Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-19
t if people speak against mellow,


in his eyes which denoted thas he wa
studying what I said, whether 1 under
stand you or not but 1 should be prou
of your friendship, and if you give it t
NE, will stand up for you and be true t
you.
"'0h, then; people speak against me
eyes
"'And think it a strange thing tia
Evangeline should love ms?'
"'Yes.
"'And invent stories of my life on tn
snow mountain, and say it is best to hav
nothing to do with such man asI?'
Something like that.
"And in spite of all, You wish to b
my friend p
"' Yes. if you will let me.
You must have a reason. Let Nj
know it.
Evangeline loves you; love VIVA
she loves
"'Gige me your hand. he offered mt
his wounded hand, and 1 pressed it; h'
did not vince. Eyangeline is the linf
between us. II is for her sake do wha'
have never done before in my life.
81 heard Eyangeline murmur softly te
herself, 1 am glad, l am glad
az And now, Joseph, said, our com
pact being made, let your mother know
wish to speak with her.
Presently the children were gone, and
Margaret Sylvester stood before me. The
moment she saw Inc she OWNED what had
escaped the ohildren's notice.
's' You have been ILL., she said.
81 was moved by the sympathy ex-
pressed in her voice
80 | met with an accident said, and
am thankful to have escaped with life. l
should have been sorry, if it is given to us
to rejoice and suffer in another state of
being for 10 not want to lose my hold of
life till certain things are accomplished.
"'The days are peaceful here, she said,
with a sigh; life flows on calmly. During
the years l have lived on this isle l have
had no sorrows but those which ordi-
narily fall to the lot of men and women. One
ought to be happy here
':' You are surely so, Margaret Sylves-
ter. With husband and children who love
you, surrounded by plenty, attended by
respect and affection, what more can a
woman desire 2
"'You are right she replied; it
should be sufficient, and ought to thank
God day and night, upon my knees, for a
lot so free from care, What was the
nature of your accident?'
'''I saw a flower on the mountain top ;
it shone like gold, ana L wished to obtain
it. That it was out Of my reach strength
ened my wish, as is usual with human
creatures. Attempting to pluck the flower,
l lost my foothold and fell over the preci-
pice. Saved by the branch of a tree
which l caught as 1 rolled down, l man
aged to crawl to my hut. To such a man
as | few bruises are Of 20 account
"While L spoke l was attentively OBJ
serving her; the resemblance between her
and Clarice was unmistakable, although
Clarice was formed en- a more delicate
mold.
"sYour life is g lonely one, said Mar
garet; why do you not come among us
and strive to win the love of the island
ers!'
'''Too late, MISTRESS l replied; 4
have no desire for companionship. With
my dogs and birds and goats am perhaps
as happy as 1 deserve to be. There is
something on my mind, mistress. 1t con-
Germs Evangeline. L may open my mind to
you
"'Surely. What have you to say about
Evangeline? You will not take her from
me?'
81 have no such thought. That wild
mountain is well enough for me, but it is
not fit place for flower so tender as
Evangeline. Yet, mistress, l believe l
have only to say to her, Come, and she
would obey me without question. Content
yourself. / am satisfied with the home in
which she is growing to womanhood; l am
satisfied with your care of her. But 1 am
curious to know why, when we first came
to this isle, you were SO anxious to receive
her. 1t is not an idle curiosity, for it
leads to another subject 1 shall presently
mention. Why, with children of your
own, did you beg that Evangeline should
be given into your charge!
al need make no secret of it, said
Margaret, with wistful look; she re-
minded me of one whom loved.
Who was dear to your
"'Very, very DEAR she replied, with
emotion.
"' If you remember, I said, ION the night
/ first saw you here l remarked that you
were unlike the other women on the isle,
q l remember.
"' You told me you were not born on
the isle, and l asked you to step into the
light SO that 1 could see you clearly. But
for that inspection it is likely that should
not have consented to allow Evangeline to
remain with you.
''Her curiosity was aroused.
Is What was there in me that satisfied
you | was woman to be trusted 2
"' Why, mistress, rightly or wrongly,
it seemed to me that | had seen You
elsewhere-in the old world, where the
days were not SO peaceful, and where life
did not flow as calmly as in this Silver
Isle. Here, said l to myself, is woman
who has seen trouble, and knows when
quicksands are close by; a woman who has
been through the fire, and has not suffered.
To such woman / may safely intrust
Evangeline.'
:" My words affected her powerfully, and
it was little while before she mustered