The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-16

lane, an ivy-grown church comes in
sight. A picturesque old house, built
of red sandstone, nestles close by, whence
IA white-haired clergyman passes out
into the church yard. Again
her thoughts take her back 10 the deep
lane. Once more il liz summer, and the
same two people are there together, only
they are not laughing and talking as be-
fore. She is standing still, with down
cast face, and her companion, pale and
trembling, looks down upon her from
his great height. The train
Of thought broke of suddenly. Minnie
stroked her letters, and pressed them to
her lips.
"Poor Frank" she Thought: "poor
Frank! Ii was cruel of lie to break his
heart like that-but was SD young, 80
easily persuaded: and who cam resist the
dean when he becomes argumentative
And Frank-how terrible he looked that
day he came home from Cambridge and
heard about it! / don't think / shall
me shudder to recall it! Will he ever
forgive me, l wonder?" She
leaned back against the wall with closed
eyes, and soft smile broke over her
face; how inexpressibly sweet it was TO
lie able Ia let imagination loose and think
freely of Frank Quornham, to recall with
u less sharp pang of remorse those far
away days before Mr.. Pierrepoint had
dawned upon her horizon.
Looking back, il seemed to her that
she must have been very impulsive, very
childish, and very helpless in the hands
Of the people about her. Ones memory
Is apt Ia grow rusty with respect to ones
self: We nearly always look upon our
selves as the products of certain causes,
setting down anything unsatisfactory to
the charge of training and circumstance.
All, If my aunt had only whipped me
for stealing her horn-book, l should not
now be herew whimpers the wretched
criminal on the gallows.
So Minnie forgot the remarkably clear
sighted, intelligent young woman who
had given to Mr.. Pierrepoint the hand
long-promised to another; and substi-
tuted i'll her memory creature of her
own mitigation innocent, uniformed
thing, much more picturesque, and i'll
every respect more satisfa Glory.
Long she sat there, deep in such
thoughts, with closed eyes and half
smiling lips.
When she awOke from her reverie the
sun had set. and the air was beginning to
blow i'll chilly through the open window.
She rose hastily, II little shocked perhaps
at her own abstraction; il seemed sort
of disrespect Ia tie old man.lying III his
newly made grave. and Minnie, rs per-
haps YOU have seen, craved, like most of
Us, her own respect AS well as that Of
others. If her notions lacked grandeur,
/ If even they may seem to you (oh, high
minded realerD to have had Il tinge Of
meannesS i'll them, We should set them
down To the particular twist which M
tire and training had given to her mind.
She had meant, she told herself Ia think
over things i'll general way that night
her thoughts had insisted on gathering
dciuiteness, and she. half-unconscious-
/ " had given herself up to their delights.
/ There was an irresistible charm III re-
calling the long past, and i'll figuring a
still happier future. But she checked
herself suddenly, and, rising, rang the
bell for her maid.
"Jenkinson," she said, when the
woman appeared, "have any letters
come for me?"
A great number, ma'am. / did not
like to disturb You.
"Yes, Of course. Please bring them
up to me now, and light the candles.
shall not want you again tonight" In
few moments she was impatiently turn
ing over little pile Of black trimmed cn
velopes, all containing the same stereo
typed form of coincidence. She opened
each one, then shaking her head with ;
half-disgusted movement, rose, and be
gan pacing the little room with impa
tient footsteps.
"No sign, no token" (she could no
help thinking.) - might have expect
ed it-he is very proud.
shall have hard work. But one thing
feel, | know-Frank is not man to low
twice; his character was always noble
and stronger than mine; he Away
seemed 80 far above me-" Sh
stopped and buried her face III her hands
while the slow tears trickled throug
her fingers; then she flung back he
head and spoke aloud:
"Only year-a whole year!-OE
Frnnk, will you forgive me?" She san
down on her knees, and relieved her e,
. cited mind with one of those long fits ,
, sobbing such as only women know.