Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-27

please in marrying. But it is profound
" evident to me that when the young
man left you be did not intend to return.
He is just the sort of man to amuse him
self in q Irritation of this kind. For
gracious sake don't let Mr.. Gilmour sus-
peet anything of it, I'LL.
The girl turned, her dark eyes afre and
her delicate cheeks af1ame.
81 shall tell Mr.. Gilmour,'' she en-
phaticaliy declared; "and then if he still
desires me for wife will marry him."
She had scarcely uttered her sudden
decision when her elderly sutton came.
The gentleman looekd curisusIy doubt.
full and anxious. Perhaps his old heart
was not an icicle after ALL!
! "Then can never hope that you will
love me?" he observed, after listening to
what Linnie had to tell HIM of Erie Wei
ford.
She turned upon him her proud, still,
white face.
Under that impassive mask she
thought that to the day of her death she
could carry passion haunted heart.
Begging your PARDON" she replied !;
was not this to be business transaction
only?'-
He smiled at the ready response.
(which We must discuss aud arrange
in a sure and proper way he said, and
made his departure only halt pleased.
Shortly after various and costly articles
for superb feast were sent up to the lit
| tie room.
| "We shall. have our Thanksgiving DIN
ner,'' said Mrs. CARL delighted, and that
night her dreams were those CT the graft
fed and self-satisfed.
Not SO the young girl who lay by her
side; tor Linnie was 'wretchedly sleepless
and rcmorsefully miserable, and all hight
through the dusk of the chamber her lily
flower CLEANED just as ghostly white as
he rown troubled face.
Thanksgiving morning! And the merry
bells poured out their peals on the saect
crisp air. Beautiful women in turs and
velvets and diamonds passed by to the
palaces of worship, Or the mansions of
feasting. And yet everywhere, even with
IN the sound Of those glecful bells, thou
sands Of hungry innocents shivered with
cold, and thousands Of homeless men and
women could say with the prosecuted
one: 1.-THE foxes have holes, and the birds
of the air have nests, but the son of man
hath not where to lay his head"
I wonder IT the world is ever so thank
full for the good it has done, as for the
good it has received9
I Linnie thought bitter things that
morning. All her life she had been
hampered and fettered, and now she was
a football of destiny that it seemed i'm
possible to avoid.
Much as she esteemed Mr.. Gilmour,
she shrunk from such soullcss union
with him as she would have done from
any other thing that desecrates woman
hood
"Cursed be the social wants that sin against
the strength of youth!
Cursed be the social lies that wrap lis from
the living truth!
Over and over again Linnie quoted
. this anathema from "Locksley Hail.
marveling if ever she in tho life to come
should be strong and brave enough to
drug her memories
TIE Thanksgiving feast, that she had
scarcely tasted, was over, and her relative
taking her sesta in an casy-chair, when
Mr.. Gilmore came. Linnlc shivered as
she saw him.
"My dear child, do you repent yet
of your promise2" he asked her kindly.
"a promise is TO me a sacred thing,
she replied, evasively
"Granted. But were Erie Warford
still livlng2"
He has broken his VOWS to me-" was
the laconic response.
"Perhaps SO. Perhaps he is living
and is true. Perhaps he is on his way te
you even now"
She struggled to her feet and fixed
her startled eyes upon his face.
"You have something to tell me, what
Is it," she cried
For answer, the gentleman opened the
door and admitted Earle Warford.
II have brought my grandson to call
upon you Miss Lnnie," he said.
But the girl heard nothing except her
lovers fond and passionate words, and
saw nothing but his dear face, 80 un
changed and true.
You forget yourself, Melin la,' OBJ
served Mrs. CARL, greatly shocked.
"You are mistaken" retorted Mr.
Gilmcur; 'she forgot herself when she
allowed you to direct her Judgment and
her heart She would have gone to the
alter like lamb to the sacrifice aftei
you had convinced her it WAS her duty
You would have sold her to me that you
might live in idleness and self-indulg-
ence. Erie, don't be selfish; I want to
have word with the little one."
Linnie turned and put out both her
pretty hands, with a gesture of coaxing
depreciation.
"Forgive me, child" he began, be-
fore she could speak; II was bitterly
disappointed when Erie refused to mar
~ rich woman whom had chosen fo1
him. Finally l made conditions with
F him. Hc was to stay there, looking to
my business, while was to come here
and see you. If you proved to he all he
represented agreed to withdraw my OBJ.
jections. The boy believed you so true
that no length Of silent absence could
make you forget or accept another, eh?
But, my child, I never had thought OF
allowing you to sacrifice yourself, and l
am very fond and proud of you, my
children
So they we've all happy except Mrs.
CARL, who considered herself the most
, vastly abused OF all womankind.
"This is the happiest Thanksgiving OF
my life" said Linnie's handsome young
lovor, after they were all calm again
: Sand by the-way, fancy this lovely lily
kept back Its blossom tor my return. Ii
should have bloomcd weeks ago. Did it.
too, with my love, whisper 4 waltz Was
it long waiting, dear?'
'Very long-very sorrowfully long,
she returned; and tear, for past unrest
and present bliss, dropped again into the
white heart OF the winter lily.