Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-15

carriage to convey her from the forest.
There was reason in his words, for the
storm had increased in fury, and it was
impossible for so delicate a creature to ven
ture out in it afoot.
But l cannot stay here alone, she
said, after asserting to the plan it would
be too terrible.
"' If you will have courage for few
minutes, l said, / will return when |
have shown your servant the way out OF
the forest
''She consented by gesture, and l ac-
companied her servant from the hut, and
put him on his road.
$50 If any one speaks to you of this, he
said, you will bear me harmless
'sHope shone upon me in this express
sion of fear. You have a hard master,
then?'
$50 Hard and soft, he replied.
"'I understand. Hard to those beneath
him, soft to those above him.
lyon are right and wrong; it is dan
gerous to anger him..
''' Is my lady his wife ?
emo
Cells daughter?
"sNo.'
ga blood relation, then:'
''Ask no more questions. What she
is to him and he to her is none of your
business
"'True. 1 will hold you harmless on
one condition
sit is cool of you to make conditions.
What am | to do in return?'
9" Say nothing of me. Do not mention
that you have seen such man as l in the
forest.
&c. That is easy. Agreed.
9" Enough said, then. Follow this path
to the left for quarter of a mile and you
will see the house before you
=" l was about to leave him when he laid
his hand upon my shoulder.
90 warn you, he said. Be civil to
my lady or you will find yourself in
hornets nest.
"s You are more fool than knave, re-
piled. Speed swiftly back and take my
lady home to my lord
q myself sped quickly to my hut, with
a feeling curiously mingled of pity and
contempt for the fair creature to whom |
had given shelter. what she is to him
and he to her is none of your business
These words seemed to brand the woman
with shame.
''But when I saw her sitting at my
table with an expression of deepest sadness
on her face, pity only filed my breast.
Truly she was fair, and innocent, and pure
minded, unless nature lied. Her servant
had maligned her.
&c returned as soon as l could said
/ will stay outside the hut if you wish it.
"'Why should you do that ? she asked,
with wistful look.
"' am not generally favorite, said
bluntly my shape is against me-
'''Y You are to be pitied for it.
Her plaintive voice brought tears to
my eyes, and she, observing them, asked
me to pardon her.
g. You have seen misfortune. she said.
"'The btterest; but | have lived
through it. 1t is not often that man or
woman, looking upon me for the first
time, have given me greeting as kind as
yours
"'I, too, have seen misfortune she
said with a sigh. Do you live here
alone?'
eyes
''' Have you no kindred, Are you ut
terly, utterly alone?
8" No, said softly, have a child.
"She turned from me with sob of
grief, and for little while no further
words were spoken. 1 wondered to see so
young and winsome woman in such
trouble, but life's storms spare neither high
nor low, rich nor poor. 1t occurred to me
that her sorrow might have some associa-
ton with child, and | was about to ask
her, when l noticed-her left hand being
ungloved- she wore no wedding ring
SO | refrained, and waited until she chose
to break the silence.
"'You have child How happy you
must be- A girl?'
s'' Yes
"'I hope, not But she stopped
suddenly, and bit her lip, with red blood
showing on her face.
''N No, l said, not like me- She is
well formed
81 am gIad-forgive me-
"'There is nothing to forgive
glove is expressed in your voice.
You would not like to lose your child
"s / should not care to live without her. ,
"She shivered, as though she were cold.
There was fire in the hut, and / urged
her to draw nearer to 1t for warmth, but
she refused. On the table, imbedded in
earth, lay some shoots OF the dream
flower. She asked the name of the flower,
and / told her.
"'The dream fower!' she said, in a
low tone. Does it really make you
dream?
sit has in it qualities which induce
sleep, and, sometimes, happy dreams.
'f All she sighed If could dream
my life over again OF what might have
been OF love so sweet and beautiful, of
love so base and treacherous | should
commence with my childhood, and l should
linger there, among calm and happy days.
Let me think of them, let me think of
them. and of those who loved mel If l
could have died then, with loving hands
clasping mine But it was not to be. l
was doomed to live and suffer. Father, sis
ter, child, torn from me-
''She had risen, and was standing by
the side of shelf on which was the baby's
shoe had found in the hut on my return
home She took it from the shelf, and
pressing it to her lips, burst into passion
of binding tears, and sank to the ground,
crying:
go. baby baby o, my heart | my
heart
ITO Be continued)