The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-01-28
ON an air too hot and tired 10 stir into

from an air too hot and tired 10 stir into
q wind
Dear, said Eta, suddenly, 'do You
know that papa goes to Europe to-mor-
row for six weeks"
"No, hadn't heard word Of it. 1t
must be o very sudden move"
Every. He only made up his mind
last night"
"You are not going too, as you thought
You would on his next trip"
"No, can't get ready"
eta" says Jimmie, after a moments
pause, "have you the courage for a bold
step while he is away?"
"No-oh, mol" cried the frightened
girl. II can't do it. Why don't you
ask for his consent?"
Because I would never get it. He
will only give you to a rich man, and
that won't be for some time. If you
marry me now he will easily give In, and
will then have an interest in pushing us
on. and will help us more than he would
help me alone. 1t rests with you, and if
you can't agree to this, we may rs well
give up nil our hopes"
"Wait until tomorrow, and I'll try and
answer then" Turning quickly to the
carriage behind them, she adds: 1--WE
will go home now, and l will think until
the morning. No, you mustn't talk to
me - imperiously, rs he commences to
speak.
Very charming she looks, with her lit
tie, naughty air, but very commanding,
and her lover very wisely leaves her to
the balancing of duty and inclination, of
prudence and self-will, that is so sure to
turn in his favor. All through the even
| ing and the next forenoon she Is the
usual bright fairy that her father wor-
ships but hardly has the carriage left
the door when she turns to Jimmie, who
is standing behind her, with the words
81 will go with you tomorrow"
Poor little lips! How white they are,
and how they culver! Jimmie Gordon
really loves her, and is very earnest in
the ambition that first prompted him;
but for few moments he waivers in his
purpose, so cruel in its sacrifice of this
victim to destiny so uncertain. He
can hardly be blamed for the utter sell
fishness of his plan when we think of the,
to him, tremendous value of the prize,
and the training that has never taught
him his intentions are wrong simply be-
cause it has never held up to him the
possibility of them; but still he cannot
help feeling his responsibility in stealing
defenseless girl from her home, and
doing it by means of systematic deceit
toward both her and her father. Only
for q few moments does this last, and he
Il I. a..
so lovingly, even in its terror, clinging
to the manliness that she sees In the
fierce triumph shining out of his eyes.
The next day all the soft beauty has
gone out of Nature, and her sterner
mood seems aroused by the unnatural
betrayal of hospitality and deliberate
deception instead of being allayed by the
happiness of the lovers. The water that
forty-eight hours before spoke only OF
the Skimpole side of life with its lazy nc
cent. now lNshes itself to wake to the
coming storm. The gentle tapping of
the waves is changed to an uneasy rush
and hoarse whisper; their bright diamond
points give way to a dull, leaden hue
that is only hardened by the white caps
cleaning with their continuous energy
as far as the eye can reach. As our run
aways fly along on the railway to Roches-
ter, they see the storm-rack
!'Come rolling in ragged and brown"
and in that sheet of spray and rain and
wind, each movement overtaking and
hiding another and another sail, they
think they see a shadow of the darkness
living before them and forbidding
glimpse of their future.
OF this part of their story there is lit
to tell. Ii we were to follow them we
would see them on the wedding-tour,
happy in the present, and thinking little
of any trouble to come. Then came the
return of Mr. Larton, his grief at his
daughters flight and anger at her hus-
bnnd: his inquiries, too late, about jim
ME by letters and even detectives, with
the reports of mortal turpitude and bad
reputation that the detectives feel bound
to give him to Justify their use and their
! pay; and finally comes the day when,
under the influence of these reports, of
his hurt pride and disappointed affection,
and spurred on by his wifes cautious en-
enlargement, he writes to Mr.. and Mrs.
! Gordon, waiting for his answer i'll New
York, that they shall never enter his
! house.
We will pass over the receipt of this
letter, with its message of sorrow TO
Eta, of anger and bitter disappointment
to Jimmie; over the brief year after the
marriage, while they live modestly ON a
few thousand dollars that Eta had in
her own bank account at the time of the
elopement; over the awful day when,
this giving ont, a letter begging pardon
and reconciliation is replied to with:
'DEAR SIR-Your favor of the 2Sth received
My letter to you of year since fully covers the
question upon which you touch Please con-
slider our intercourse and correspondence closed.
''Yours truly, HENRY LAEToN."
And the storm-rack closed down over
them, driving into their very souls the
mist and cold
The little girl born few weeks before
this Is their only child, and its babyhood
knows only hardship; but when, at five
years old, she begins to delight her
father with miniature of Eta Larton
that trouble has so quieted and changed
into Eta Gordon, she has q father who
is n man, instead of the selfish. lazy
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