River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-09-27

her. Sne WOULD not answer, she rarely
speaks even to us"
Twas quite prepared to see the lady |
had encountered in the wood glide into
the room and take her place opposite, and
this she did without noticing me; and
though had been ravenously hungry
Just before, somehow her presence so af-
fected me that / made but poor break
fast.
As we finished. the poor girl rose and
glided away again, shortly afterward fol-
lowed by her mother.
poor gi said, involuntarily, and
then | started, vexed at my indiscretion,
for the rector laid his hand upon my arm,
saying, softly:
.Thank your
He looked at me, as interpreted it. as
if he would like to be N estioned, and
ventured to say:
HAS she been always sosn
'No, no, said the old man, sadly 1.-THE
flower was bright and vigorous once, but
a blight came upon it, and since then it
has faded slowly till it dropped as you see
it now. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be DONE"
He said those last words in an almost
inaudible tone, but l caught two or three,
and was able mentally to fill in the rest.
II can hardly think it was that" said
the old rector, sadly, "but she has faded
away ever since this time three years ago,
when a gentleman of about your age was
down here fishing.n
"The old story" said, bitterly.
mo, my friend, no; he was staying at
a little farm close by, and asked leave to
fish, Just as you have, and | showed him
trifle of hospitality / believe him to
have been a gentleman in every sense of
the word, and at times l think he must
have made strange impression on my
poor child. He was only here for three
days, and we have never seen him since
Perhaps it is only fancy, and my poor
girls ailment may proceed from other
causes. But come, l will show you the
water
Leading the way, the old gentleman
took me across the sloping meadows, and
left me at last by as beautiful a little
trout-stream as ever | saw.
"There," he said, - l won't stop, but if
there is no sign of rise, come and have
q bit of lunch. We shall dine at two, so
as to leave you free for evening, when the
trout are sure to come on
Before | could utter word of protest
he was gone; and then, with that deli
ciousiTout-stream.be before me, my tackle in
my hand, and the May-fies darting up
and down, /, an ardent fisherman, forgot
all, and sat down upon an old stump, try
ing to bring up old memories-a half
forgotten story told me by quaint Ralph
barley, my old friend and companion,
who had told me to go and try this water;
old Ralph, the misogynist, the dry
grumpy fellow, who told me one night in
his chambers in the Temple, in one of
his rare bursts of confidence, as we sat at
the open window smoking, how he had
once seen a girl whom he could have
loved with all his heart, but poverty,
dread of refusal, and moral cowardice,
had kept him back.
Il hare got tl' said, suddenly. after
sitting there for quite an hour, and jump
ing up l looked at my watch and the leaf
of time table. Yes, / could Just do it
catch the train up. But could l get by
the rectory unseens
| tried, and found another way to get
to the lane by which 1 came; and making
all the haste 1 could, just painted up to
the little station as the up-train crawled
in.
Two hours later was in Ralph's room,
where he was porting over dry brief
"Hullo" he said, looking up. II
thought you were off fishing"
eyes" ! said, putting on the gross
dcceiver; 9 did run down to the place
you told me Of"
"Indeedw he said, looking interested,
but sinking back, half closing his eyes,
with sad smile upon his lip, which
seemed to me to say, " All! if that could
have been"
Yes continued, the trout are on
wonderfully, May-fies in abundance. |
hadn't the heart though to fish alone, and
wetting line. Come, let's start by the
first train in the morning. You make
plenty of money now. Have day"
His eyes sparkled as he grasped my
hand.
This is kind of YOU, old fellow. 1
should enjoy it above all things, and
yes, could spare day. But mono, The
said, sadly, II won't GO
"Nonsenser y cried, "You shall"
mo, he said, "that place is associated
with something very depressing to my
mind. | can't 60"
"My dear Ralph" / said, IL have come
back on purpose to fetch you, and go
you must"
My persistence prevailed, and tremb
ling tor the success of my plan to such
an extent that l lay awake all nighte for
fear should miss the train, l rose and
took my batA at four; got Ralph off; and
we ran down by the same train as | had
gone by on the previous morning, with
my friend growing more silent and de-
pressed as we reached the station and
walked across towards the rectory.
Its just three years since | was down
here, he said, sadly, as we approached
the copse "How sweetly the birds singm
manouvred so that he should go first,
having for excuse the narrowness of the
dew-spent path and as hoped, so it fell
about, for letting him get few yards i'll
advance, hung back as Ralph turned
the corner by the stile, when there was 9
wild cry, sharp ejaculation, and saw
poor Laura literally leap to his breast
and nestle there, exclaiming, "a last. at
last!
my poor girl" lac cried, in faltering
tones, astounded, dellghted, ana ending
by elasping her tightly to him, as she ex-
claimed, .ioyously:
1T has been so long, but ! knew you
would come at last
"Here. quick y cried Ralph. "She has
tainted"
1t was quite true; and between. ms we
carried the poor girl to the rectory, from
whence the gardener went galloping off
on the rector's cob for the doctor, three
miles away.
But Laura wanted no doctor; and
short time later left her lying on the
sofa, holding Ralph's hand tightly in
both Of hers, as he knelt by her side tell
ing her again and again how he had always
loved her, but had never dared to hope
words that made her eyes brighten and
her heart palpitate with JOY.
sand this is why you didn't come
Il