River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-11-24


Furniyal all the home news. Grace
and Belle were doubling and fitting the
covers, and Ellice, with a big apron
over her pretty pink dress, was past
ing.
They had been hard at work for two
| hours, and the piles of clean tidy books
were almost complete, when handmade
Jenny opened the door.
/ "a gentleman. please, mann, wants
/ to see you In the library els, please
, man," and she handed Miss Furnival
card. The mistress looked at it won
deringly, and then left the room and
crossed the hall. holding it in her hand.
Who could "John Collin Cameron, NJ.
| D." be?
| A tall, young man standing by the
| window turned as she entered and bow
ed, and said with smile, as he gave
| her letter
This will explain my intrusion, ma
DAM" Miss Furnival read
'sMY DEAR OLD FRIEND MARY FURSI-
VAL: / hear by side wind that you
are still living at Dorley. Long years
have passed since we met; but it is to
me an impossible thing to think that
my school sweetheart Mary can have
cast out an old affection. In this faith
have desired my good son to call up
ON you. / want to hear about you,
and | want you to know him. You
will like him for his own worth, | well
know; but at first be kind to him, for
the sake of your old friend,
! "MARGARET BLAKE CAMERoS."
Miss Furnival put out her hand with
cordial eagerness.
This is pleasure to me, DIR. Cam
eron Pray, come into the other room
and nave tea with one, and tell me the
history of all those silent years. 1t is
so long since | heard of your mother
that really did not recognize yeur
name, am sorry to say"
So the young man stopped his tall
head through the two low doorways,
ald followed his hostess into a long
quaint room, smelling all of roses.
Well it might. for there were roses on
the mantel piece, roses looking in at
open windows. roses in the middle of
the tea table, which stood ready, COW
cred with dainty white damask and
delicate old china and shining silver,
and heaped up with ripe red straw
berries.
When the ceremony of introduction
had been duly performed, and the doc
tor was talking to Miss Furnival, lie
glanced now and then at the three
pretty girls whose acquaintance he had
so suddenly made. One was In white,
another in black, and another all pink,
like the roses.
Poor Ellice 1t was embarrassing to
be in this trim, covered up with one of
Susan's great kitchen aprons
Hostess and guests were all sorry
when the next hour was passed. Colin
Cameron had been so entirely thrown
into the society of men only, since his
settlement at Middleham, that this
daintily appointed board, and this
group of fair women seemed to him like
getting a glimpse into the "House
Beautiful in Bunyan's allegory, while
to his fellow guests, the impromptu
addition to their party of this intelli-
sent, world-experienced man gave
peculiar interest and piquancy to Cous-
in Mary's always pleasant entertain
ment. When tea was over DR.. Gamer
on rose, and, with a courteous express
ion of regret at leaving such good
company, said he must go on to see
Dr. Main, the village doctor, who had
asked him to come over and consult
with him on a difficult case. So he
was initiated in the easy geography of
Dorley and went his way.
Soon afterward Grace and Belle set
off homeward, having call to make
on the way, while Ellice stayed to
help Miss Furnival number the books,
in correspondence with the catalogue.
She would go home by the fields, she
said, later.
Conlin Cameron was walking home
to Middleeam in the dusk by the field
way from Dorley to Tito, which is on
the high road The moon, nearly at
the full, was raising clear and golden;
the air was full of fragrance from
poisoning bean field; nightingale
was singing in the larch spinny.
Colin leaned on the gate, listening,
enjoying the lovetiness of the time.
AS he stood, drinking in the sweet in
fluences about him, his mind turned
to the case he had been talking over
with Dr. Main, and to an operation
that fixed to take place tomorrow, and
with these thoughts mingled vision
of dark-haired girl with kind eyes
and little brown hands. Ellice, they
called her-a pretty name. She was
about the age Mary would have been
if she had lived and then the young
man sent tender thought toward his
daughterless widowed mother in her
| tiny frugal home in the North County.
The bird music ceased; and Colin
| strobe on. But he suddenly stopped,
startled, as on the other side of a high
stile, he saw a figure seated on the
grass.
us anything the matter? Can ]
help your" and then, as he recognized
the white face in the twilight, in quite
another tone he said. "What is the
matter, Miss Holt?"
Poor little EIice had been very
brave till now, but the sudden friendly
voice and helpful presence overcame
her, and she burst into tears, and said
brokenly-
Chow stupid ami but I thought no
body would ever come, and my foot
hurts so badly"
Before the words were said, the doc
| tor was down on his knees beside her,
/ feeling what was amiss.
evil you please go and tell them at
home, Dr. Cameron, that some one
may come and help me. Our house is
only few fields down there to the
right"
~ had better help you myself, l
think" said Colin. Can you manage
to walk?"
He helped her to rise and they went
a few steps, and he felt the culver of
pain that went through her as the hurt
foot touched the ground, and stopped.
''You might let me carry you, please.
| You won't mind. | can. quite easily"
There was much command as re-
quest in his words, and in moment
Elhce was lifted in his strong arms.
/ Through two fields they went. Then
through the dim silence the gate ahead
swung to with a bang and Ellice said
quickly:
"Oh, please set me down, DIR. Cam
eron That is my father, | expect,
come to look for me, and he will be so
| frightened"
| So Colin placed her quietly down,
and in a minute up came MIR. Holts
stalwart figure,
Ellice was afraid of her father being
alarmed, but can't say hisG larm was
,,.I, -, hn O., ~ h.S Ellt0o stand