New Ulm weekly review., 1878-07-03

his arm and makes me keep pace with
him, while he indulges in dismal fore
bodings as to the condition in which my
prisoner will be found. He rings the
changes On suicide and melancholy mad
ness. The ruin is at last reached. Tho
delicate aroma of a fragrant cigar which
salutessour nostrils tends to remove our
anxiety as tosthe prisoners being. totally
destitute tiu of comfort. MY father pushes
me toward the door. .9ss
# "Open it, grill" he says, with melodra-
matte sternness. - s,-Y = :
S am trembling all over, but with great
effort | manage to turn the key and give
the door feeble push. I telt the door
pulled open. 1 dare not look. NV eyes
are cast to the ground, and my cheeks
are on tire, as IN scarcely audible voice
l say, IL am so sorry, MIR. Barton. I did
not mean to----fI took you for .a-a-" It.
is too much. | break down, and, ingno-.
sminiously bursting into tears, run to my
father and bury my face on his shoulder.
''There, there, my girl!'' cries my faith
er, soothing ly. He holds me to him. and,
softly patting me with one hand, he turns
to Mr.. Barton, and says, "We must ask
your forgiveness, Mr.. Barton; and I am
sure you will give it when explain how
my little girl has made great mistake.
In fact, she took you for Country Court
ballif!!" aud my father explains every
thing to him.
When he was finished, raise my head,
and, looking shyly at Mr.. Barton, say
IL am so sorry. do not know how I
could have made such mistake. It was
so foolish; but was so frightenedr'
1t would be useless to relate the many
kind things Mr.. Barton said He made
| so many excuses for me, and was 80 kind
and good-natured, that by the time we
! had reached the house / had recovered
my self-pofsession sufficiently to be able
| to laugh atan amusing anecdote he re-
lated to us. ~
| Fortunately dinner had not advanced
very tar when 1 discovered my mistake.
we made very merry party that night.
MY father brought out some of his cher
lshed port that saw the light only on very
great occasions; and as he insisted on Mr.
Barton staying all night, and the next
morning in saying "Good-by" gave him
| a pressing invitation to come and see us
very often, think am justified in be-
l1evlng that my prisoner had created
very favorable impression on that ad-
amantine structure fathers heart.
Three months later. A sharp winter
has set in, and the stream still The lake
is frozen over, and | am sitting on the
bankswhile Mr., Barton is assisting me to
remove nv skates I have been receiv-
! ing my tirstlesson in skating. It was sc
| pleasant! was not at all afraid. NV
+ teachers arm was so strong and he held
my hands SO tightly!
"Do you remember the afternoos when
I locked you up?" I ask, as we carry our
skates into the ruin.
"Remember?" he cries. looking me tull
in the face. II should think I do! It
: was the happiest day of my life"
Stupid little goose that I am, begin
to tremble, and my foolish cheeks flash.
the tell-tale color. The skates fall to the
ground as my hands are quickly grasped
and my prisoner makes, me captive T
try to release myself, but my efforts
cease as my captor, in almost breathless
words, tells me he loves me. 1 do not
know whether I give any answer, but in
moment he has drawn me to him. [
| pillow my head on his breast, his arms
| are around me, and I know that I am his
and that he is mine! ,., l.
"Hey-day!' exclaims a voice, as my
| father suddenly appears on the scene.
| 'What does this mean?" as, ...
"Only the man in possession!" replies
| MIR. Barton. grasping my fathers readily
| outstretched hand. ,.t@,"" E.~ = -r