Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-14
woman is, as it were, hidden behind a

veil, and does not instantly reveal itself.
Something of what have endeavored
to convey to you l experienced as stood
looking down upon Margaret as she ate
and drank. The man was coarse grained,
ill-featured fellow, but there was power Of
a dangerous kind in him, apparent even in
his sleep.
"' Can do any more for you? 2 asked
Margaret, as she gave me back my flask.
Nothing, she replied, except to go
at once before he wakes. Take my thanks
with you
"'What were you sobbing so bitterly
for?' 1 asked.
You heard me, then p she inquired
eyes, l said it was the sound that
brought me here
"She answered me evasively, saying it
was natural she should cry, being hungry.
81 shook my head L saw that her grief
lay deeper than hunger. The man shifted
uneasily in his sleep, and fearing that
might get Margaret into trouble, left her
hastily.
90 Paul and l reached the town for which
we were bound, and put up at an inn, not
more than a mile from the forest. We re-
tired early to rest, intending to be early
afoot on the following morning. Paul
was soon asleep, but was kept awake by
thought of Margaret. The face of the
sorrowing girl haunted me l seemed to
hear her sobs, and in the darkened room l
saw the dim outlines of her figure as she
sat by the sleeping man in the forest. l
did what might be considered a mad
thing; but l am generally swayed by
impulse. / rose from my bed, dressed
myself quietly, so as not to disturb Paul,
and crept softly out of the room. With no
clear purpose in my mind except to see if
Margaret had left the forest, made my
way to the thicket of trees which concealed
her from observation l found her still
there. This time she was alone, lying on
the ground asleep, her head resting on the
outspreading roots of tree. As I gazed
upon her she awoke, and, alarmed at the
presence of a stranger, struggled to her
feet. | soon relieved her mind, telling her
came as friend, and that it appeared to
me she required one. Why, I asked, was
she sleeping in the forest without pro-
lection?
"'I am safe here, she said, no one will
harm me-
Where is the man 1 saw with you
this afternoon
"'Gone into the town, to endeavor to
get food or money.
"'You are poor them
"She nodded.
"'And hungry still:'
"She nodded again.
&c could not give her food, as had
brought none with me, but l told her if
she would accompany me to the inn,
where l and my son were stopping for the
night, would pay for food and shelter
for her. She thanked me, but could not
go, and l perceived that secret motive
held her back. The reason why was so
free in my offers, without consideration
for the man, was that | felt certain there
was no bond of relationship between him
and her. The tone in which she spoke
of him was a sufficient indication it ex-
pressed repugnance, hate almost, and some
thing of fear. Questioning Margaret, |
found that my idea was correct they were
not in any way related to each other. l
asked her why she remained with him,
then. She replied that she had motive,
a powerful, passionate, absorbing motive,
which prevented her from leaving him
until person she was in search of was re-
stored to her. She was not married she
had never loved. Who, then, was the per.
son to whom she vaguely alluded, in voice
broken by sobs, and in a manner which be-
tokened how deeply her heart was engaged
in the quest? 1 did not ask her if she was
an innocent girl l would as soon have in
suited daughter of my own by the doubt
in such question. | took some
pains to convince Margaret that my desire
to assist and befriend her was an unselfish
one, and was prompted solely by pity for
her forlorn condition.
"'My son and l. said I, are sometimes
as poor as you, but we might be able to aid
you. see that you lead wandering life.
So do we. We are actors in small way,
and are travelling continually about
"She interrupted me eagerly. 1t seemed,
she said, as if heaven had sent me to her.
She asked me if in our wanderings, or in
any travelling company we had been as
sociated with, had seen a girl of her
own age, resembling her in features, but
fairer than she, and smaller in stature
She described the girl to me, most mi
nutely-the shape of her hands, the color
of her eyes and hair, the beauty of her
teeth, lips, ears, dimples, finger-nails, eye
lashes = not a point by which the girl
could be in some way identified was omit
ted /; and as Margaret proceeded with her
description of this creature, whom it was
plain she loved with all the strength of her
nature, she trembled, and sobbed, and
suffered as only those suffer who have lost
one dearer than life itself.
To be continued.
CHRISTMAS TREES.
In paper read before the Anthropplogi-
cal Instit11ta LLnu,nnL unlnrne X mart L.