Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-12-13
TIE FIRST BONANZA.
REEK THEY GATHERED ~ THE HAK.

HhEA EHEI 6AIHEHE9 IN iHE HaEs
Your cousin Helen is coming next
week" Robert Braith's mother said,
when he came in from his work and sat
down to read fora few minutes. There's
her letter ON the window sill if you'd
like. to read it." .SN s.
He took up the letter and read ii
through slowly. One 1pqssage he read
yer twice, before he laid It down.
'I never spent q pleas9nte sumner i'll
nv life than tie Ohe1 spent will you
And if Robert is the same dear old fellow
that he vas then I shall enjoy this one
quite as much, for you know Rob and ]
were the best of friends, and l have seeitl
no one since that liked half so WE'LL
He sat there in the dSor, with the LETT
ter in his hands, and he hooked Away
across the meadow where the grass was
crink kling inTthe wind like 3 SEA Of eIner-
aid, and thonght about that sunime:
gone by, and the summer evening. L.
that vanished one he had dreamed surl
a sweet and beautiful dream, and il.
memory had never left him. But la
had hidden it III his owR-heAFtr asSS -IH,-
one had ever guessed wills it Fas, ,S-Noh.
she Was coming back, aTld-tte-eld dream
must be lived over again, or crushed
down and kept out Of sight, If it SO be
that his will was powerful enough to do
that. But he doubted his own strength.
There had been times in Gls dead sam
mer,i when it seemed as II bis hearb mus
speak out and be heard. But his pride
had kept him silent. Here was he, q
farmer; and she was the child of
wealthy parents, city born and bred, and
he argued that he had no hglIt 10 BAY,
anything to her of love, because their
stations in life were so different and so
far apartA. II she al36 beeR 5 tayhier's
daughter. q the cliild of poOr pareufs, or
he had Seen arieh mans son with cdl-
ture and education equal to her own,
then! But always the "f" in the way
came up to stare him in the face, and 30
he crushed back the words he had al
most said so many times, and Helen
Hunt had neyeT discovered bis secret, he
felt sure. HH
He could not help feeling thrill Of
keen pleasure ct knowing she WsR com
ing back bUt, at the'sllmG tiihe, ile was
sorry. 1t would only make it harder for
lin after she was gone. He knew that
her VOICE would hold the old dRngelous-
ly-sweet- fascination in it, and her eyes
would only nuke him feel more keenlYC
what he longed to cliim for his own, and
what vas ont Of his reach But-and;
something of that sIme. reekteSsneSs
which comes to all of us at Times came to
him she was coming, and he could not
Ielp that and lie would let the future
.',.cide its ewn. afiisirsG He WOuld drift
nd dream, even if the waking up at the
nd Of it was bitter with loss and life
.ie's regret.
The next week brought Helen Hunt.
.:obert drove down to the, depot after
her. She was standing ON the plstformi
with her face turned another way, when
lie drove up. But it did not need the
ighto her face to tell him that she was
3Iere. He would have k8own that TAN
nd graceful figure anywhere.
Il am glad to see you back" he said,
oming up beside her. His voice was
not quite steady, He had tried 70 NIKE
himself cod and selEcentfolled, bHt the
presence OF thewoman he loved pn-
manned him q little. lE ..l5-fC Oh 7
"RobertP she cried, turning quickly
at the sound of his voice, with - elad,g
eager light flushing Up into hef earIsifIii
eyes. How theY thrilled HIM She
AlCAu OuL lCA 4AalAtty tAAANl luCIC Wf-0 Az
mistaking the genuineness of her vel
come. 1t spoke in words, and made
itselffelt in her face.
81 hardly expected to see You back
here" he SAID, feeling that she would
expect him to-say something, and know-
ing nothing else TO say. Jiistthen Wiores
failed to come readily at his command.
81 have been looking forward to this
g., II, rt1 Eov
here that have been longing to come
back ever since went away. I-hope
this summer will be as pleasant rs that
one was"
I hope it win, for your sake,7 he said
and his face had grave, pained look l..
It which her keen eyes detected at onC;r ,
What is the matter with you, Rob
ert p she said, putting her hand, on his
arm. ''You look as If Something troubled
you. My coming has nothing to do with /
It, has itr
How should it have?" he said, with
little forced laugh. 81 haven't felt
.ulite well for a;iey days, that's all. But
iii come around right by aDd-by. Don't !
say anything to mother about it--she /
ioesn,t know, and there's no use n her, .
worrying over me. She couldn't help
4AC II oAlc Knew
"Is it serious, Robert P Her eyes
were grave now, as they rested question:
ingly on his face.
Don't ask me to tell You anything
more about it." he said, turning abrupt
ly away. "Men have lived through it
before now, and SHALL" he added, with
mother laugh. Don't bother your head
IbOut me, Helen, but enjoy yourself as
Dest you can"
1t was pleasant ride home, in spite Of
the thoughts that would keep coming
into Robert Braith's mind. She was by
his side, and he loved her. -..
The old summer seemed to come back
again, with its Eight which never was
on land or sea" tn Robert The dream
of his heart was just as sweet as it h,
been IN the vanished days. Shehad not
changed at all since then, but was the
same winning woman who had won hls
heart away, and would keep it forever.
The days passed like charmed ones,
with rows upon the river, and long, de-
lightful walks at sunset time; with songs
in the brief, delicious evenings, and quiet
talks about books and the men and
women who wrote them. Robert was
not her inferior in the elltnre Fltieh
comes from reading good books; because
he was 4 farmer was no reason WHY he