Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-21
OLD ELSPA.


fG mental and moral effects. My mother die |
when was so young that i had only a Shad-
0wy remembrance OF pale face and a long,
last clasp 10 her loving heart. i had been my
fathers pet and darling, and now he was dead,
TOO. and his will had consigned me, just like a
bale of goods, to the care and guardianship of
A1S brother, doctor, whose home lay among
the picturesque mountains Of Cumberland.
was "tOO impulSiye," said the WILL and
would throw myself and my money away be-
fore i knew the value of either. il / had no one
% take care OF me" and 50, when my Door ia
ther died in the south OF France, where we had
gone 10 winter, Uncle RitSOn, who came barely
IN time to lay him In his foreign grave. carried
me of at once 10 his house on the bleak hill
side, gave me kiss as he lifted me out of the
Stuffy vehicle which had conveyed Us from the
station, presented me to my aunt and cousins
with a "Weil, here's Adeld.' and told me to
consider myself Eat home"
IL was the beginning OF January, intensely
cold The sudden change from a warmer Gil
mate had SenSlbiy affected HE; i was chilled
under all my furS, and perhaps more Chilled b.
the restraining influence Of my fathers Will
having pOndered the TOO impuIsiVe1 all
through the Journey.
Certainly, was not too impulSive- on my
entrance To my new ''hOme.-
Aunt and cousins had met me on the TIRES
Roid with warm welcome, pressed 10 remove
my wraps and to make me comfortable There
was huge fre blaZiTg on the hearth, a tea
table piled with north country luXurieS and all
that should have made me feel at home; but
something was wanting, ana instead Of re-
spending 10 their greetings in my own natural
fashion, dropped into a seat after the frs
glance around ana covering nly face with my
hanCfS. DuTSt into tears.
have small. thin, quick ears ! overheard
Aunt R1tson whisper TO Bella and Winnie, as
she drew them back
Hush. It's but natural. poor barne, Leave
your cousin alone, laSSeS; She Will come to her.
self all the sooner
And did come to myself: but whether NV
tears had fallen frOStily on their hot hearth or
we travellers had brought chill in with us or
nay own manner did not invite effuSion. q GER
haln ar OF restraint seemed to grow upOn us:
ana When was shown to the room set apart
FOR me, and left 10 myself, lung myself upon
my bed and sobbed in passionate grief for nv
aead father, declaring that was alone in the
world, utterly alone.
And this feeling grew upon me- Looking
back, / am conscious that il was much my own
fault that had not responded with sufficient
warmth and gratitude to the relatives who had
made room in their household for one they had
not seen since she was baby, and had met
with open arms and hearts.
They had heard that was gushing and eXu-
oerant, creature OF impulse, and finding me
reserved and languid concluded that /, ac
euStOmed 10 elegance and luxury, could not
brook the LONELINESS and retirement of my new
NE ! was rich, and they were not. They
ntsto0k my morbid melancholy for PRIDE and
ceased 10 press their society or attentions on
ne, lest i should attribute TO them mercenary
motives.
see 1t all now. but then was blind. 7 had
another grief at my heart besides sorrow for
az dead parent, and i fear whenever INV
thoughts few TO that lonely grave among the
Pyrenees, questioned the policy which had
Isolated me from the wOrd-the world in
which my hero lived and mOved-and priSOned
nay free soul among those unreSpOnsiye walls
Of stone.
In this rhapsody did not aoostrophize alone
the four walls OF the solid stone house that set
against the mountain side, with q background
Of pine, larch and mountain ash, looked so cold
and gray, staring with its many lideSS eyes
rom It's rocky perch above the struggling lake
village, on the steep. unguarded roadway in
'front.'. and the narrow strips OF garden ground
stretching Ike green arms On either size.
No, 1 held Converse with the mountains
They were TO me the barriers between love and
Vie and happiness, but 1t was only on their soil
tary heights felt free 10 give the feeling utter
ance- The thrifty household ways OF my aunt
and cousins, which kept them ever busy, Were
strange tome. My dainty fingers had no ac-
auaintanee with rolling-pin or paste-board. 1t
which saw my own beauty, aye, and my own
unhappiness reflected. / was supposed to be
Mourning, and, with mistaken delicacy, was
LETT 10 do-nOthing.
Had Uncle RitSOn known IL. or how spent
ny time, he would have shaken me up like
settle of physic, and should have been the
Better Tor IT,. But whether on foot, or horse
PACK, or I'D his ancient gig, he was OFF In a
nerning, and frequently was absent all the
day. His patients were scattered, and his
rounds extended.
Keeling myself something apart from the rest,
was on and away up the breezy hillSides TO the
lonely margin of the lake. or into the most Sc
GUIDED glenS my only companion my faithful
dog; and there, where there was only the wind
20 answer me, poured forth all the pent up
feenhgs OF my heart; and oft my gusts OF pas
pencil and sketch book with me in these wan
aerfngs; but there was ever one figure IN the
foreground OF the most picturesque scene and
JunctS all forgotten.
AT first Bella or Winnie had borne me con-
pany, but think they saw my longing 10 be
alone; and had my way, not without many
sautionS from my aunt.
What Were penis TO me, chatting against the
restraint OF my fathers Will, crying from the
depths OF my inmoSt heart for the baniShed
love, who would never lind me in those soil
tudeS and longing for wings to traverse land
and sea until found my home on his faithful
bosom?
Lost in distractions. all danger was forgot
ten, and had paid the penalty but for guar
dian angel little dreamed OF.
MY FIRST peril was from the mountain mist
which came down and around me with Devil
serlhS suddenness, blo.ting out the landscape
lar ard near.
stepping EDWARDS, though with caution. when
my dress was clutched from behind as i fan
eied by some bush. Turning 10 disentangle IT,
was confronted with what seemed an awful
apparition looming through the misty veil. and
with suppressed cry, stood still In affraight
saw woman S form, bent with age, face
tnterseeted with lines and wrinkles like map,
from which nose and chin stood out like noun
tain peaks, and the sunken eyes cleaned like
The fiery depths OF two volcanic craters.
"StOp, my leddy.' she cried. .the gates OF
death are open before We. TAX my hand and
let me lead you; and thank God, my bairn, that
Elspa was near YOU in your peril"
had heard Of ElSpa as a woman who dealt
IN herbs and simpleS, but had heard OF her as
one with an uncanny reputation. She was
spoken OF as 1.-The wise woman" but her words
were uttered as IL they meant witch"
eoDfeSS | was half afraid 10 accept her
guidance, but she stamped her foot, and by
reSture strong as words gave ME to understand
tnat had been walking towards a preciDice
ana three steps further would have borne me
TO destruction.
W nat landmark she had know not brt /
thlhk she seemed TO feel her way with her
rect Az ali events, after about an hours eau
tlous stepping, We stood below the mist the
Diue take gleaining hse a mirror still further
aown- ana my uacle's house within SIGHT
conscious OF the service She had rendered I did
not eonffne my thanks 10 words bur wa, IN
pral with my coin.
AS She took ''the siller," she scanned nv face
cuTiousy, then seized my hand aud pee-ed into
II closely. while a sort OF creepy sensation iex-
eUsab'e IN girl OF nineteenl stole over me
"Once, twice, thrice. Three peiilS, my bon
ME Teddy. One is past. The itherS lie before
Ferris OF your ain seeking. The gates OF death
stand IN the path OF your true love. Open
them not with rash or needless hands before
the year De out, or love may mourn for love
mat cOuidna bide. The air OF mountain and Of
lake Is na guide for We, BARN. Keep mair at
name and dinna be miSdoubtin.' There's q
GUIDE God above a /! Remember! One danger Is
oyerpaSt- TAX heed ye seek not the ttherS: and
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