River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-22
4 DIFFICULT CASE.


breath Of the first wild roses, whose
delicate bushes he could see among
the thickcst Of the green ut the way
side. The cool, soft plash Of a stream
near bv added to the charm, and now
and then glitter Of water shone be
tween tall trees But more than balmy
airs and languorous perfumes were the
delicious sensations that filled the
Judges heart and thrilled his senses.
There is nothing like real absorbing,
enhancing love to regeneratc a man,
and the Judge was unmistakably i'll
love.
Not that he was a fossil by any means.
A handsome, well preserved man of
forty, who had earned his laurels young
had surely good chance i'll the field
even with Younger suitors, and yet he
had felt a strange timidity III showing
his feelingS-that sense Of unworthi-
ness that comes with all true love had
come to him. We idcalize the objects
of our alteration, and then we abase
ourselves and worship. If we did not
worship 50 abjectlv, how often would
We discover sooner than our idols are
clny2
Somehow the Judges walks had late
" led in one direction. The stream was
running the same way, and, perhaps,
he was following that-it is so easy to
go with the tide, they say. But this
road led past an old peach-orchard that
was all covered now with drifts of rosy
snow, and was really charming sight.
1t might be the Judge enjoyed watching
the soft flakes of this summer-snOw
drifting over the long grass. He used
to stop often, and seemed lost in thought
as he gaZed at it,
As he did So this night a low laugh
smOte upon his ear. Unconsciously he
crcpt behind Il great tree and stood still.
He knew that laugh, for of course the
peach-orchard belonged to a house, and
the house belonged to Il woman who
owned his icwcl-that is, She was the
girls gOdmother 1t was very late-at
least, eleven o'clock-and the laughter
struck his heart with dull pain. What
was Gwen doing in the orchard 50 late?
Miss Tabitha Dormcr was as precise
and mctholical as II spinster of GER
tain age is wont to he. One hour ago
she had tied her night-cap under her
withered chin and said goodnight to
Gwen The prim old dame was over
rigid with the young girl, having GER
tain old-fashioned views of natural de
pravity quite ont of vogue now. Yes,
the Judge knew the habits of the fam
lily perfectly, for he had been Miss Ia
bitha's legal adviser for years. He
knew that Gwen had kissed her god
mother goodnight and gone up to her
room in the most innocent way, and
here she was galiyanting in the peach
orchard with-yes, absolutely with Il
young man
The delicious dreams and hopes that
had been nesting in the judges heart
seemed struck dead ut Il single blow
when he heard the low voice of Ovens
companion. He felt suddenly old and
cold then Il great heat went over him.
He could not hear II word but he
could see slim, straight, girlish figure
in white, with sort of palc-blue cloud
floating about her. Her head was
bare, and the moonlight showed the
bronze hair blown about by the soft
air. and the outline of her girlish face
with its soft outlines. Then the two
parted and a hurried step came crash
ing by.
The Young man was not long IN pass
my. pul llit ltttSt ~ttN Alt7 lsAN = NAiGtiliNt
Iva good-looking face to be sure
even rival must admit that-without
much bevond regular features. and
wcll-opcned blue eyes, and blonde mus
tachc, and short-cropped hair with
dash of red gold i'll it. There was little
purpose or energy i'll the face, Il good
deal Of jollity and selfplcasing and
youthful folly, perhaps, if not any
thing worse.
All, Rob Sterling" said the Judge.
if Miss Tabitha could see this, hcl
dreams would not he 50 placid. Poor
Gwen can it he She is going tn throw
away her chances for happiness on this
shallow, good-looking scapegrace.
The young man had no suspicion Of
tho Jealous ewes that watched him. and
he whistled strain from an opera as
he disappeared under the trees.
A. for the Judge something had gone
out of the night, some subtle incense
ar Influence. The stream dashed on
rs bravcly rs before, rs soft an air
touched the hlushing checks of the
Wild roses. or sent showers ofpale pink
peach blossoms over the green grass,
as faint enhancing odors stole from
dim hooks purple with violets, but to
the Judge MI had
Suffered sea change
Into something and strange.
He had walked home as one carrying
a heavy burden. the burden of disap-
pointed hopes. His heart was heavy
rs lead in his bosom.
Miss 1abitha will never consent.
he thought. gloomiIy; the fellow has
nothing hut expectations from that old
aunt who makes new will every
three months. and will probably
leave her money to found an asylum
for eats There were ten Caterwaullng
ON the fence as | passed the other
night Poor Gwen. am sure | could
make her happy" And with these
thoughts worrying his brain like tiger
eats the judge passed a very restless
night
He woke to hear the early sparrow
those dctCStable birds who are always
after the early worm, and whose notes
resemble the whetting of knife on n
stone. and set ones teeth ON edge.
They were nh aStir in the dim light.
and talking noiSily of the promise OF
the worm-crop for the season.
He law for a moment half-hewlldcred
nj thu votifcration and seeming protaIl-
ity of the creatures, when human
voice broke in. which he recognized rs
the milkman's.
BE the howly poker. its not joking
/ am. Mary Mahoncv. She's kilt an
murdered ;"
Och honey, lit was the cooks voice
that walled out this-'and sure its
like The Green-eved Monster: or The
Secret Murder, that l was a-readm'
Biddy las, night Ochl We make me
blood run cowld intirely Did We git a
sight nv her. Misther O'Dowd?"
Faith an | didn't wild the crowner
To the fore. but | was after spakin' wild
the dacint woman who does the
wurruk-they only kape an upstairs
eurrul besides. Sure Miss Stirling gave
them both the lave to go to weddin'
last night. and said She wouldn't be
afeared, as Misther Rob would be