Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-17

"Do you like me, Joseph"
"More."
"Do you love me?''
eyes"
"Better than anybody"
eyes better than anybody"
"Better than Gabrielle?''
"That is different %
"Why is it different p
81 don't know, but it is.
"You have not told me though" per-
sisted Evangeline.
81 love you better than Gabrielle"
"Does she know that"
eyes; and she says it is right
"Why is it right?'
81 don't know, out it is"
'May 1 tell Rant? ?"
eyes; I would like him to know I
would like everybody to know"
''Do you love me better than you love
your mother? p
1t was an unkind question, and Joseph's
lips trembled as he answered:
eyes, but that is different, too"
''Does your mother know that ?"
''No, and I should not like to tell her. "
"Then it can't be right"
''It must be right, because it is you. 1t
would not be if it were anybody else.
would like you to understand, Evange-
line"
"Make me understand, Joseph"
Joseph looked around for an inspiration.
1t came to him in the form of broken
branch which lay upon the ground. A
light flashed into his eyes he stopped and
picked up the branch.
"Thls is good thick stick" he said (;
"look at it, Evangeline it is full of
knots"
81 see."
eff my mother said to me, Joseph, put
your left hand on that stone, and strike it
hard with the branch, as hard as you can,
1 should ask her why she wished me to
hurt myself; am not sure whether
| should not throw the branch away, and
tell her if she wanted to hurt me she must
do it herself"
Joseph's left hand lay upon the stone /;
in his right he grasped the branch.
"Well, Joseph" said Evangeline, 81
don't understand yet.
"You will presently. That is what 1
should do if mother desired me to strike
myself. But if you were to say to me-,
Joseph, strike as hard as you can, and
show me how much you love me, you
would see what l would do"
The children looked straight at each
other for a moment. Then Evangeline,
suddenly closing her eyes, cried:
Joseph, strike as hard as you can, and
show me how much you love me-"
She heard the sound of blow, and she
opened her eyes in fear. Joseph's bleed
ing hand lay upon the stone, and Joseph
was gazing upon her with proud smile on
his face.
"Oh, Joseph, Joseph !" cried Evange-
line. "What have you done"
s'Tried to show how much love you, F"
replied Joseph, with no tremor in his voice,
although his hand was sorely wounded f.;
&c l would do more than that. Do you un-
derstand now?"
eyes, 1 understand. Oh. Joseph, Jo-
seph, how could you do such thing
How could you hurt me sol I feel it
more than you do 1t is cruel, cruel %
She took the wounded hand in hers, and
her tears fell upon it. In her remorse she
raised it to her lips and kissed it. An
exquisite thrill Of happiness stirred the
boys heart.
"Will you kiss me, Evangeline %
She kissed him passionately, and left
the trace of blood upon his lips. Then
she drew him to spring of water, and
bathed the wound, and wrapped her hand
kerchief around it. Joseph laughed gaily.
&c 1t does not hurt Evangeline," he said.
'sYou must not cry. If it was your little
hand instead of mine, it would be differ.
ent."
Joseph" whispered Evangeline, SCI
will never, never be cruel again"
"You must not say that, said Joseph
with an air of gravity; because, as
Grandfather Matthew says, we never know
what is coming"
"There's blood on your lips, Joseph
let me wipe it of. "
He held her hand to prevent her.
There's blood on your lips, too, Evan
geline. Do not wipe it away. Let il
remain; then we shall not forget"
81 shall never forget, Joseph.
"Nor shall L.
"Does your hand pain you now 2"
"No; it was never so well. What are
you wrapping the branch in your frocl
for ?"
"I am going to keep it, Joseph, all my
life"
You must promise me one thing
Evangeline.
"What is it p
'You must promise me beforehand.
q promise.
Mother, nor any of my people, the
phrase came to JoseDh and he gave inter-
ance to it in lofty tone, "must know o
this.
"They ought to be told, Joseph"
"They shall not be told, Evangeline.
have your promise"
She felt that it was out of consideration
for her that the promise was extracted. o
her own will she would have related yolun
tarily the story of Joseph's heroism and hel
own willfulness, and would have eloried il