Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-04-17

She was like q revelation to him, SC
lovely and so lovable that his soul went
out to her in great cry for love; and
when the obsequies were over and the
other members of the family were gone,
he fingered on at the old house, striving
by all the many powers he possessed tc
make Millicent happy.
That he succeeded can easily be imae.
ined, for Millicent had led q lonely life
and her sunlit days had been very few
The days of his stay grew into months
But he was not idle all this time; he
could not afford to be. He read law tol
hours, filing his mind with . store Of
knowledge to help him in the future.
Autumn came, and with it the settle.
ment of the estate, this showing Millicent
that she was almost penniless, for she
could not sell the house or land near it
and neither were productive of an in.
come.
At this time of trial her, cousin was OF
great service, and they were drawn closer
together.
They were walking in the orchard one
bright October afternoon, when the
beauty of nature, clad in her varied
splendor ana rich with warm floods Of
sunlight, filed their souls with that sub.
tie sympathy that awakens love.
1t would nave been impossible for any
man of generous nature to refrain from
doing what Simon Berkeley then did.
In their walk they came to q terrace
that overlooked the sunlit sea reaches
where the white sails shone and gittered
as they filled and swayed in the wind
They had been talking of Millicents
business, and she was troubled when thew
reached this point.
They stood silent a little time, and
then the fair girl, suddenly stretching out
her hands imploringly to the ocean, said
''Oh, that we might have the power to
fly from trouble as easily as these ships
glide through the seal"
How could any soul stand unmoved at
such time3 1t would have taken hard
and storm-tossed man to With stand the
pleading in her voice, and Simon Berke-
ley was not person of this kind. He
took the outstretched hands reverently
in his, and looking into the clear, sweet
eyes, said: my darling, will you not
let me try to keep this trouble away, my
love9-for I love you.''
She could not doubt this, there was
such a great light in the deep, gray eyes
looking into hers; and as she saw this, a
sweet rest came to her soul, and, with a
low, glad cry, she.nestled in the clasp Of
the arms so willing to take her. So they
stood for long time, holding that holy
converse that love brings, and then again
walked slowly through the orchard
aisles.
II should like to keep the old acres"
said Millicent; $50 many of our family
have called them theirs. and lived and
loved among them. that it seems like a
sacrilege to let them CO."
"They shall not co." answered Simon
1--WE will save them; for can work now,
and to him who works with brave soul
all things are easy"
He was hopeful and strong, for love
and sunshine are the great powers that
give the soul hope and gladness.
eyes, I feel that we can and will keep
them" she said, "lor we can help each
other.
"And I must not stay here much longer,
dear, for when the work is ready and the
hands willing there should be no linger.
ing by the way.
II know, and yet it is so hard to let
you 60, just as l seem to have gained
you," and her little hands chung close to
his arm.
Loves sweet words are spoken in lone
ly places, and to those that love rule,
the world is full Of light and glory.
''You must not go before my birthday y
Millicent said at last, after an hour of
rich pleasure spent in talking over the
plans that were to be perfected and per-
formed in the future.
II can wait till then," he answered,
and so it was settled.
Millicent's birthday came-a dark
day, full of great masses of sober gray
clouds. The wind rose when the sun set,
and its notes sang loudly in the old elms,
and went sweeping inland, laden with
the wind melodies of the sea.
The old house seemed full of strange
sounds, and the two young people soon
became aware of a weird power that per-
vaded the building. They could see
nothing, and no sounds reached them
save those made by the wind.
They were sitting near a ruddy and
cracking wood fire, which blazed on the
broad hearth, and sent its rose colored
light out into the gathering shadows.
As the darkness increased, the feeling
that effected them grew mere intense
op1 roo1o <ho;r ooovo,,o<:o,, n:,,1- ko -
ly murmured words.
They had wandered through the desert
ed rooms talking of the old house and
the people who had lived in it. Millicen>
said they had left no room unvisited, and
after this survey they ate their supper, anG
then settled themselves by the fire for 8
long chat, as Simon was to leave for Boston
the next day, there to try his strength in
the battle aud turmoil of hfe.s
As they sat thus, Millicent's> low voice
making sweet echoes for the fierce storm
songs of the wind, this strange feeling
came and grew so intense that they
thought some one was with them.
Millicent was first to speak fit.
'sDo you not feel oddlyf" said she
''There seem to be others beside our
selves in the room, and yet ! can see n.
one"
. II have the same impression, and yet,
you say, can see nothing. The hous,
must be haunted. = s s5s ss ssss. a..
"There are stories to that effect curren
among the neigh bors and surely heliev,
we have some one In the room with ua
though. have no faith in either ghost
or spirits.n VA III $500
+ Nor have I; 60 we will talk Of othe
things, and perhaps this feeling will thel
pass AVA, = and be changed the CONVEX
sation to their approaching separation
and the condition OF the old house.
{ Oh, LIDO 90 wish that No had none,
enough to redeem the land and restor
the building, for il Is the home of tn
Berkeleys,',1 said Millicent; "then "
could come here every summer, and max
ita heaven of rest, and you know the rail
road brings it very near the city"