The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-16
MY ADOPTED CHILD.

and children of sixteen This was a
child. She wore the scantiest of cotton
dresses, belted at the waist, pair of
leather boots and white apron. In her
hand she carried sun-bonnet, and her
hair cropped close like boys, curled in,
black rings about her head. The face
was baby's face in sweetness and inno-
cence, the little brown hands the hands
of toll. No young lady this, yet there
was nothing coarse and vulgar about her
unless it was her hands.
'sThat is Oldtown Church, my DEAR" I
said, fare you going there9'
eyes sir, to see the wedding, Are
you2" ..,a,
was, more fool I, though I did not
say 80 to this child. The bride for whom
the bells were ringing was to be mine
once--would have been but for the scci-
dent which had crippled me and changed
her heart. ''She had done nothing treach-
erously, but saw the truth and set her
free. She took her. freedom gladly and
we were two. She had quite forgotten
me, no doubt. I believe that never
could forget her. ..--. .->.
knew exactly how she would look in
snowy silk and lace and coropet of pearls.
I had dreamed of her in bridal robes SO
often. ~
nodded to the little thing beside me,
trudging over the meadow path with the
tall grass almost to her waist, and look
ing at me so wistfully.
Il never saw avoiding" she said.
"No2"
mo, sir. Grandfather said L might
come. He didn't care. himself. It's a
long walk too, from the tavern, and he's
very old: - g.. go,
"Does your granderfather keepthe tav-
ern2" I.asked. :
"No sir-I visible did p said the child.
"He has only his fiddle, and people half
the time; don't care, for tunes. What can
he do, thought Tonight there's a dance,
and he's to play for them. That's why
we stopped"
A poor fiddler's untaught grandchild-
as poor as decent poverty could be-yet
her presence somehow cheered me, half
child, half woman, and all child at heart.
Innocent, beautiful and kindly, I encour-
aged her to linger at my side. l said to
her:
II will show you place where you
can see the bride we'll 1t is in the gal
lery. Will you iketh
II don't Know" she said. II haven't
often been to church. We pray together
in lonely places, grandfather and I. Will
you be there, sir?"
eyes,"
II know I should like it'
"Come with me then," I said, and she
followed.
had meant to hide myself in the gal.
lery, and see my lost love married
quite unseen. This companion had not
been on my roll at all. But liked it
No friend no relation, not my own sister
would have had beside me; but this
elfish thing was to innocent to fear. led
the way up the dark old stairs, and to-
ward spot quite sheltered from general
view. Then 1 sat down and she stood
leaning over the balustrade.
The church was full of bonnets. Here
and there only masculine head. The
minister was in his seat reading, in 20.
siiion taken for effect. He was hand.
some man and he knew it perfectly we'll
Girls whispered and giggled, matrons
famed themselves and men yawned
Soon the soft roll ofcarriages on the gray
elwas beard, and the bridal party entered
Isaw her at last, Aletta.
Ills that the bride?" half sobbed tn,
girls voice at my side. IT'S it real lady
Oh, how pretty, how beautiful! Look
Lookw !.
She touched me with her little brown
hand and looked at me, her eyes spark
ling ?lb;a 49,, onou -. aou ~, 81,
asked. "Is she like that in everyda,
-, clothes? Oh, how pretty, how pretty!
Men have no right to weep. I put m,
head down upon the cushion Of the pev
and hid my eyes, I felt the child cree
down beside me.
'sPoor man, he's tired!' I heard he
whisper, and she put her little hand GU
and patted me softly by stealth.
-. Is it all over?" asked the girl.
eyes, child,,' I said, call over"
'.'Then I must go,' she said. "Than
you for being so kind to me, sir. Coco
bye:"~: =
"Good-bye,n7 I said, and her litt
leather shoes patted over the aisle an
= down the stairs, and I had seen as
thought, the last of her. When she vi
gone 1 missed her strangely.
went home when the church was quiz
empty. It had not been as hard to be-
~-as l had feared. and oddly enough I four
myself thinking OF that child's little gy
sy head and those beautiful long fringe
eyes. l wondered at myself, but it W
80. r.
II should like to see the child again
:. I said; and as spoke I sried crow
about a tavern door upon the road.
"What has happened. friend?'' [ aske
of tinker near by. "". 81.
"Only blind fiddler dropped dead
he said, "But there's gal there wi
about it,
T.. And then I passed him and went j
. An old man lay upon the floor, and acre
his body a girl had flung herself. kne
=. the gypsy hair and the brown-neck,
. scant cotton dress, and the sun-bonn
hung with handful OF wild flowers u =,
the floor; and I bent over her, touchil
her little despairing head.
MY child" said, "he is happier tn
we are" .''a ..-' -'s g..
And she looked up. ~ ,.- r..
"He was all had,' she said; tall, al