
only homesckneSs, after all, that allied
Dora
But even as they sat there, hc!nmed in
with ropes OF tangled shrubs, the fragrant
scent of hop Vine slyly sleeping the prac-
teal soul of Jane to 4 scmi-intoXication,
Dora's sweet voice seemingly a part Of the
dew and the twilight. and all Of it Won
drously resting to the poor tired D70diSle
from toWn--eyen then Il big shadow loom
ed up before them, and rather Il harsh
raspng oice sai;i "!'yo come to biz, YOU
good-byn
Jane cast one look at Dora. The rosy
lips Of the child were still parted with the
last note of the song, her little white
hands stretched forth unconsciously to the
newcomer, and a faint echo Of the word
''good-by'' reached Jane.
"Why, dear me y said Mrs Fairfield;
81 never thought to tell You that Mr.. Van
Dorm is going away Ralph Peyton has
coaXed him off to his church in the city to
be chorister there; and our folks don't
like it a bit, either. But | suppose it's
best for Mr. Van Dorm; there amt much
chance for getting ahead here. What
with tagging at The village store all day,
and teaching school at night, can't see
when he gets q chance to read law but
believe he does it, somehow or other"
That is one reason | can't stop and
talk with my friends like other folks"
said Mr.. Van Dorm. "but can only find
time to say good-by. | shall miss Miss
Dora's voice in my new choir. 1t is al
ways full and rich but | never noticed
till tonight the haunting sweetness about
it, that gets by the senses into the soul,
and stays there when the music is fled"
''Ilum." said Jane; 'you'll never make
much Of lawyer if you din such stutl' as
that into peoples ears"
81 don't give way TO it oltcn,h said Van
Dorm, laughingly, and made his way over
to Mrs. Fairfield and Dora. Suddenly
Jane saw the slender figure OF her sister
'stagger few steps toward the door, then
sink forward. Jane sprang to catch the
falling form, but Van Dorm already held
her in his arms, and lifting her into the
sitting-room placed her gently on the old
chlntZ-covered lounge near the window.
''It is the heat, think" said Van Dorm,
with a flush OF surprise and alarm in his
face.
Yes" said Jane, bitterly, cit is the
heat, and you'd better get away; the few
er people we have here devouring the air
the better"
Van Dorm cast one more lingering, puZ-
zled, plying look upon Dora's PROSTATE
form, then went away
Dora soon recovered consciousness. and
said no word OF complaint; only asked
that she might 60 to her room at once.
81 wonder what allied Dora ?" said Mrs
Fairfield. when they had put the child to
bed, and descended again to the sitting
room.
"Oh, mother" said poor Jane, 'sget
away, and leave me to myself Il while!
Whatever allied her. it couldn't have been
homesickness, could it?" Then she laugh
ed sardonically. And Mrs. Fairfield de-
clared, as she got out of her eldest daugh-
ter's presence, that if there was one thing
more than another she hated it was that
nasty scotling way Jane had.
Taking the early train in the morning,
Jane resolved she would remain in the
city till affairs had settled into the pleas
ant shape Van Dorn's absence would nat
urally bring about.
Months passed away, however, and
there was no word OF cheer from home. A
few lines scrawled upon an expanse of
paper at length told her that Dora was
unable to write, and that even the music
lessons must be discontinued. A kind of
debility had seized upon Dora, Mrs. Fair
field wrote, that took away her strength
and appetite.