The Red Cloud chief., 1880-05-27

D6 ttoEt h1t - siA-
Linda had for that purpose! How g
giant would rejoice in those great
golden wayesr l thought; and just
then, raising my eyes, they encountered
TO my horror. they very person Of whom
l had been dreaming-the tall man with
the long black beard. himself. / utter
ed n scream Of terror, and the tall ma
put his hand on my shoulder.
Don't be frightened. little one" he
said. I'm very foni Of little girls
docs he meal he likes TO ca
them2" / thought; and 1 looked uI
into his face, expecting TO meet a sar
donic ogre grin, but instead / encoun'
tered such n sweet smile that i gained
confidence in a moment, and stood qui
city beside him.
"Sit down here" said the stranger
81 want to talk To YOU. Look, here IL
something NICE" and he drew a hand
full Of confectionery from his pocket
Eat il while I talk To you."
/ held my little ~pinafore to receive
the gift and sat down, and the ma
with the LACK beard sat down beside
me.
"How old are you?" he said.
Just six years." i answered.
And where do you 60 to SCHOOL,
he asked.
"On the hill. at Miss Linda's," i an
swered.
Have you a nice teacher? DO you
love her?" inquired the stranger.
Every much" / answered; Every
much. indeed"
And, to my great amaZement, the
gentleman with the dark beard covered
his face with his hands and calculated
"God bless her! who could help it.
DO you think she is happy" he went
on. docs she smile and laugh, OIL
does she ever feel sad?-tell me, LITTLE
one?"
Il think Miss Linda is very happy
| answered. Il never saw her cry
The tall gentleman arose and paced
to and fro, and l heard him mutter:
"Happy! Is she happy? My selfish
ness shall never break in upon hel
quiet; l will never arouse the sleeping
past TO grieve the happy present"
The heart under my little pinafort
beat wildly with alarm, and my confec.
tionery was forgotten. In a few mo
ments he turned toward me.
"Good-by, little oner' he said. run
home, now, and never tell your teacher
that | have been talking about her; and
you would never do that, | know"
/ gave a ready promise and ran joy
fully away; and as the weeks passed
by, and | saw no more of the gentle
man with the black beard, | soon al
most forgot that such a being existed,
And still "our minister" visited the
school, and looked at the teacher, and
still the gossiping tongues of the village
foretold that Miss Linda would be the
minister's lady yet.
One day-a bright, cool autumn aft.
ernoon, It was-Miss Linda and 1 were
alone in the schOol-hOuse. | was prac.
Using the scales on a piano in the ioneI
room-for it was the day on which
always took my music-lesson-and Miss
Linda was writing At her desk in the
outer room. There was no sound save
the nonotonous lone, two, three
which l uttered, until a quick step fell
uponthe grass without, and, raising my
eyes. | saw the young minister PASS the
window and enter the school-roOm
He had scarcely done so, when another
shadow fell upon my music-book, and
l saw the tall gentleman with a black
beard glide after him and stand mo
tionless in the shadow of the school
house porch. / played on still, but
very softly. and my eyes were turned
toward the other room. The young
minister and Miss Linda stood in the
center of the apartment, and he was
speaking passionately, but softly. Then
he stroye TO clasp her hand in his, but
she drew it away and stood further
from him, nearer tothe doorway. Then
l heard his voice, husky, it was, and
tremulous.
LINDA, dear Linda!" he said, .'you
can never tell how much | love you.
You do wrong to doubt me. My exist
ence is worthless without your affec.
ton. Do not deny me all hope; let me
think, at least, that in time my deep
love may win your own; that, when
YOU see how constant and devoted my
heart is to you, you will think well OF
me for that constancy at least. Many
a better and greater may WOO you,
Linda. but none can love more truly
l could see great tears in her eyes as
she answered him.
"Do not misunderstood me. Mr.. AL
wyn. l do think well of you. As 9
sister l may eve say that l love you
but other love than that of a sister
Linda Harrington can eve give to
living man. II have loved once, and
he to whom | was betrothed sleeps be-
meath the waves, or is a wanderer upor
the face of the earth. Living or dead
he is lost to me forever; but a woman
gives her love but once. and mine i:
his still, MI. Alwyn. Leave me. L be,
seech you! Time a never change my
feelings. and l am glad it cannot"
He took her hand and pressed it Il
his lips, and in another moment he wa:
gone. Miss Linda sunk upon the sea,
from which she had arisen; the tear:
were trickling down her checks, anG
her bosom rose and fell convulsively.
| Over her dress. over the floor. fell s
shadow, creeping slowly along up the
white-washed wall of the schOol-house
and while l watched it the tall mar
with the black beard stood on the
threshold - stood there, with both
arms stretched toward her. until she
turned, and. looking on him, cried
William! oh. my Willia:ir' and fel
upon his bosom.
At first 1 had imagined that the
b~lack-bearded gentleman was about t.
devour Miss Linda, or carry her away
to his enchanted castle; but when she
called him William, the truth dawneG
upon my mind, and l listened quietly,
when, some moments afterward, ht
knelt beside her and spoke thus:
81 have been near you many weeks
darling-I have watched you to and
from the school; and, though / never
dreamed you could still love me, l have
loved you every moment since we
parted. When / left You / hoped tc
return to You soon, happy and prosper
Gus. but, baffled and disappointed, ]
could not bear to bring my poverty
and grief for You to share, and / bat
tied with tie world, weary and broken.
hearted. until 1 began to doubt all truth
and goodness, and believed that nc
woman could welcome back a toil-worn,
beggared man, as she would one who
was glad and prosperous.
saw her arm Sfaal ahouf his uocE