The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-10-19

why iolG 50 angry II by chance some
gay young farmer chatted with her over
the fence, or some neighbor saw her
nome from church | could not tell can
ola mans temper, | suppose" said,
and sighed like young one.
30 three years passed. At the end of
that time Aletta's husband died. They
had quarreled, and she had made him
wofully jealous, it is said, and all his
property save mere pittance was willed
to strangers.
One day lady in black walked into
my office; when she lifted her veil | saw
Aletta Stanton's face, closer to me than
1t had been since we parted My heart
gave no wild throb. felt as though she
were mere stranger.
Cautiously and quite calmly heard
her business. She intended to contest
the will and needed advice. l gave her
what | could. Preferred her to brother
lawyer as the one who would best espouse
her cause. As for myself | told her
truly that my time was too much occu-
pied to undertake anything more, and |
wished her success.
She looked at me wlstfully with her
great blue eyes full of tears as she rose
to go.
st was cruel of him." she said, "cruel
to leave me so poor, but he was never
kind, never-nOt in the honeymoon
even"
-" regret to hear it," | said.
81 could expect nothing more" she
said. Z" | did not love him-never loved
but one-and that one"
She paused and looked at me-
That one love STILL" she said.
And heaven knows no feeling of re-
venge or petty triumph was in my heart
when | looked in Aletta Stanton's eyes
as if | did not understand her, and
courteously bowed her out.
Did | ever care for that woman?" |
thought, cor is it all dream?"
/ took my adopted child to the theatre
! that night and we saw the Lady of Lyons
together. 1t was her first play-going
experience, and she enjoyed it immense
| ly. She wore a white dress and bonnet
and the coral drops had fastened few
days before in her pretty little ears. |
could not help looking into her eyes and
touching her hand with mine. When |
left her | kissed her
Goodnight, my child" said.
And she answered goodnight" with
a cheek dyed on the instant deeper
scarlet, and ran away as Betty came out
to chat with me.
From that night | dated an odd
change. My adopted child seemed shy
of letting me keep her hand-shy even
of chatting as she did. Perhaps some of
these farmers who leaned over the gate
at sunset, some of those young fellows
who so often escorted her home from
church, had won her from me. Igrew a
little moody. | found myself in brown
studies when | should have been at
work. At last | determined to discover
whether | was really to lose my child,
and went down to the cottage. | found
her there sitting at work with Betty
After all, it was no easy task / could
not do as | had hoped. [ tried testing,
and spoke of one and of the other young
fellows near. awe shall have Nellie
stolen from us, | suppose" | said.
"There is nothing so easy lost from a
family as a pretty daughter. But who
is to have you, Nellie?'
She looked at me as children look be-
fore they burst into tears-her chin
quivering, her throat swelling-then she
dropped her work, and stole from the
room without answering me.
What ails the child, Betty?" | asked,
"have | offended her%
Old Betty stood before me sturdy and
stern-a look in her face that | had
never yet seen there.
"Master Albert" she said, whatever
she was when she came here, Nellie is no
child now. Oh, Master Albert, | can't
believe you've done it on purpose. You
couldn' t-such a sweet innocent thing
but it's done. Ali can say is, 90 away,
or let her 90, and maybe the wound
will heal l ought to have spoken in
time | was an old fool Oh, how
could you, Master Albert? How could
your"
What have have | done?" cried.
| would die rather than harm her"
And yet you have made her love
you," said Betty, sternly. You've
been very selfish, Master Albert"
A new light dawned upon me, a radi
ance brilliant beyond my hopes.
Getty" said " You are dreaming.
She must think me old enough to be a
grandfather, with my long face, and
bald crown, and this crutch. Eve had
one dream broken; don't set me dream
ing again for heavens sake"
Old Betty looked at me, and then
caught my face in both her hands and
kissed me.
"Master BERTHE" said she, 81 shan't
tell you a word more; go and find out
what you want to know for yourself.
You silly, handsome, good-for-nothing
fellow!"
| found my child under the grape
vine, her face was wet with tears. | sat
down by her. and put my arm about her
waist.
"Nellie," said /, don't shrink from
me- | am your true friend. Your
friend whatever you may give me now.
am older than you. | am not vain
enough to think myself a young girls
beau-ideal. But l do love you dearly,
Nellie. Can you love me enough to be
nv wife? If you cannot, if another
claims your heart, do not say yes from
gratitude. Tell me the truth, and still
retain a fathers, a brothers affection,
Nellie"
l bent over her, and my life seemed in
her keeping Until that moment | had
not known myself | loved her madly
i felt it now = better, far better
than in my youth / had loved Aletta
Stanton.
Nelliel" | said; "Nelie?" and a
/ brown hand was laid of its own accord IN
mine, and beneath my gaze the dark
eyes did not dare to lift themselves, but
. L. i L. a