Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-02-15
LANCASTER WISCONSIN, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY

was flutter of white ribbon and pink
lawn, and she was gone. | followed
more leisurely.
| "That GIRL" thought |, and | am
| afraid | did not mean Miss Bessie,
"troubles me more than anything ever
did in my life. | wonder why!"
When | reached the house, Kate
was amusing herself with her sewing,
on the rustic seat, under the elm in
the meadow, and Captain Dacie was
lounging at her feet. / always hated
that man, though why can't imagine,
for he was a jolly fellow enough,
| good humored, and handsome, with
merry blue eyes, a tall, graceful figure,
and pleasant, genial ways. He lay
his full length on the fresh green
grass, looking SO handsome IN his
iregimentals that felt vague desire
to choke him, as | drew out my news
paper and seated myselfon the piazza.
ostensibly to read, but in reality to
watch them.
| "You're dreadfully lazy, Captain
Ned" laughed Kate. "I've half a
mind to ask you to row me up to
Cornwall / want to get something,
and it will wake you up"
"May L? Will you let me take
1 you ?" asked the captain eagerly,
springing up. "You are an angel,
Miss Kate -
"If / werc," said Kate, with sage
little nod of her head, 81 should not
be obliged to trouble you. Well, if
you will wait till ] get my hat-and
| Bessie"
"Won't you go alone p aud [ chuck
led with delight behind my newspaper
at the doletul change in the captains
voice.
The moment Kate was gone, the
captain joined me, and begged me
imploringly to make one of their party;
but, though l appreciated the young
mans man9uvre to avoid a trio, did
not feel at all inclined to come to his
relief, so | said, concisely, "Thank
you, no ]; | shall be busy"
So Bessie, and Kate, andthe captain
rowed away in the golden haze of the
sun-setting; and /, wishing to tease
the young ladies bit, got down my
Sentiments of Flowers" book that
| very much affected when first came
into my twenties, and constructed
couple of bouquets, very full of mean
ing, indeed, but not particularly artis-
tic Hates was composed of sprays
of hop-vine and chestnut leaves, and
the little yellow flower OF the catalpa
tree, which, for the benefit of those
who have just come into their teens,
or are little past them, | may as
well remark meant "Injustice," 'Do
me iustiee,' and "Beware of the
coquette," while breathed out my
devotion and ''thankfulness to Miss
Bessie in mass of heliotrope and
agrimony, which was not very pretty
combination, by the way. 1t seems
little foolish as | write it; but then,
young gentlemen, even after they
have put away their "love affairs,
with the tight boots, and buttonhole
bouquets Of their early manhood, or
late boyhood rather, are little foolish
sometimes. Well, / finished the bou-
quets and sent them up to the ladies
rooms, and then sat down to quiet
chat with mother and Mrs. Hays.
1t was ten o'clock at least, and the
moon had reached the crest of Break
neck, and was staying q moment to
look at the reflection of her fair face
in the still, deep water, where she had
built silver bridge to cross over on,
when the boat rounded "the Point
again, and I heard Hates rich voice
singing.
"Home, dear home, l never shall forget"
The clear tenor mingling with the
strain annoyed me trIfe, so | went
away to my room. aud sat there read
ing, when, after the captains lingering
adieus were said, the two came up
together.
There was great deal of laughing
and talking in an undertone in Hates
room, which Miss Hays shared; and
being in Eden, il was natural that,
like my great progenitor, should be
troubled with curiosity; so ] ap-
preached the window, which, like
theirs, opened on the roof of the
piazza, and listened.
go Kate % said Bessie, with a
gleeful laugh, so Kathie! he heard
you; end you said "a real brother was
different from an adopted one,' and |
told you the reason you thought so. F"
sBess, I'll never forgive you. Go to
bed; | want to-"
care you really angry, dear ?" and
Miss Hays' voice was hewitchngly
penitent.
"Well, n-no.o, I suppose not; but
what did you want to say that for p
| Human nature eoaid andure it no
longer I burst into ringing laugh,
bringing my window down upon the
run SO that they should not hear my
uncomfortable mirth, though from
Bessie's shy, and Hates cool, nom
chalaut manner of greeting me the
next morning, | opined that was not
successful.
Well, the summer days fled ont of
the valley on the swiftest of sunny
feet. All the days passed swifter in
Eden than anywhere else in the world,
I'm thinking. for in after years. when
my rose colored air castles went
"whistling down the wind" and Eden
was far away, they crept so slowly
that it seemed as if my sorrows. like
a ielon's mauacles, had chained their
feet together.
| Kate and | were better friends as
the time went on. Sometimes she
would join me on the porch, after the
gay boat-loads of her friends and
lovers, rowed off in the moonlight,
chatting merrily of this and that one
among them, and now and then a
more cordial "John" than usual sent
the blood tingling to my finger ends.
| Kate, at mothers request. had