Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-12-26
STREWING HEMP SEEDS.
A Christmas Story.

SIhE W1NU HEMf SEEDS.
AChristmas Story.
Coming next week?"
eyes, Rosie, he'll be here for tho New Year
II nothing happens"
Rosie tossed her yellow ringlets and put up
her red lips in childish pout
II shall hate him, cunt Eunice. I'm sure I
shall The simple fact that am bethrothed
him if he were Prince among men,"
"He IS Prince among men, my dear, and
you'll be sure to like him." replied Aunt
Eunice, quietly.
II tell you Pm sure not TO like him." insisted
iSoad have e RaPs pse great mistake he
ut would have been wiser, perhaps; but
you: father had looked upon Ben as son SO
many years, and felt sure of his making a
good hus oand-"
can old poke, twice nv age" pouted Rosie.
'Oh, no, not quite so old as that. But wait
until you have seen him. Never cross bridge
till you come to 1t, Rosie. Ben won't be here
for week yet. When he is here, and you
have seen him, If you really dislike him dare
say he'll not compel you to become his wife,"
But promised poor papa on his death
bed, too, and promise to the dying is sa-
Cred"
Pretty Rosie was no kith or kin to Aunt
Eunice, Oily an adopted child, cherished and
loved for ner dead fathers sake, and Ben was
Amt Eunice's only son, Calcutta agent, who
had not seen his native land for years, and
who had last parted from his promised bride
when she was little miss in plnafores.
But after his old friends death, and Rosie's
promise to become LIS wife whenever he saw
tit to come home and claim her, Ben had sent
home handsome ring and Rosie wore it on
her pretty finger. And now he was coming
in O week.
"Dont fret, Rosie, Wait until Ben is here
and you have seen him."
Seeing him won't make me change IN"
mind,' retorted the willfal girl II have him
In my minds eye nova poky old iogy, just
like Mr.. Sykes, tho parson. Oh, dear!'
II trust the case will not be quite so bad as
that, Rosie. But what are you going to do
with all those hemp seeds, my dear-feed the
piggs Ssos ~, ,n.oa. ,,,,uoa,, or,aa Post.
transferring the seeds to her pocket. why,
auntie. Pm going down to Hazel Hollow to
try ny fortune. All the girls are doing 1t.
Jennie Burr strewed hemp one dark evening,
month or SO ago, and the handsomest young
man came following her, and now she's en-.
gagged to him"
Aunt Eunice laughed, and crossing the
room, drew the girls head to her breast and
kissed her tcnderly.
"Yoa're good child, Rosie, only bit way
ward, and trust you may be very happy, dear,
whether you ever marry Bon or not. There,
run along, and strew your hemp seeds If you
must, and hurry back to supper"
Rosie threw on her shawl and scarlet hood,
and ran away, like the silly child she Was
The sun was quite down when she reached
thick in the wild glen. Rosie was not the
bravest little woman in the world, and her
heart gave great throb Of fear she walked
on under the whispering Willows
At the edge OF the Hollow she felt sorely
tempted to turn round and run back to Aunt
ohm firaci do INIT @ thoI 10
ME Burr's success urged her on. She drew
ont handful of the magic seed and started
across the glen.
Hemp seeds strew hemp seeds l SOW;
Let my true love follow me and now
She repeated the charmed cOuplet in little,
uuavel ing voice, streWing her seeds right and
left. She was half across the gloomy Hollow
before she could muster courage to look back.
When she did glance over her shoulder a
sharp cry burst from her lips. Not far behind
her came tall, manly figure, with something
which looked like vcrtablc scytho in his
hand. Rosie shreked, stared an instant and
then sank down on the damp ground, scatter
ing her precious seeds as she fell.
She awoke to consciousness some time after
with full moon shining in her eyes, and q
pair of masculine arms supporting her head.
'Oh, where am I? What has happened"'
she cried out In dismay, Us she struggled to
her feet.
"Nothing has happened" replied deep
voice; "only you were strewing hemp, and I
followed you"
Rosie ventured one wild glance A hand
some, bronzed, bearded face bent above her.
"Let me go home," she |faltered t-emb.
ling like a frightened bird, "home to Aunt
Eunce."
GAS soon as you please, my dear Rosie; but
don't forget you belong to me now. The
fates willed it, you see.a
"Oh, let me 60 home," cried Rosie, In sore
alright. ~ ,r . $3.50 b.. ..o
And her strange companion drew her hand
within his arm and led her along tho moon
lit path.
Rosie's heart beat she could not get her
breath. The instant they reached the gate,
she broke away from him.
"What! you won't even stop to say good
bye? No matter, we shall soon meet again.
You belong to me remember. No man alive
can ever take you from me; and in token OF
my claim you shall wear this"
A heavy gold chain flashed over her head,
and quaint, carved locket hung upon her
bosom.
Through the gate across the lawn, never
pausing once to look back, went Rosie, Sob
bing like child in her excitement.
Aunt Eunice stood on the steps OF the old
farm house awaiting hor.
"Why, my dear, how long you have been
Twas just on the point OF starting to hunt
you.'
"Oh, Aunt Eunice" cried the GIRL rushing
into her arms and beginning to sob outright
follow me and speak to me, and, oh, look at
this on my neckW
Aunt Eunice led her into the old-fashioned
sitting room, and by the light Of the blazing
wood fire she examined the locket that hung
from the heavy chain.
SWELL" she said, looking at the pictured
face 1t contained, "a merry twinkle lighting
her eyes, 1.-THE face Is a very nice one! There
must be something in your hemp-sowing,
.'Oh, there is something. Aunt Eunice,'
painted Rosie. "Didnt tell you that Jenny
Burr's engaged to the man who followed
herr"
80 you did, pet. SWELL, If 1t must be II
can't be helped. You'll have to marry this
handsome stranger an 8, aud let poor Ben and
Rosie flushed charmingly as she stole g
glance at the pictured face, but the tears rose
mo, could never do that" she said. I"
could never break my promise to poor pa
Rosie was in futter Of intense excltment
On the Sunday morning following her adven
ture, when she took her accustomed place IL
Aunt Eunioe's pew, who should she see sit
ting opposite but the original OF the picture II
her locket, the hero Of her hemp-seed charm
"Oh, Aunt Eunice, look, there he ISL
gasped Rosie, her heart in her mouth.
so see, my DEAR" said the old lady, qui
etly; and, after service, when the strange
came up and introduced himself as Mr.. Am
brose, she gave him a cordial invitation t.
accompany them home to dinner.
Home with them he went, and Rosie wa
like one in dream.
"Was ever a man 80 handsome, so distin
ed.looking, 80 noble?" she burst fort
when no was gone. "Oh, Aunt Eunice,
poor paps bad left me freel''
wait, my dear. When Ben gets home he'll
see some way out of the trouble. Ben Away
was clever boy."
And Rosie waited, and learned, in the mean
time, that sweetest of all lifes lessons, tn
lesson of first love-. =, -, =,
It was Christmas Eve. The old sitan
room was hung with holly and mistletoe, tn
wide are place piled with huge yule logs. an
ont In the GREAT roomy kitchen Aunt Eunic