River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-02
ADELINA.
BY ELSIE LEIGH wHITTLEsEY,

1t was the day after New Year's-a
cold, clear Tuesday morning-that | dis
consolately wendell my way to school
wishing that holidays came ottener and
staid longer, and rcgIetting that out of
tifty-two there was oA-y 1na week of I'M
interrupted pleasure.
The old red schoolhouse stood at the
junction of three roads, and, as / raised
the little hill just before reaching it, l
saw coming from the opposite direction,
little black-clad figure that looked like
q moving blot on the unbroken whiteness
of the snow covered landscape.
| never could tell what actuated me
to llnger on her movements as | did, or
why she so strongly attracted me, but
from the first think L must have loved
the child, even before | was old enough
to rightly understand the meaning of the
word.
We reached the worn old door-stone to-
gether, and, being boy not at all afraid
to speak to anyone, much less a timid
little girl, very coolly asked her if this
was her first day at school.
eyes; and / dread it so much"
1t was the sweetest voice l had ever
heard, or have ever heard since. The pc
culiar rising infection on the last word
was like the short, clear, low notes of a
bird, and as purely natural.
"Do you come every day"
Haven't missed day this winter"
80, | am so glad
"Why are you so gladY"
because you are a good boy. Won't
YOU please tell me your Nance"
edward Dusan1"
81 like the NAME" she said, sweetly,
and, boy as ] was, | wondered how any
mortal ever came by such an angel smile.
All this time she had been trying to
unite the round worsted strings of her
hood, but had only succeeded in draw
ing them into a harder knot.
won't you please unite it for me, Ed
die2n
She held up her little chin, and with
out moments hesitation | bent down
and did as she requested. 1t was such a
tender, confding little face-wbo could
help loving it2 I patted encouragingly
the rose-red cheek turned toward me in
gentle truthfulness, and babe her not to
be afraid, for she had as good right to
come to school as any one.
"Hallool where did that little black
bird come from9' cried kind-hearted Ben
Phillips, as we entered. "Come along,
little girl, and get warm, tor you look
half frozen"
A general tittering and nudging fol-
lowed Ben's energetic seating Of the new
scholar, and one saucy little mink, not
understanding its significance, asked,
pertly:
"What are you looking so like a crow
for2 l hate black dress"
'sHush = replied an older girl, who over
heard the remark. ''Hush. Sue; don't you
see she is in mQurning?"
The voice that had so charmed me in
the entry answered the question in a
strangely-quiet way.
my father is dead Y
A hush as of death tell upon the noisy
group gathered around the old cracked
stove. The unwonted silence was broken
by the entrance of the teacher, who iin-
mediately raped us to order, after which
he briskly called mp the new scholar.
"What is your name!'
sAdelina."
Mr.. Pike looked wise.
"Adelina Lagrange, suppose; and
YOU are the daughter of the lady who has
recently taken the Baldwin cottage2"
"Yes. sir"
"Well, you may take this seat point
ing to a bench not far from where | was
sitting, and without further questioning
Adellna had passed through the trying
ordeal of first day." and was duly
counted one of us.
Her mother, it was rumored, was lady
of refinement and culture, but very proud
and reserved in her demeanor for per-
son who was obliged to teach music for
living. Mrs. Lagrange, at any rate,
was young, handsome, and recently Wild
owed-at least the length and newness 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 scnoolhouse, but so
changed outwardly that we hardly knew
her for the somber "blackbird" of the
previous winter. She fluttered in one
morning dressed in white, with sash and
shoulder knots of cherry ribbons the
lovliest creature / ever saw. At noon
she came to me, and said, very gravely
"After to-day | am not coming any
more"
"Why2i
Il am going to the city to live; but you
were kind to me the first day came, and
tell you for that reason, and because
you didn't mind untying my hood for
me-
felt her going 50 keenly that I could
not study, try as | would, and in conse-
quence my grammar lesson was a decid-
ed failure. | went home from school her