Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16
THE HERALD.
OLD ELSPA.

pretty much the same in its menta
and moral effects. My mother dice
when / was 80 young that ! had on
ly shadowy remembrance of q pale
face and long last clasp to the low
ing heart. l had been my father
pet and darling, and now he wal
dead, too, and his will had oonsigned
me, just like bale of goods, to thu
care aud guardianship of his broth
or, doctor, whose home lay among
the picturesque mountains of Cum
berland.
was "too impulsive" said the will
and would "throw myself and mon.
ey away before l knew the value Of
either, if had no one to take care
Of me-" and so. when my poor faith.
or died in the south of France where
we had gone to Winter, Uncle Rit.
son who came barely in time to lay
him in the foreign grave, took me
off at once to bis house on the bleak
hillside. gave me kiss as he lifted
me out of the sruffy vehicle which
had conveyed US from the station,
presented me to my aunt and cousins
with "WelI, here's Adela," and
told me to consider myself sat
home."
1t was the beginning of January,
intensely cold. The sudden change
from warmer climate had sensibly
affected me; / was chilled under all
my furs and perhaps more chilled
by The restraining influence of my
fathers will, having pondered the
"too impulsive" all through the jour.
ney.
Certainly / was not "too impul.
sive" on my entrance to my new
shome."
Aunt and cousins had mot ne on
the threshold with q warm welcome,
pressed to remove my wraps and to
make me comfortable. There was .
huge fire blazing on the hearth, q
tea. table piled with north country
Injuries and all that should make me
feel at home; but something was
wanting and instead of responding to
their greetings 10 my own natural
fashion, l dropped into seat atter
my first glance around and co.,
ering my face with my hands, b. VI
into tears,
have small thin, quick ears.
overheard aunt Ritson, whisper 20
Bella and Winnie as she drew them
back
Hush It's but natural, poor
BARN Leave your cousin alo oe,
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 chill 10 with Us, or
my own manner did not invite effu.
sion, q certain air of restraint seemed
TO grow upon us and when ! Was
shown to the room get apart for me,
and left to myself flung mpself up
on my bed and sobbed 10 passionate
grief for my dead father, declaring
that | was alone in the world, utter-
ly alone.
And this feeling grew upon me.
Looking back, ara conscious that
it was much my OVID fault that
had not responded with sufficient
warmth and gratitude to my rela.
lives who had made room In their
household for one they had not seen
since she was baby, and had met
with open arms and hearts.
They had heard that | was gush-
ing and exuberant, a creature of i'm
pulse, and finding me reserved and
languid, concluded that l, accnstom-
cd TO elegance and luxury could not
brook the homeliness and retirement
Of my new life. l was rich and they
were not. They mistook my NOR.
bid melancholy for pride aud ceased
to press their society or attentions
on me lest / should attribute to
them mercenary motives.
see it all now, but then / was
blind. had another grief al my
heart besides sorrow for my dead
parent, and 1 fear that whenever my
thoughts few to that lonely grave
among the Pyrenees, l questioned
the policy which had isolated me
from the world--the world In which
my hero lived and moved-and pris
0ned my free soul among those unre-
sponsive walls of stone.
In this rhapsody | did not apostro.
phige alone the four walls of the sol.
i'd stone house that set against the
mountain side, with background oil
pine, lsrch and mountain ash, looked
so cold and gray, staring with its
many lidless eyes from it's rocky
perch above the struggling lake vii.
isgs, on the steep, unguarded road
way in front. and the narrow strips
of garden ground, stretching like
green arms on either side.
No, | held converse with the
mountains. They were to me r
barrier between love, life and ha /
aess, but it was only on their soll y
~ nights | felt free to give the feel.
ing utterance. The thrifty hoe se
hold ways of my aunt and oousins
which kept them over busy, r,
strange to me. My dainty fngeri
had no acquaintance with rolling
pin or paste-board. 1t was not
WHO kept so bright the mirror. il
which | saw ny own beauty-aye
and my own unhappiness-refsoted
| was supposed to be mourning, ant
with mistaken delicacy was left II
do-~nothing.
Had Uncle Ritson known IL, o
how | spent my time, he would hav
shaken me up like a bottle of physic
aud | should been the better for il
Bat whether on foot or horseback
or in bis ancient gig, he was off in
morning. and frequently was absen
ali day. His patients were scatter
ed and his rounds extended.
/, having no occupation for hand
or energies, feeling myself some
what apart from the rest, was of
and away up the breezy hillsldes t
the lonely margin of the lake, or in
to the most secluded glens, my onl
companion, my faithful dog; an
there, where there was only til
wind to answer me, / poured fort
4Io 49, g. al, of boor