The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-11-04

'tOnc III, ! aul bne s(lu, nOlulllg out
/ her hand towards me. You're az tired
as can be, I'm sure
just the same welcome as ever; but
there was something in the ring of her
voice that told me wasn't altogether
wanted there that day, or at least |
thought 50. However, sitting down on
the porch, | stopped on for some little
time, making her tell me all the gossip of
the village. OF course, the arrival Of
the soldiers came up among other things
and by the flush that overspread the
girls pale check, as she told me this bit
of news. | felt sure that the mischief was
done, and that Amice Ryder was heart
whole no longer.
Did your soldier give you that rose
my lass :? | asked suddenly.
For the first time in my life saw
Amicc angry. She did not vouchsafe
any answer to my question, but rising
from her seat, she turned abruptly away
ard buised herself in the house, getting
some Srcfreshments ready for me-
which hardly deserved after my imper
Thence.
As | smoked my pipe peacefully in
the porch, ! thought it all over, and
made up my miud it was nothing to do
with me if Amicc had lover. Her
father could lool, after her interests bet
ter than could; only soldiers were such
queer chaps; they so often pretended
what they never meant, and ! was too
fond of Amice to see her treated that
way
Suddenly, as sat in the quiet spring
sunshine | saw a man telling up the as
cent that led to l'yders cottage. His
red coat hanging on his arm showed him
20 be a soldier. His hat was off and |
could see his face distinctly.
"Amicc,' | called out, loudly, "Amice,
come here Then as she neared me, |
continued: is yon the man that is quar-
tered here, at your fathers houseY
| For moment she looked out little
anXiously; then said, quickly: "fes,
that's him, PAU"
Without another word | left her and
walked down the steep road to within "A
short distance of the approaching figure;
then stopped dead and waited for the
man to come towards me. lie was look
ing down on the ground as he swung
! himself up the steep way. Suddenly he
raised his eyes and they met mine full
Ah, me, how his face changed as he did
| so,
"What do you want now?" he gasped
ont.
"Only to let you know that am here,
and can guess the game that you are
playing returned. ''As long as you
remember that, you're safe from me-
Forget it, and | shall keep silence no
longer
With Il rough laugh, he turned away,
and left me standing alone; then I
slowly remounted the rocky path, with a
heavy weight at my heart, and prepared
myself for what could say to the girl who
was waiting for my return above She
stood watching me from the porch, where
the roses were growing i'll their wild
beauty, and | could see a wondering sort
of look in her face as | came near her /;
but she never spoke a word nor asked a
single question. was bit out of
breath after my tug uphill, and as what
had to say wanted all the calmncss and
quietncss | could muster, waited silent
for n time; then took her hand in my
withercd one.
"Amice, my lass" said, "Iye known
You since you were a wee thing toddling
about here, and seen you grow into the
woman you are with near as much pride
as your father could do, and on the
strength of that old friendship / want
you to make me promise.
No answer, only she held her head a
bit higher, and looked me straight in the
face unfnchngly,
"Will you grant an old mans whim,
Amice = | said again.
81 must wait until hear what it is
first. Paul, she replied.
| "Well its this. I've a fancy,a strange
fancy, to be one of the guests at your
wedding, Amice, and the promise | want
from you is this: five days before your
marriage send me word to come to it,
She laughed merrily, her old uncon,
scious laugh, that somehow it hurt me to
| hear.
"Oh, you silly old Paul." she said,
blushing slightly, sis that all you've been
making such a mystery about? Well
yes, promise
/ looked at her earnestly. "Amice,
| said you've given me your promise,
and | trust you. Whatever persuasion
you may get to the contrary, you give
me your honest word that old Paul, the
peddler, shall come to your wedding 2
"Ics, she said, Il do Paul, really and
truly"
And then was satisfied, for | knew
a girl with such truthful eyes as herr
couldn't stoop to deceit.
After telling her how to let me know
when | was wanted, so seriously that she
again began to laugh at me, | left tn,
cottage, refusing all her invitations tc
stay, for | knew the same roof couldn'
shelter me and the man she had choser
for her lover, without some harm coming
of it, So | went down into the village
for the night, and tramped next day
feeling more downcast than had eve
done before at leaving Sandridge behinC
me.
Dlhg lNN lupltllS pisSCN away UC
fore the summons | had been fearing
came. Amice was going to be married
and wrote to bid me come to the wed
ding, As luck would have it, the mes
sage was delayed, Notwithstanding al
my care that it should be forwarded t.
me directly it reached the place l ha
told Amice to send it to, and I only 90
it day and half before the affair cam
off.
There were few railroads in those day
remember, so had to start on foot, an,
walk day and night in order to reao
Sandridge in time; and a heavy jaun
it was, for ! was none SO young as
used to be, At last the wearsome ioul
ney neared its end, and the little fishin
village came in sight, lying quietl
among the hills in the late autumnal SUI
shine, did not wait to get up to Be
l ltydcrs cottage, for | could tell by tn