Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-16


Man can never hope true peace to win, "
Pleasure without and Joy within, .~.
Living thoughtless life of sin.
THE SECRET.
wish could tell you'll do wish I
could I hate to have secret; it burns
like money in my pocket. It's an un:
natural thing, anyway. One wants SYM
pathy lfit is q gloomy secret, somebody
to be gloomy with; and if it is q glad
one, sombody to be glad with somebody
to talk 1t over with, to make much or lit
tie of it with, to conjecture concerning
it, its beginning and its end, to dwell
upon it and gloat over it; how In the
world IS one going to enjoy anything all
by ones selfl film eatln g a peach,
Pwant somebody to have part of it, to
know how luscious 1t is; and wouldn't
give a sixpence for a coach and four un-
less there were somebody by to see me
riding. So say to myself, what's the
use of knowing if your not to speak or
look, or wlnk,it you're to- be no wiser
than other people, and let nobody see
that you are? And as tor me, am al
ways blushlnl,, and my tongue is trip
ping, and I'm sure to be on the point of
betraying the whole thing ny something
I say, and clapplng my hand on my
mouth like silly child.
Still, although it's nervous and ANXIOUS
work, can keep secret if try, or else
when he-I mean she-at least I mean
should not have been trusted with it if
couldn't. Some people are so important
with a secret, and go aboutas if they
knew enough to hang the rest of the
world. But never am; I only long to
tell it; and do so want to tell you this
one. But there-I promised wouldn't
breathe it, and promise is a promise, you
know.
suppose I wouldn't care halt 80 much
to tell if it were only commonplace af-
tair, if thete was no romance about it all,
but there is. Some people are so fond of
romance-our Romano is; and I don't
believe that anything could have pleased
her half SO much that happened in the
regular, expected way: Our Romano
always was SO full of tancies and ideas,
and when there is anything romantic 90
ing, 1t always falls to her lot. Don't
you think she is beautys I de; SO tall,
so beautifully made, so gracious, such
hair-such soft, fragrant hair-her eyes
are like lovely, shining jewels and her
skin so like tea rosel I don't believe
any of those famous beauties you read
about can hold candle to her-that
don't! always wondered why he did
not take some one Of her lovers, although
knew, too, or thought l did; for she
was just as lovely ten years ago, when
she came home from school at Seventeen
the very day those dreadful soldiers
came, you recollect- she is to-day.
She had been gone so long-four years
that everything about the place was just
as sweet and strange to her as if it were
& kingdom she had just come into; and
she was going around, looking at this
and exclaiming at that. caressing the
creatures that knew her, every one of
them, even to the parrots-just rejoicing
in everything; and I, little six-year. old
worsh1per, was following her IN adora
ton, with the peacock following me;
when all at once the lawn was covered
with soldiers, and the yard was full of
fo1agers, and the horses, Romaine's own
pony, Gulnare, and mammals, were
being led away, and all the COWS were
lowing, and all the pigs were squeal-
ing and the fswl were cackling, as those
wretches took possession; and some were
building fires In the yard, and the rest
were swarming into the house. And
they were in the china closet, ravaging
the store room, were in the bedrooms, in
the wardrobes, and parcel of them had
poor mamma in a corner, and had torn
away her shawl, and one was fourishing
her cap Oh the point of his bayonet, and
Romanie had sprung into the midst of
them, Threatening them with wild fury,
when suddenly voice rang over the up
roar. terrible commanding voice, some
body strobe through the throng, and seiz-
ing by the shoulder first one and then
another of the men who had cornered
mamma and Romano, flung them on this
side and on that, and in one moment 81
lence fell, and man by man they skunk
away, and presently they were tumbling
down the stairs, and marching out of the
hall by files; and the officer who had
wrought the change tall, slender
young fellow of whom one could see lit
tie but the eyes blazing like wildfire, for
the torn and dropping visor of his cap,
and for the brown beard covering his
brown face, and the smears of smoke and
and powder-put mammals shawl about
her shoulders, bowed low to Romano,
and took me in his arms q moment and
looked at me, and set me down again,
and was passing out, when Romaine ran
forward and caught his hand, and began
to pour out torrent of thanks. He
turned and smiled. II deserve no thanks"
he said. He then, halt hesitating q
single instant, raised Romanine's hand,
that still folgetful held his, and pressed it
to his lips, and was gone. And curious
silver-set diamond on his hand, whose
stone made a tiny crest, took my baby
eye, so that always remembered
| it. But as turned to Romaine-oh,
how she looked theni I've never seen
anything so beautiful since, she blushed
such rosy red, and her eyes lighted, land
her smile grew dazzling, and I've thought
as I remembered il, that Just so Eve
might have looked when she woke and
looked upon the world before her. And
he turned in the door and saw her, and
then he ran down the stairs and mounted
his horse; and presently we heard the
last of them trooping over the hill. They
took Gulnare and All with them, though,
for all of the young officer; but the very
next day Gulnare came into the yard by
herself, and neighed for her oats. ~,'&sE
Well, now,do you know, believe that
from that very moment Romaine made
that young officer her hero and her ideal.
She didn't know his name, she didn't
know his regiment, she didn't know his
1ank. she had hardly seen his tace, but,
for all that, she just resolved very likely
without putting it in 30 many words to
herself-that if she couldn't marry him,
abe would never marry anybody, and she
would keep herself and her thoughts q
cred to this hero. And that is what has
/ given her this air Of remoteness, almost
as it she belonged to 2 superior race, you
know. She didn't know whether hel
hero was alive Or dead; there were skir.
finishes in the neigh orhOod. and before