The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-10-11

away from that spot, l could shut nv
eyes of hazy October afternoon, with a
five O'Clock sun dipping toward the tree
tops, and see little girl, lovely as the
blush OF the sunset, gazing pensively at
a bee upon common roadside flower.
Did it sting your" l asked, assum-
ing very sympathetic air.
"No; bees never sting me, and Pve
watched them dance on the thistle-heads
all summer"
II did not know that you loved them.
Most girls are afraid of bees"
Yes; but / am not"
She turned from the rank patch of
| thistles and slowly resumed her walk
homeward.
When we came to the lane where our
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 a word; but | kissed her
more than once; and after she had
slipped from my arms and was twenty
rods away, sat down and cried like a
baby, because / was never to see Adelina
again.
Itwas not long before the rumor was rife
IN the neighborhood that Mrs. Lagrange
had married q middle-aged city million
alre, and that the young widow and her
n I'd
OF the one death had taken from them.
Years fitted BY was twenty-four:
| had fought through the great rebellion
entered the army private and came
out of it captain, shattered in health,
and utterly depleted in pocket, to find
myself at home again, i'll and altogether
distrustful of fortunes smile.
In my frequent walks to the village
postottice l often passed by the old red
school house, and never without a 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
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 a year, to be increased
if merited. There was fortune for me in
the offer, and accepted it with alacrity
Mr.. Maxwell, a 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 | had be-
friended in the past.
Within month | was fairly estab-
llshed 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 | returned, l 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.
was just turning the curve in the
road where the Canada thistles grew,
and 50 lost in my walking reverie that |
was almost opposite lady standing in
their midst before | was aware of her
presence.
az am glad you still love the old
scenes, Mr. Durand," she said, without
expressing the least surprise.
l was astonished. Here was a LADY
whom, to the best of my knowledge, |
had never seen before, addressing me as
familiarly as if we had known each other
all our lives.
Names are treacherous things, and
il were ever so fortunate as to have
known yours, | am guilty of having for
gotten it." | replied.
Men forget easily, | am told; but |
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
I" AdeLina!"
caught her hand, and before l knew
what | was doing, had carried it to my
lips and kissed it.
Excuse me-" l stammered; "but L
am SO glad to see you, and you seem
just the same little girl / kissed here
years agO-not 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 thenotice
of my kind employer. When 1 had
finished she merely said, in her simple
way:
a know it."
You appear to know everything.
Do you know Mr.. MAXWELL"
Gle is my father"
"And my unknown friend"
"Adelina."
staggered back, in my soul ashamed
that should owe every good in life
every thing-to a woman who owed me
nothing but the poor favor of once hav-
ing united for her a wretched black and
white worsted hood.
/ turned away, cut to the heart, but
she put out OBTAINING hand.
"Don't go, Mr.. Durand-that is, don't
go feeling hurt; for it would make me
very unhappy if you were TO go away
angry with me-"
Unhappy What am l, that pain
to me should render you unhappy~ /
answered bitterly.
81 knew of no other way in which to
express my gratitude"
Gratitude for whstf The question