Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-26

called on Elsie, who tried to hide her
growing fondness for his company. He
was wealthy, INDECENT and gifted with
persuasive tongue. Elsie loved ease,
lacked firmness of principle and will,
and, although she imagined herself
faithful to Nathaniel, her heart was
slowly but surely being beguiled away
from the true and steadfast love of an
upright man.
Nathaniel watched her with brood
| ing tenderness. He was so loyal him
self that he would instinctively notice
any wavering on Elsie's part, he thought;
| yet the eyes of loveare often blinded by
sell. confidence, and when Elsie came
to him and laid her golden head against
his arm, as she often did in the autumn
cleaning, Nathaniels happiness was too
| deep to be delusive, and he would hold
her to his breast as if nothing could
ever wrest her from his faithful arms
Poor Elsie little did she know of the
passionate depth and power of this
| strong mans love. His homage was
hers by right, and she accepted it as
some Princess might the service of her
vassals. She never thought how desc
late that life would be if bereft of her
love-how barren of hope or happiness
would be his darkened future; for, if
he erred in any sense, it was in the
strength and purity of the love he laid
at her feet.
The purple haze of Indian summer
was lying on the hills. The sun sailed
through the mist like great ball of
flame, and pillows of dead-brown leaves
swept up the ravines, as Nathaniel Holt
trudged down the mountain path, his
brown cheek flushed with exercise, and
his eyes kindling with love as the old
farmhouse, with its many windows
stained with amber, and tall gables
draped with scarlet runners, came In
view. His mother sat on the porch
bathed in rift of ruby sunshine, but
he looked in vain for Elsie-Elsie who
had promised to come up the mountain
path to meet him. Something like the
murmur of voices attracted his atten-
ton, and, turning into a side path, he
came upon Elsie and Lewis Walton
seated on messy log, with their faces
turned from him. Walton's hunting
jacket and gun lay On the ground, and
Elsie's hat had fallen at her feet, while
the fair glowing face was upturned to
the hazy November sky, as if she dared
not, yet longed to meet the fire of the
black eyes that seemed to read the in
nermost thoughts of her heart.
Elsie-Elsie," the soft persuasive
; voice was saying, "be wise, and listen
to me. You do not love Nathaniel
Holt as women love men they marry"
Nathaniel is so good, and has been
like q brother to me since mammals
DEATH" murmured Elsie, by way of
protest, while Nathaniel stood as if
rooted to the spot, his breath coming in
, thick, hot gasps.
That's just it, Elsie; you have mis-
taken your feelings. Instead of the love
you should give him, you will reward
2 his great love-for he does love you
deeply-with warm, sisterly affection.
/ All! Elsie, think in time-I love you as
: I have never loved before, and, Elsie,
J you love me-" said Lewis Walton, as he
put his arm around her slender waist
| and drew Elsie's happy face to his
, bosom, and covered the warm, red lips
with kisses.
, Nathaniel Holt fed from the spot
| Ike hunted deer. The veins on his
temples stood out like whip-cords, and
) dry, voiceless sobs broke from him as
? he sank down on the messy turf and
: buried his face in the cedar spears that
J lay inch deep on the moist ground.
+ Never again could he take Elsie Mari
ans false face in his hands and kiss it
with lovers kisses. For she had will
} fully given up the pure, honest love OF
? his guileless heart for the love of man
who, in the sight of God, If not in the
? sight of men, was legally bound to an.
other. Perhaps he had been mistaken
} in himself, but this he knew, he had
made an idol of her and given her such
, love as no human being should Lavish
on fellow-creature, be they ever SC
perfect, and God had seen the foolish
ness of his idolatrous love, and punished
:, him sorely for it.
r After his passion of grief had spent
Q itself, he arose and turned into thu
s path that led homeward, feeling yer.
much as if he had stood beside Elsie
t Marian's grave and saw her laid in it
s His face had grown white and hard ant
l stern in that short but bitter struggle
8 and the brown eyes were full of grie
}, too deep for tears. He felt faint anG
n dizzy when he saw Elsie standing a
,, the meadow gate alone, and the light o
J. her newly-awakened love in her blu
n eyes.
e "Nathaniel"-s she speaks nervously
e for her womanly instinct tells her some
thing is wrong-"what has happened
% You are late"
h "Just this, Elsie"-he takes her hand
d in his and turns his set, white fac
away from her-"I have lost something
/, out of my life which I shall never
8, never own again-an untroubled mind
q and, Elsie, dear, forgive me if I hav
/ mistaken gratitude for love, and he'll
e, you against your will. Take the ma
of your choice, Elsie, and Heave
N grant you may not find your Happiness
Dead-sea fruit"
j. "Oh, Nathanielp Elsie's tears ar
,e falling over the hard, brown hands;
n. did not deserve your love-I do not d.
If serve your kindness now"
"Gol" he says, gently, and Elsie slip
ID past him, leaving him to conquer til
ut rush of feeling that threatened to owe
n, power him. At length he felt stron
le enough to face his future, and went il
w to the house with look on his fac
to that told his mother the hour sh
Id dreaded had come; for, with the kee
r. instincts of her sex, she had foresee
the result of Lewis Walton's attention
IL and was more grieved than surprise
sr, when Nathaniel told his pitiful story.
VI Elsie was uarriad The first sno