Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-01-17
ADELHNA.

Ia cOlQ, clear 1ueSday morning.
that / disconsolately wendell my
way to school, wishing that holt
DAYS came Oftener and stayed
longer, and regretting that of fifty
two there was only enc week of I'M
interrupted pleasure.
The old red schOol-hOuSe stood at
the junction of three roads, and as
raised the little hill Just before
reaching it, saw coming from the
opposite direction little black-clad
figure that looked like blot on the
unbrOken whiteness of the snow
covered landscape. / never could
tell what actuated me to linger on
her movements as / did, or why
she so strangely attracted me, but
from the first l must have loved
the child, even before i was old
enough to know the meaning Of the
word.
We reached the worn old door
stone together, and, being a boy not
at all afraid to speak to anyone,
much less a little girl, very cOOlly
asked her if this was her first day
at school.
"Yes; and dread it so much"
1t was the sweetest voice i had
ever heard or have ever heard since.
The peculiar rising infection on the
last word was like the short, clear,
low notes of bird, and as purely
natural.
"DO you come every day ?"
Haven't missed day this win
ter"
sob, / am so glad! J"
"Why are you glad ?"
because you are a good boy.
Won't you please tell me your
name?"
edward Durand."
81 like the name," she said,
sweetIy, and, boy as was, l Won
dered how any mortal ever came
by such an angel smile. All this
time she had been trying to unite
the round wOrsted strings of her
hood, but had only succeeded in
drawing them into a harder knot.
won't you please unite it for
me, Eddie ~
She held up her little cold chin,
and without a moments hesitation
l bent down and did as she re-
quested. 1t was such a tender, con-
fiding little face-whOs could help
loving it? / patted encOuragingly
the rOSe-red cheek turned toward
me in gentle truthfulneSS, and babe
her not to be afraid, for she had as
good a right to come to school as
anyone.
"HallO! where did that little
blackbird come frOm?' cried kind
hearted Ben Phillips, as we entered.
"COme along, little girl, and get
warm, for you look half-frOzen."
A general tittering and nudging
followed Ben's seating of the new
scholar, and one saucy little mink,
not understanding its significance,
pertly asked:
''What are you looking so like a
crow for? / hate a black dress"
"Hushu reprOved an older girl,
who overheard the remark. "Hush,
Sue; don't you see she is in mourn
ing?"
The voice that had so charmed
me i'm the entry answered the ques-
ton in strangely quiet way:
my father is dead"
a hush of death fell upon the
noisy group gathered around the
old cracked stove. The unwOnted
silence was broken by the entrance
of the teacher, who Immediately
raped us to order, after which he
briskly called up the new scholar.
"What is your name?"
"Adelina."
Mr.. Pide looked wise.
"Adelina Lagrange, / suppose;
and you are the daughter of the
lady who has taken the Baldwin
cottage?"
ayes, sir"
"Well, you may take this seat"
pointing to a bench not far from
where / was sitting, and without
further questioning Adelina had
passed through the trying ordeal of
a first day, and was duly counted
one of us.
Her mother, it was rumOred, was
a lady of refinement and culture,
but very proud and reserved in her
demeanOr for a person who was
Obliged to teach music for a living.
Mrs. Lagrange, at any rate, was
young, handsome and recently wild
Owed-at least the length and new
ness OF her veil indicated to observ-
ing feminine eyes that the bereave-
ment was recent, and that is all
gOssips knew about her.
The summer term brought Ade-
lima again to the old red school
house, but so changed Outwardly
that we hardly knew her for the
sombre "blackbird" of the previous
winter. She fiuttered in one morn
ing dressed in white, with sash and
shoulder knots of cherry ribbons
the lOVelieSt creature | ever saw.
At noon she came to me and said,
very gravely:
"After to-day / am not coming
any more.
"Why? ?"
81 am goin to the city 10 live, but
you were kind to me the first day
came, and tell you for that reason,
and because you didn't mind unity
ing my hood for me.
felt her going so keenly that l
could not study, try as would, and
in consequence my grammar lesson |
was decided failure. i went home !
from school that day her way, tax |
ing care that the other scholars !
should not suspect my motives.
When / came i'm sight of her she |
was standing motiOnlesS by the |
roadside, attentively watching a |
yellowjaeket buzzing for sweets in |
the dOwny hearts of white Canada |
thistle.
Years after, when miles and miles |
away from that spot, ] could shut !
my ewes ON hay October after /
noon, with a five o'clock sun dip /
ming towards the tree-tops, and see
q little girl, lovely as the blush of |
the sunset, gazing pensively at a
nee upon a common roadside Hover.
aDfd it sting yOu,n / asked, as
surning a sympathetic air.
uNo: bees never sting me, and !
I've watched them dance on the
thistle heads all summer. !