Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-10-09
ADELINA.
BY ELSIE L. WHITTLEsEY.

~sS~S~sSS~y
wishing that holidays came oftener and
stayed longer, and regretting that out of
fifty-two there was only one week of IN
interrupted pleasure.
The old red school house stood at the
junction of three roads, and as I raised
the little hill Just before reaching it,
l saw, coming from the opposite direc.
ton, q little black-clad figure that look
ed like moving blot on the unbroken
whiteness of the snow-covered land.
scape.
never could tell what actuated me to
inger on her movements as did. or whv
she 50 strongly attracted me, but from
the first think I must have loved the
child, even before was old enough to
slightly understand the meaning Of the
word.
We reached the worn old doorstone
together, and, being a boy, not at all
afraid of any one, much less q timid
little girl, very coolly asked her if this
was her first day at school.
Yes; and dread it 80 much"
1t was the sweetest voice L had ever
heard or have ever heard since, The
peculiar rising infection on the last
word was like the short, clear, low notes
of bird, and as purely natural.
"Do you come every day?"
"Haven't missed day this WINTER"
ooh, l am so glad!"
" Why are you 80 glad?"
Because you are a good boy. Won't
you please tell me your name7"
Edward Durand."
II like the name," she said sweetlv,
and, boy as I was, wondered how any
mortal ever came by such an angel
smile. All this time she had been irving
to unite the round worsted strings of
her hood, but had only succeeded in
drawing them into a harder knot.
Eddie?"
She held up her little cold chin, and
without moments hesitation I bent
down and did as she requested. It was
such a tender, coniding little face-who
could help loving it? ] patted encour-
agingly the rose red cheek turned toward
me in gentle truthfulness, and babe her
not to be afraid, for she had as good q
right to come to school as any one.
Halo! where did that little black.
bird come FRONT" cried kind.hearted
Ben Philips as we entered. "Come
along, little girl, and get warm, for you
look half frozen"
A general tittering and nudging fol-
lowed Ben's energetic seating of the new
echolor, and one saucy little mink, not
understanding its significance, asked
pertly:
"What are you looking 80 like q crow
fort hate a black dress"
Hushl" reproved an older girl, who
overheard the remark "Hush, Sue:
don't you see she is in mourning?"
The voice that had 80 charmed me in
the entry answered the question in q
strangely quiet way.
My father is dead!"
A hush as of death fell upon the noisy
group gathered around the old cracked
stove. The unwonted silence was broken
by the entrance of the teacher, who i'm
mediately raped us to order, after
which he briskly called up the new
scholar.
"Adelina."
Mr.. Pike looked wise.
"Adelina Lagrange, / suppose: and
you are the daug liter of the lady who
has recently taken the Baldwin cottage?''
Yes, sir"
Well, you may take this seat, 81
pointing to bench not far from where /
was sitting, and without further cues.
tioning Adelina had passed through the
trying ordeal of "first day." and was
duly counted one of us."
der mother, it was rumored, was 8
lady of refinement and culture, but very
proud and reserved in her demeanor tor
q person who was obliged to teach music
for living. Mrs. Lagrange, at any
rate: was young, handsome, and recently
widowed-at least the length and new.
ness of her veil indicated to observing
feminine eyes that the bereavement was
recent. and that is all the gossips knew
about her.
The summer term brought Adelina
again to the old red school house, but 90
changed outwardly that we hardly knew
her for the sombre blackbird i" of the
previous winter. She luttered in one
morning dressed in white, with sash and
shoulder-knots of cherry ribbons-the
loveliest creature l ever saw.
At noon she came to me and said. verv
gravely:
"After to-day I am not coming any
more"
"Whyf'
II am going to the city to live; but
you were kind to me the first day came,
and I tell you for that reason, and be.
cause you didn't mind untying my hoed
for me-"
1 felt her going so keenly that I could
not study, try rs would, and in conse-
quence my grammar lesson was q de.
cided failure. went home from school
her way that day, taking care that the
other scholars should not suspect nv
motives.
When came in sight of her she was
standing motionless BY the roadside. At
tentively watching q yellow-jacket buz-
zing for sweets in the d0Wny heart of A
Canada thistle. "A
Years after, when miles and miles
away from that spot, I could shut nv
eyes of hay October afternoon, With q
five o'clock sun dipping toward the tree
tops, and SEQ . little girl, lovely ~ the
blush Of the sunset, gazing pensively Ct
> bee upon common roadside flower.
"Did it sting you7" ] asked, assum-
Ing Z very sympathetic air. "a
" No; bees never sting me, and I've
watched them dance on the thistle.heads
sll summer" = = = ,s's
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