The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-12-28

he idea was the ouly one y, hich had in il
unec OF almost pieasuTr-a soy, of zsSt
she etept down stairs, and uoiseles,Iy drew
the bolts Of small side door. N mo-
mcnt was alone in the wide world, under
the nIoon ami the slars,
Kenneth drove silently homeward. Jim.
gle jingle. jing!e! 1,s.somc >,e:gI, bells
How They Jared upon the silent majesty OF
the W inter night, and upon his own drep
thouei.,.. He found himself listening TO
them mechanically. and after \ while they
'eefn"'. to ln!l his over.strainesi ana restless
heart. Ken had his troubles. too.
suddenly 4 ,i"lcn: jerk almost pulled
siis arms from their sockets. The toad WAS
SLIPPERY. ana his horse STUMBLED! and fell
iirfe WAS :. catastrophe, lie jumped from
TIE S'"igh, aud helped the poor. struggling
piungins beast IL rise. The bells all Ia,
white l!n@iinE wildly aud r.uckinriy, As if
iaushlhe at his plight, Kenneth soon found
;hat the horse had broken OF disIGcated one
EIs ku'tS; he was dead. lame and uriyhed
IA panied AID piteuuS way There. VI
nothing To b" done hut t. walk back 10 MIR
Brandon S. aud Kenneth led the ;reub!irr
horse 10 the side "f the road fastened the
rclrs !" a tree, and STATED II IN 4 state Il.
high vocation. lie y he'd OF his annoy
ance by stamping vigorously through the
snow; he had a good hall mile 10 wiki:
~ L..
"ao had probably Fctired-rsLaw, Ken
meth MS unt much inclined 10 a,.n,tropliz,
his lucky star, Nerved by a sense of II T.
inevitable, hn walked on bsiskiy till turn.
"i tie road brought him in sight OF tie
Brandon nous. Around it slumberrd liz,
hFnI! :Thi;u fields, empty and desri.le.
the lights Mere cur in the hoa>r. save one
that n.Erd be knew in Meas Inam. Poo.
Htil" Meta, of what was she thinking, nov?
or shat idle, scatter brdlucd "a Good Lea,
ems. calculated Kenneth, sudd"nlv and
audibiy startled fairly ont Of himself. l.
;he very c.E:er nf the wide white lawn
stood a daTE, slender. solitary wun:au's
hEu:e. For an instant q thrill of actual
icar shot through him. but it was over IN
Hash, chased away by deeper feeling
Fog he k:saw that iiEuro--lIe knew i, was
II not the life Of his life, watched over ami
loved for years? Mas she mad? How.
could he discover himself, AMI not terri,
her? His b:ain worked rapidly. and hit
upon nj expedient. As he stole softly
near, as he passed by the low hedge, h,
sang out low and clearly, i'll his ", il known
voice, the wo!ds aud music Of d familiar
sing. Meta knew ii: she turned aud gasped;
She uttered a low cry: ard kcunth leaI.G
'he hedge aai stood before hcr, He spoke
quickly, and told her all. giving her n
time To fear; aud all the while. he saw.
With an aeonized heart. The white painted
face, the great eyes giisteniug with teas
i; iae moonlight.
:. Meta, why are you here >" he cried
;rassi"nately.
al cannot tell You, Kenneth. There is
40 rea>"n-i 5-dHted to come. that is all
TO b. aiono-,o be ont Il: the cold arb,
'iont-don'. s,li me. Let IN, 20 in
&" HUSH" lie wrap. around her the
shawl that MAS dropping oil, aud even then
She observed with a vague woricr that his
strong hands trcInblcd. Don't ieil inc.
then, don't speak loudly -uo one shall
know. Come Meta, dsar dear frishG!t II
can ever help you III t:oubir. remember
.ha; am faithful. There, il this the DIOR
-
y"u. Don't. Ny child my porr llrl-
siri.' For She bad broken down aud was
crying pasi"natcly. ''What is t-oh.
what Is it, Meta" Ills pain WAS almost
beyond bounds.
She struggled with herself at is noth
.ng-l mean il is rot much VIII you d.,
~pise me. Kenneth You are NY b..>'.
best frieni.''
Il wil. honor you and serve yru with
my nl".' he uttered fr.veu,ly, as she
quickly iiili.i through the d"u:, and closed
i behind he, Kenneth gave her time To
reach her r"nm. before he rang the bell
alarmed The household. and explained the
cause Of his I-turn. Mr.. Br:,n.ioa and
Peter accompanied him 10 the deserted
sleigh, provided him with a horse. and led
back the suffering animal, whose leg, how
ever. was only severely sprained. Kenneth
could not remain, lest his mother should I've
alarmed, 81 he drove of at last, auG the
disturbance i'll the Brandon family was
quoted. No one knew Meta had been out
She was pale and iistless after that f..
many days. She was quiveripg in every
sensitive fibre with shame and pain. What
must ken. think of her? Her shame was
sanitary, for it dulled the edge of her sharp
trouble, and filled her mind with thoughts
nj Kenneth himself. What good friend
lie was-what true strong heart lac had.
a. Ken. is very good she said to her
mother once.
- Ken? q! ooaTse he is. Who ever
questioned it ." replied Mrs. Brandon
" lie has been everything 10 Mrs. Fielding
since her husband died. Yet lie was a
seli-willed boy, too. Have you just dis.
covered his characicr?'
well, he never told me OF his own
virtues. laughed Meta, with :. Touch of
hidden sarcasm in her voice
Once she yentured To speak of that ter
rih'e nigh; To Kenneth.
= cannot make You understand AL. =
she said. Foolish child, He knew better
than she did, almost, q" But Ken, you
must only think that was restless and