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

tnat / had only sHadVNg iCilSA1 VI 'AI"'
of pale face and a long, last clasp tC
her loving heart. had been my father:
pet anu darling, and now he was dead
too. and his will had consigned me, just
like bale of goods, to the care and
guardianship of his brother. doctor
whose home lay among the picturesque
mountains of Cumberland.
was "too impuIsive," said the will
and would "throw myself and my money
away before knew the value of either
i'll had no one to take care of me- and
so, when my poor father died in the
south of France. where we had gone 10
winter, Uncle Ritson, who came barely
in time to lay him in his foreign grave,
carried me off at once to his house on the
bleak hillside, gave me a kiss as he litt-
ed ME out of tie stuffy vehicle which had
conveyed US from the station, presented
me 10 my aunt ard cousins with .,
''Well, here's Adela.7 and told me to
consider myself "at home"
II was the beginning Of January, in
tensely cold. The sudden change from
warmer climate had sensibly effected
me; was chilled under all my furs, and
perhaps more chilled by the restraining
influence of my fathers will, having pom
dered the "too impulsi7e' all through
the journey.
Certainly 1 was not "too impulsive"
on nv entrance to my new ''hOme.'
Aunt and cousins had met ne on tie
threshold with warm welcome. pressed 10
remove my wraps and to make me com
Portable. There was huge fire blazing
on the hearth, q teatabe piled with north
country luxuries, and ali that should
have made me feel at home; but some
thing was wanting, and instead of re
spending to their greetings in my own
natural fashion, dropped into a seat,
after the first glance around, and cover
ing my face with my hands, burst into
tears
have small, thin, quick ears. over
heard Aunt Ritson whisper to Bella aud
Winnie, as she drew them back
"Hushi It's but natural, poor barne
Leave your cousin alone, lasses; she will
come to herself all the sooner"
And did come to myself; but whether
my tears had fallen frostily on their hot
hearth, or we travellers had brought "A
not invite eifdsion, certain air of r,-
straint seemed to grow upon us; and
when | was shown the room set apart for
me, and left to myself, flung myself
upon nv bed and sobbed in passionate
grief tor my dead father, declaring that
| was alone in the world, utterly alone.
And this telling grew upon ne. Look
ing back, | am conscious that it was
much my own fault that | had not re-
sponded with sufficient warmth and graf
itude to the relatives who had made room
in their household fer one they had not
seen since she was a baby, and had met
with open arms and hearts.
They had heard that | was gushing
and exuberant, a creature of impulse, and
finding me reserved and languid, con
cluded that l, accustomed to eleganc e
and luxury, could not brook the homell-
ness and retirement of my new lie. was
rich, and they were not They mistook
nv morbid melancholy for pride, and
ceased 10 press their society or attentions
on me, lest | should attribute to them
mercensry motives.
see it all now, but then | was blind.
had another grief at my heart besides
sorrow FOR my dead parent, and | fear
whenever my thoughts flew to that lone
ly grave among the Pyrenees, | ques-
toned the policy which had isolated me
from the world world in which my
hero lived ID moved and prisoned my
free soul among those unr, sponsive walls
of stone
IN this rhapsody did not apostrophize
alone their four walls OF the solid stone
house that set against the mountain side,
with back groud Of pine, larch aud
mountain ash, looked so cold and gray,
staring with its many lidless eyes from
its rocky perch above the Struggling lake
village, on the steep, unguarded roadway
in front. and the narrow strips of garden
ground stretching ike green arms on
either side.
No, l held converse with the noun
tains. They were to me the barriers tie
tween love and life aud happiness, but it
was only ON their solitary heights | Eel
free TO give the feeling utterauce. The
thrifty household ways of my aunt AMI
cousins, which kept them ever busy,
were strange to me. Nv dainty fingers
had no acquaintance with roIling-pin or
paste board. 1t was not | who kept SC
bright the mirror in which | saw my
own beauty, aye, and my own uuhappi-
ness reflected. | was supposed to be
mourning, and, with mistaken delicacy
was left To do-nOthing.
Had Uncle Ritson known it, or how
m nj nv time, he would have shaken
up like bottle Of physic, aud
hould have been the better for it. But
whether on foot, or horse back, or in In,
ancient gig, he was off in a morning, and
L. ~ 10 10
patients were scattered, and his rounds
extended.
/, having no occupation for hands o
energies, feeling myself something apar
from the rest, was oft aud away up tn
breezy hillsidos to the lonely margin o
the lake, or into the most secluded glens
my only companion my faithful DOG
and there, when there wa
only the wind to answt
me, l poured forth all the pent up feel
iIgs of my heart; and oft my gusts @
passion found ut;eranGe in song. A
times took q pencil and sketch boo
with me in these wandernss; but Their
was ever one figure in the foreground q
the most pi, tureS1ue scene, and ofte
enough the figure was there alone, the ad
juncts all forgotten.
At first Bella or Winnie had borne m
company, nut think they saw ms long
ing 70 be alone and / had my way, nc
without many cautions from my aunt.
What were perils to me, chain
against the restraint Of my father will
crying from the depths of uly limos
heart for the banished love, who won't
never find me in those solitudes, an
longing for wings to traverse land an
sea until found my home on his faith
full bOsoml
Lost IN distractions, ali danger wa
forgotten, and ] had paid the penslt
but for a guardian angel little dreame
of.
Ny first peri! was from the mountai
mist, which came down and around n
with bewidering suddenness, bloTtin
out the landscape far and near.
Still, thought knew my way, an
was stepping EDWARDS, though with car
ton, when my dress was clutched frol
behind, as | tsncied hy some bush. Turr
ng to disengage it. l was cOnfrontei
with what seemed an awful apparitio
looming through the misty veil, and wit
suppressed CRY, | stood stilI in affrigh
saw woman's form bent with ag
face intersected with lines and wrinkle