River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-08
slowly and with difficulty from side to

slowly and with difficulty from side to
side.
"All right, dear. I feel as though
/ must talk of her tonight, and TO
whom can talk but you, my darling !
my little sister, who has never with
held her love and sympathy from me,
God, bless her! But, Cora, If any poor
fellow had loved you all his life long,
and you had led him TO believe for
many years that you returned his at
lection, and then, growing richer, as
he, through no fault of his own, grew
poorer-if you turned away from him
and smiled upon those who were only
his superiors in wealth and position,
| Id disown you. Mouse of my life, L
would indeed ="
"But suppose the poor fellow
| never told his love when we met after
long separation 7" whispers the
'mouse of his life.
SIN words you meant Pshaw
there are hundred ways in which a
man tells his love, and woman knows
every one of them by heart"
"But suppose" in another faint
| whisper, "that when she returned
from abroad, she found him man so
much less manly than the youth she
had left that he could stoop to believe
that because he had become poor, as
the world goes, she could forget the
happy, happy days they had spent to-
gether, and-and cared for each otherl
Suppose that he lent a ready ear to
silly reports about her-one, for in
stance, that she was engaged to be
married to that idiot Van ReRssel-
aer %
"Cora
No reply.
"Cora, l say
Perfect silence.
"You tormenting little thing
shaking her gently with his strong
right hand-''why don't you answer
met l won't give you kiss for
week if you don't. There's something
uncanny about you. Where's your
lispi You had one short time ago ;;
you know you did. Cora -
"My names Alberta, please, sir"
and the veil that had hidden her face
flew aside, and long tress of golden
hair floated out and frightened the
night.
The reins fell from Harold's hands.
Alberta caught them skillfully.
"Tis we'll, she said, "that in those
by-gone days You taught me how to
drive"
For one moment her lover gazed at
her in open eyed wonder. Then he
gasped. "Great heavens! what a
fooll"
"Thank you, Mr.. Brown" said the
fair one. with smile.
mot you, Alberta, thunder and Mars
no, but me, myself, to be so near and
yet so far. What a consum mate"
Skip the hard words; there isn't
the slightest need of them" inter
rupted Alberta, mischievOusly, "Cora
thought she'd like ride in the big
sleigh and hadn't the heart to refuse
the child. Hope l haven't intruded,
Mr.. Brown! And now as we're turn
ing into our street, you'd better take
the reins again.
.'Alberta-Bertie-s say
something kind to me before we part,
he pleads, grasping both the reins and
the little hands that hold them.
"What shall say, Mr.. Brown :"
lie bends his head and looks earnest
ly in her face. Say Harold first.
"Harold." she repeats, with a saucy
smile, and then wrestling her hands
away, she sinks back and leans her
head on his shoulder, which droops to
meet it, and goes on in a soitened
voice: "l'm not engaged to Dan Van
Rensselaer,; whom you, with charming
consistency, call an idiot for being in
love with me (; and my papa, who is
the dearest and best papa in the whole
world, in spite of your impertinent re-
marks about him, cares nothing for
wealth and position, compared to my
happiness and I, myself, 'lily-white
little hypocrite' to the contrary,
haven't the slightest objection to turn
ing Brown, my Herald"
"God bless you, dearestF'
Eyes, yes, but don't kiss me just
now, please. We're ut our own door,
and the light of the street lamp is fall
ing full upon us, and there's dear old
anxious papa peeping out, trying to
catch a glimpse of his only son and
heiress."
Goodnight" goodnight, re-
sounded from every side as each par
ticular sleigh started for that particu-
lar place to which its particular party
belonged, with the exception of the
sleigh in charge of the horse called
Ned.
That remained in front of the dwell
ing of the 'princess," while its happy
owner, with Cora, his little sister, who
had suddenly appeared at his side, on
one arm, land Alberta, his pretty sweet
heart, on the other, assembled the mar
BILE steps.
Papa" called out Alberta. as they
entered the hall, Mr.. Harold Brown
has been behaving IL the most dread
full manner. lie has called me all sorts
of names, abused me most shamefully
to my face, actually shaken me, and,
worst OF all declared he wouldn't kiss
me for a week. Send John to look
after Ned, poor horse, he isn't to blame
and then | demand that you demand
an explanation"