River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-30

L
heard of her az one with an uncann,
reputation. She was spoken of as eth
wise woman" but the words were uttered
as if they meant switch"
confess / was half afraid TO accep
her guidance, but she stamped her foot
and by gesture strong as words gave m'
to understand that had been walking
towards a precipice, and three steps
further would have borne me to destruc
ton.
What landmark she had | know not
but think she seemed to feel her.way
with her feet. At all events, after abOu
an hours cautious stepping, We STOOD
below the mist, the blue lake cleaning
ike a mirror still further down, and ms
uncle's house within sight. Conscious Of
the service she had rendered, | did no
eonfne my thanks 10 words, but was lib
eral with my coin.
AS she took "the siller," she scanned
my face curiously, then seized my hand
and peered into it closely, while sort
ofcreepT sensation excusable to boy OF
nineteen stole ever me.
"Once, twice, thricel Three perils, my
bonnie Teddy. One is past. The ithers
lie before. Perils 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 be
cut, or love may mourn for love that
couldna bide. The air of mountain and
Of lake is ma guide for ye, BARN. Keep
MAR at hame and dinna be misdoubtin'
There's a guide God above a! Remem-
berl One danger is overpast. TAX heed
We seek not the ithers; and diRna scott
at old Espa's warning words"
l had scarcely ecided whether to
laugh at her maunderings or to yield to
ened, when | opened the house-doOr to
end all within in a state OF excitment.
II was long past our dinner hour and
my absence had alarmed them. Of
course, explained the cause of my de-
lay, and it was only by Aunt Ritson's
agitation that fully compre hended the
danger | had escaped. | think her
concern made me more commu
NEGATIVE than usual.
We were stIll speaking Of Elspa when
my uncle came in.
"Ahl' said lie, as Winnie helped him
of with his overcoat, "Ah!h nv dear you
might thank your stars EIspa was on the
side. l dare say she had fol-
lowed YOU The old Scotch-woman is
and far-seeing; she has turned
her eighty VI ars' experience to account,
ms a good practical knowledge of com
mon ailments and curative simples. /
should lose my own credit or | mi hit do
worse than take her as assistant and he
laughed. "Then she can read character
With any physiognomist in the world,
aad the silly folk think her prophetic,
when she is only clear. eyed"
| think uncle was using an invisible
probe. l know l colored, and he laughed
again, but said nothing-nor did I.
The excitement had not all been on
my account. Bella had received an in
yitatiJn to spend some months with a
friend in London, and
Winnie was in high glee.
Even aunt acknowledged it was "a
Glanced not to be missed, if possible;'
AID saw her glance furtiveiy in Uncle
Ritson's face, which fancied was graveT
taan usual. Still, possibilities were not
in my presence. 1t was not
until had retired TO my own pretty
room for the night, that I overheard the
sisters discussing the problem, unmind-
tai OF the thin partition between the head
% my bed and theirs.
| found that mOney-or its scarcity
stood in the way, and heard the chances
Of the matrimonial market calculated
with a la auce greatly in favor of
London.
Money! How I hated the word
would have given every shilling posses
sed to be assured that Edgar Neville was
Tue to me, and would seek me out when
the period of probation prescribed by my
father was gone by. But where could he
seek for mel Correspondence had been
forbidden. He knew not my address,
and my father had withheld Edgar's
ffom me. All, how he rcpented before
he died How glad he would have been
to have left me in those strong, protect
i've armsl
soon bridged the monetary difficulty
over in spite of my uncle's opposition,
aud think | showed something Of my
Old self in the spirit with which entered
into the needfuI preparations of Miss
Isiison's launch on the sea of Londt n
society, little thinking what might be
lis import to myself.
1t was Nav when she went. | suggest
ed that she should Tighten her mourning,
icing about to visit a bIide-a hint she
seemed glad to take, for her pretty laven-
der bonnet set of her face much better
than her heavy Grape.
She kissed IRE very heartily before she
got into the gig beside her father, to be
driven to the station, to where her boxes
had already been dispatched, and | felt
more satisfied with myself than | had
been since l crossed the Cumberland Dor
der.
Letters filled with the wonders she had
saen and the places she had visited broke
the monotony of our lives. Then came
one from Hastings, in which she told Of
her introduction to a Mr.. Neville.
think my pulse stopped as Winnie
read out the name. | know aunt asked
me If was ilI-if the heat was too much
for me. But | drew myself together,
s i'd "nothing" was the matter, and tried
to convince myself that the name was a
common one.
Again and again we heard of this same
Mr.. Neville, and my heart began to be
torn with doubts and suspicious, and a
very demon of jealousy seemed to take
possession of my breast. | felt assured
mat Bella was in love with him, and that
lie was the Edgar Neville of my adora-
ton all that she stated OF his appearance
and famlly were convincing.
At lenl. IN letter came addressed in a
manly hand to Uncle Ritson, with Edgar's
well-known crest upon the seal. 1t was
q proposal for my cousins hand.
NV head swan round, but summoned
courage to ask Mr.. Neville's CHRISTIAN
name. He had merely signed J. f. Ne.
vile.
All, that was it, sure enough-Johr
Edgar!
had my back towards my Hncle
standing Ia the doorway, as l asked. NJ
one noticed how staggered into the hall
nr how snatched my hat from the stanc
and daTted up the mountain side to coo
nv fevered brow and still my throbbing
pulses. How I went or where went
could never remember; have some re
collection of falling as I bounded acros
| a beck, of old Elspa's face bending owe
me, and then no more, until I found my
self in my own snowy bed, with Winni
watching me and an array Of physic bot
| Ties on the wlndew seat.
Elspa had found me where had fallen
half in and half out of the stream. Tn
able to drag me thence she had sum
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