Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-31

This irreverent comment was rececivd
by Auntie Trlb with much reproachful
indignation; but Sallie sat mute, with a
withdrawing heart. Gossip had carried
to her ears the tale that Laura Beamis
had claimed former acquaintanceship
with Jack Arnold: The unfortunate girl
had gone to live with her Aunt in l..
and had returned in serious ill-health, the
result, twas said, of a disappointment
in love. Frees look was peculiar. Could
it be-
my grief! it's an awful thing" con-
tinued Auntie Trib, "She was engaged
to him, / think, and he went off some.
where's and came back engaged to some
other girl. My the poor thing looks as
it she had one foot in the grave already.
It's really dreadful, amt it John?'-with
sudden appeal to the silent listener.
"Very-very, indeed" said Arnyid,
IL knew her." 49,. :.
"You did? Well, I want to know?'
said Auntie Trib. "Why didn't you say
SO before? Wasn't she pretty, poor thing
before she got so low splrited?" s. -
y<~"Who was the mana" ,askedeSailie sud
denly: -',~s - IS ~ y, - & -'-,&,.s,@~s
"Very pretty, Think" said Jack an.
svering Mrs. Hills question. He did
not mean to ignore Sallie's, but Free
broke in with a torrent of livei Y nonsense,
and the conversation drifted away from
Laura Beamis snd her troubles. Sallic
was slightly uncomfortable, but she had
confidence in her lover, and did not allow
herself to indulge, as yet, in causeless
suspicion. Auntie Trib, however, re-
cured to the former subject, which had
distressed her simple, sentimental old
heart, She exclaimed, meditativcly: "
my! amt 1t dishonorable for man to
behave SOP
"It knew him." said Sallie, looking
like youthful prophecies, in her sweet
austerity, II would never touch his hand
again--no, not if he had been: my best
friend" y Il s'9
*What! SO severc:'' asked Jack, with
half-amused remonstrance
"Whew! Look out, jack" cried Free.
"You never did anything dishonorable.
did you?"
,y. .Neyer," answered Jack, readily and
QUIET yencugh. e; 81 ! -.
/ This.wassi Irresistible. 80 l. =.
"'What! nevcr?'" asked Free, with in
tense significance.
"Well, hardly ever" returned Jack,
ncrvously rubbing his chin, apparently
the very embodiment Of guilty confusion.
Then they both uttered cold little evasive
laughs, and Free changed the subject.
The truth was, they had both heard
the joke so often: that it could no longer
raise hearty, laugh, and they did not
reflect that the quotation was entirely
new to their hearers. They talked on,
ignorant Of the overwhelming effect
which their words had produced. For
Auntie Trib was seriously alarmed, and
began to think that she ought to have in
quired more closely into the young man s
antccedents. She resolved to. question
Free at the earliest opportunity; but how
could this be accom- lished, since the
two friends intended to leave Rock
dale at an early hour on the following
morning? She decided to write most
urgent letter, and sift the matter to
the bottom. But how was it with Sallie!
The little incident was, to her narrow and
Innocent mind, a; CONTINUATION strong: as
proof of holy writ = Jack was evidently
ashamed of something in the past; he
had been confused and silent when Laura
Beamis was discussed; the events tailed
yes, the circumstantial evidence was
strong. Free had said, "You had firt
--"-''a Irritation with her, he had in,
tended to continue, when his mother in.
terrupted him. But what. if Jack were
innocent in the case of Laura and he1
broken heart? At least he had openly
contradicted his first denial Of having
committed dishonorable action. 'sHard
ly ever" indeed! Did he think She
she-woula marry man who had eve1
committed the faintest shadow of a dis
honorable action? Never! not though
her own heart broke, like Laura's. =
All night long poor Salhe lay tossing
on her bed, working her foolish little
brain into state borderning upon frenzy
She revolved the matter in her mind, un
til she lost oil power of correct and tran
quill judgement. The more violently sh,
excited herself, the, more conclusive, t.
her thinking, became the proofs of jack
baseness. At length she could lie there
no longer; she rose, and by the fain
light Of the winter dawn she wrote
brief but decisive letter to Jack, Slipped
her engagement ring into the same IN
closure, scaled the envelope, and wrot
his name upon it. Faint and weary will
her long conflict, she was about to lii
down again, when she remembered
that it was near the early break
fats hour appointed =, for the tw,
young men, and that she had promised
to assist Jerusha in her preparations, s.
she dressed hastily, with trembling fling
ers, and crept down to the Kitchen. Hal
she obtained an hours sleep she woult
have awakened with clearer sense, o
things, and the unfortunate note woult
probably, have been destroyed. But nov
her wearied and overstimulated brai1
continued to ponder upon the cause o
her distress, and magnify it to giganti
proportions. :: -
For the lands sake, child,"~ OK
claimed Jerusha, ''ycu do look powerful
I bad r. ''''' sz-s'-' s"'''' ' ..' SGT
- .Iscouldn't Sleep" said Sallie, shortly
f"There, Jerusha, the tables set, ant
\ there's plentyot time for me to go AM
I rest d while ,now.ys And quietly. layin!
the note beside Jacks plate, she hurriet
back to- her room.
Her lover glanced around with restles
! eyes y hen he met Free and Auntie Tri1
i at the breakfast table. He had not be
= lieyed that. Sallie would eludex him thi
morning. He seated himself, with an X
Il iouslY drawn brows .j g.
] IS stWbat? why, here's a letterpshe ez
4 claimed: Z Then, examining it, he rea
the word Private''' beneath : his owl
name, and flushing holly. he slipped. i
into his breast pocket. From Sallie,
he said, quietly y ~. -
ss'What ever does the child mean?
cried Auntie Trib. 'Ain't she up: Je
; rushy, go right up and get her. =
) @she= said as how sshe'ds been :layi1
T awake'' ssaid Jerusha, sand she went t
to rest a SPELL ,,..x., --u..-... :
"Well, you go along and tell her
come" said Mrs Hill. --.-. $500
But Jack called out: Don't distur
, her if she's asleep i 49,. y
,Jerr1Sfa went nm arlcl1 present lyscan