Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-09-12
..URSULA'S LOVE.

s.z.s....ss YRS ULA'S LOVE.
twas dark, stormy day. without;
but inside ali was warmth and light, and
as lsat insmy armchair and looked at
the girl before me, / felt that, notwith-
standing all the warmth and light, how
much pleasanter my home might be-.
had just recovered from q long Illness
which had left me as week as baby, SO
had advertised for q companion, and
here before me was the thirtieth appli-
cant. for that position. A yonng face
seemed almost out of place in my lonely
house, where ], Miss Dorothy Morbrey,
lspinster, had been the sole occupant for 40
many years.
How Stella did opp ose my plan of a
companions. She. seemed to want to
come to me herself suppose thinking
that as Harold, her step:son, was my
chosen heir, it was the proper thing.
But didn't agree to that; not for worlds
would have to live with person like
Stella. Vanity and arrogance were her
chief characteristics, and those qualities
I detested.
This oung girl, who had come just as
l had begun to despair of ever finding
what wanted, had strange fascination
tor me. Her small, childish figure was
clothed in mourning: her face was far
and sweet, though very sad, and her
deep hazel eyes had that tender, longing
look we see sometimes in the ones early
called home. ..... ."',-+.,D :,
So I questioned her, and was pleased
with her timid answers, and before long
I said:
well, my dear, think if: you feel
like living with cranky old woman, l
should like to have you. What is your
name2"
"Ursula what2'
I The sweet face paled as she answered
Il have no other name."
Here was an enigma. I rapidly ran
over in my mind all that stella would
say If should take this girl, who could
give no recomm epdation, and not even
her name; but az I glanced " at the
soulful eyes watching my face with eager
anxiety, my hesitation ended. She should
be my companion; and rang for Martha
to show her the room she was to occupy
am afraid if any one could have read
my thoughts that they would have set
me down for an old fool, for many were
the romantic stories I framed for my
companion. Her pure, delicate face and
lustrous eyes fairly haunted me.
At last I had an interest in my life,
and as time rolled On, each day became
more attached to my little Ursula. I
cannot describe the thousand loving
graces by which she won me-. After
awhile the grief which I had always no.
ticed in her face softened into a quiet re-
signation, and the football, which was
slow and weary at first grew more buoy.
| ant. And then sometimes she sang;
floods of melody rang through the old
house, and it was surprise to me that
that little white throat could hold such
a volume of sweet sounds.
Then one day my nephew George
wrote me he was coming to make me q
visit.
George was the child of my only broth
er, and wealthy in his own right, and he
as we'll as his cousin Harold, were to me
as my own. I welcomed him with create
pleasure, and it was not long until saw
my old house had found new in terest
for me. noticed how his eyes followed
constantly the light figure which fitted
with quick. gentle movements round my
chair; but l saw, too, that Ursula was
unscenscieus of this regard.
1t went on until George confded in
me, and received my earnest wishes for
his success, ana as looked at the manly
young fellow I did not doubt what that
would be when Ureula once knew he
loved her.
But 1.-THE best laid plans O. mice and
men aft gang aglee," and one day George
kissed me good by, his frank eyes suf-
fused with mans painful tears.
1T is not Ursula's fault, Aunt Doro-
thy he said. do not blame her-she
has told me why she cannot love me-"
must say l was indignant In my
eyes, either one ofmy nephews was fit tor
a princess love, and here this girl, whom
had taken unknown and friend less into
my heart, had embittered my noble boy 8
lite.
went to her. She was in her room.
and as entered I know my face showed
my thoughts, but therefore could speak
she threw her arms around my neck, and
hid her face on my shoulder.
As I felt the supple young form press
ed close to mine, and the touch of the
soft cheek, my arms folded involuutarily
around her, and my anger vanished.
Together we sat down, and then turn
ing the fearful face from against nv
shoulder, and looking straight into her
sad eyes, asked her:
''Ursula, why were you so cruel2 How
could your heart fail to respond to one so
worthy in every way a woman's love?"
A deep burning flush passed over her
face, and for a moment she hesitated,
then drawing little away from my enclr-
ling arm, she told me all her story, and I
learned why it was the young eyes had
always seemed so mourniul.
"Oh, my dear friend" she said
"You cannot help me; but you have
been so kind, I feel as if l had been
wrong in keeping secret from you.
From my early childhood was reared in
af1uence, with every care an indulgent
father could lavish upon me. My father
Was lawyer, and just as I grew to wom-
anhood he took into his office young
clerk, the son of widow lady whom he
knew we'll.
We met,' here the sweet face dropped
low, "aud we grew to love each ether.
His noble, true nature, made me give him
such an adoring love, that ills shared with
him would have seemed but pleasure.
We were betrothed with our parents full
consent. But then my dear father died,
end in a little time, while nv grief was
still fresh and poignant, his lawyer called
IT, me, he whom so loved and mourned,
was not my father. was founding
kindness into his ho..:e. He had intend
ed me to be his heiress; but death. came
so suddenly no will had been made. Al
most stunned I listened; the ground
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