The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-04

Of the room, where he fell on an old mat
tress, and in moment was fast in 3 deep
drunken sleep. The boy closed his eyes
wearily and turned his face toward the
wall. The girl kissed him and settled
him as comfortably as she could, then
rose from her knees and went to the
window, which she partly opened. The
moon was high and full, and the street
| without looked as bright as day. a
sudden idea seemed to strike her, for she
! smiled brightly as she went softly to the
| bed and stood gazing at the brother she
loved so we'll, and knew she should be
able to keep so short time.
my boy, she said, with an intensity
Of pitiful love in her face, and stretching
her clasped hands over him as though
she would keep him with her in spite Of
everything. my boy! he is all have"
she murmured. tDear God, take care ot
him till I come back" and with the
love still in her face she softly left the
room.
She went out into the brilliant summer
night, and walked swiftly down the
street towards the lovely valley beyond,
looking up at the quiet stars as she went,
something of whose peace and rest seemed
to be reflected into the depths of her usu-
ally troubled eyes. After q while she
left the town behind her and walked rap
idly through the fields and lanes and
| woods till she came to the rivers bank.
How lovely it looked? The trees and
flowers and grasses seemed outlined in
purest, palest silver--a very fairy net
work. and the quietly flowing river
| sparkled and shone with the glorious ra-
diencc of the moon and stars. The girl
sat down on stone that projected into
the river, and filled a jug she had brought
with the cold sparkling water which she
had come to bring for her brother. She
seemed spell bound with the beauty of
it all, and sat there quite long time
looking down at the reflections deep in
the water and now up to the sky far above
her head. eff only my boy could be
here" she thought, chow happy he wud
be! Maybe he wud get well if he coined
here--he loves the dumb material things
So" Her tears fell into the clear rip
pling water. A little breeze sprang up,
and tiny wavelets, silver bright, Tapped
up and up over the stones to her feet.
80 river, dear river!' she said, leaning
towards it, ''last night in my dreams 20
spake to me, pitied me, and was sorry
for my boy. Can't ye spake agin now!"
The wavlets rose higher, and murmured
and whispered in the wind: and as she
liste ned, the silvery inarticulate sound
| resolved themselves into words. aI. ...
Child" the river said softly, " the
sweet spirit that lives beneath my waves
and in the woods and trees there, brought
you to me in your sleep, and we tried to
comfort YOU" .=:. .........
"Why did yc not bring my brother too
and comfort him?" the girl said. "He's
| sore in need" !. ....,
He would not sleep,;' the river said.
| "But take him some Of nv water to
drink, and he will sleep, and you will
both come to me in your dreams, and I
will cure him and make him well.n
''Ah, 70 wull?" cried the girl-a beau
tiful light and brilliant smile waking her
face into wonderful beauty. II wull
go to him at once't. Where be the spirits
who talked so kind to me last night?"
'Oh,' said the riyer-and it seemed to
smile and ripple all over in the moon
light-''you will see them again when
you come with your brother in your
dream" ...-..... ~..... ......
The girl reflled her jug, nodded bright
~ to the river and fastened home with
feet winged with hope and love. She
found her brother awake and gasping for
breath. Harry, Harry! y she said tender
ly leaning over him, and raising him on
her arms. "See! I've brought you some
| water ali fresh and pure out offs river"
His faded eyes frightened, and he ca.
gerlY drank it, and then with a smile lay
back on her breas-. THAT'S fine an
nice,'' he said. ''How dds 80 so tar2"
Thou's good lass to go for me- s.
''Yo dinna miss me while were gone
did 20, Harry9" 7' ."~@ <.,7a -
u. The boy looked up at her with loving
smile and tear-flled eyes: II allus miss
20, little sister, when yo's not wi me-
She bent over him and passionately
kissed his pale lips. 44 n
can now" she said, ''yo mum 90 to
sleep; an I'll go too; an yo'll wake up
right an fine an wei to- morrer, an VOL
nsv r be sick no more'', 5a'a ~.
'sWull I no.. said the boy, smiling up
at her eager face. "You looks lovely to-
night-like an angel" he said and add
ed after a minute, still smiling:i II can
sleep now. You nun lie down by ne
so; an'now kiss me, little sister, oS
The moon streamed in on them as they
lay, c'asped in one another's arms, fast
asleep, their lips almost touching and
the brown and gold of their hair shining
in the light. q ...:ts5 la" as 81
Harry woke first in dreamlaud, to find
himself sitting on the bank Of the river
in the moonlight, waiting for his sister;
and as be waited, all nature seemed to
wait just to welcome him. The trees that
waved their stately arms and silvered
foliage above him, whispered: swell
come! WELCOMED" The little pollard
willows down by the water all nodded
and spoke to him some CHEEKY word; the
sleepy flowers who sat swaying and nod
ding on their stalks, opened their bril-
liant eyes to smile at him; and even the
long graceful grasses and rushes rustled
and benz and bowed towards him, and didi
all they could to express their good will.
The very frogs stopped croaking to look
kindly at the sick boy, with their bright
eyes; and the crickets ceased rubbing
their legs for minute.