Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-10-09
II did not know that you loved them.
Most girls are afraid of bees"
g W.. Int ON MT ~

II did not know that you loved them
Most girls are afraid of bees"
eyes; but I am not"
She turned from the rank patch Of
thistles and slowly resumed her walk
homeward.
When We came to the lane where oul
paths separated she put up her little
arms to be taken and kissed before leav.
ing me, as she said, "to come back no
more"
"Be good to yourself, Eddie, and
next winter, if any little lonely AIDE
linas come cold and frightened to the old
red school-house yonder, be kind to them
as you were to me-"
Something choked my throat, and
could not say word; but I kissed her
more than once; and after she had
slipped from my arms and WAS twenty
rods away, l sat down and cried like a
baby, because was never to see Adelina
again.
Nwas not long before the rumor was rife
in the neighborhood that Mrs. Lagrange
had married middle-aged city million
aire, and that the young widow and her
child had found new protector in place
Years fitted by-I was twenty.four;
1 had fought through tho great rebellion
entered the army private and came
out of it a captain, shattered in health,
and utterly depleted in pocket, to find
myself at home again, ill aud altogether
distrustful of fortunes smile.
In my frequent walks to the village
postoffice l often passed by the old red
school house, and never without sigh
! of regret for the many happy, care-free
days spent within its battered walls.
Among the letters handed to me one
morning was one post-marked New York,
which informed of the agreeable fact
that, through the fundamentally of a
friend of mine whom he was anxious to
serve, the undersigned, Mr.. Maxwell,
had been induced to extend to me q
commercial opening at the liberal salary
of two thousand year, to be increased
if merited. There was fortune for me in
the offer, and accepted it with alacrity.
Mr.. Maxwell, rich New York mer-
chant, from the first took lively inter-
est in my advancement. The unknown
friend could not account for in any
other way than by supposing it to be
some soldier comrade whom I had be-
friended in the past.
Within q month I was fairly estab-
lished at my new post Of duty, and sue.
ceeded in pleasing Mr.. Maxwell so we'll
that, at the beginning of my second year
he sent me to Europe in the interest of
the house. When I returned, 1 was
given weeks vacation, which I spent
among the breezy hills Of my old coun-
try home, passing the pleasant September
days in tramping through the woods and
fields and by-Ways that were the chosen
haunts of my boyhood.
I was just turning the curve in the
road where the Canada thistles grew,
and so lost in my walking reverie that l
was almost opposite lady standing in
their midst before I was aware of her
presence.
81 am glad you still love the old
scenes, Mr.. Durand," she said, without
expressing the least surprise.
I was astonished. Here was lady
whom, to the best of my knowledge, I
had never seen before, addressing me as
Familiarity az if we had known each other
all our lives.
Names are treacherous things, and
ii l were ever 30 fortunate as to have
known yours, l am guilty of having for
gotten it," replied.
"Men forget easily, am told; but I
had hoped to find you an exception to
the rule.'
A very awkward silence on my part
ensued. She took pity on my evident
embarrassment, and continued:
"Has your battle with the world en-
tirely driven from your recollection all
the old school faces?"
Her voice dropped to its old, sweet,
clear winning cadence, thrilling my
whole being with delight.
"Adelin0!"
I caught her hand, and before 1 knew
what l was doing, had carried it to my
lips and kissed it.
Excuse me-" I stamme1ed; "but T.
am 80 glad to see you, and you seem
just the same little girl I kissed here
years agc-not a bit taller, not a bit
older-only Adelina, always lovely and
always loved"
Then told her all about myself, how
prosperous was, and the strange manner
in which had been brought to the notice
of my kind employer. When l had
finished she merely said, in her simple
way;
"You appear to know everything.
Do you know Mr.. Maxwell?"
"He is my father"
"And my unknown friend"
"Adelina."
l staggered back, in my soul ashamed
that should owe every good in life
every thiDg-to woman who owed me
nothing but the poor favor of once hav-
ing united for her wretched black and
white worsted hood.
l turned away, cut to the heart, but
she put out OBTAINING hand.
" Don't 90, Mr.. Dursnd-.that is, don't
90 feeling hurt; for it would make me
very. very unhappy ";3Sp gg il you were to go away
"UnhappyI What am l, that pain
to me should render you unhappy?'
answered bitterly.
IL knew of no other way in which to
express my gratitude"
"Gratitude for what?'' The question
was rudely abrupt, but che took no no.
tice of my ungracious speech.
"Gratitude for the kindness given me
long ago, and which have missed ever
since the day We parted here by the
roadside"
care you conscious of what you are
saying, AdelinaT
Perfectly"
Glow am to understand your
words?"
"That I leave to your good iudg-
ment," she smiled, lowering her eyes.
She had an instant illustration of my
"good Judgment" in the way 1 inn.
prisoned her two little hands in both
mine, and kissed the sweet mouth for its
shyly whispered promise.
l walked home with Adelina-oh, SO
happy and when l asked her hand of
Mr.. Maxwell, he said:
" ! have anticipated your request by
keeping YOU under nv evo for nnnro <ho,,