Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1881-07-23

old Dan, a gallant roadster, and am soon |
sweeping away madly down the rough |
village road
Man, and such fool.
A pleasant ride changes my thoughts,
and come back to meet Pappoose on the
gallery, with tiny nosegav, which she
offers, and says
g Let me pin this on your coat 1t
may keep you In q good humor"
How did you know was angry, or
in bad humor? 2
Look at that chair; ;" and she walks
over, picks mp my fallen chair, sets it
down straight with thud, and with an
air of intense anger, stamping her pretty
foot she says, "There now! !"
Then, breaking into ringing laugh,
she trips away.
After she leaves | am still standing on
the gallery, leaning against post, whip
ping myself with my riding whip, when
ont in the road in front of the house
whom do l see but Pappoose on Dan,
galloping wildly down the road If the
horse is tired there is no danger what
ever but if he is not, and gets the least
bit excited, he will kick her I start to
stop her, but she has passed in a minute.
| 90 in to see her mother. She only
says:
Don't fret yourself. If anybody on
earth can ride him she can.
An hour afterward she is brought III
limp and helpless and bleeding from a
wound in her forehead.
A plain room, with plain paper decora-
tons A cheerful tireside, an old
fashioned hearth, and a coy armchair
in which | am seated alone. No, not
quite alone; for on downy couch over
against the window pane, where she first
stamped her pretty feet, lies my little
Pappoose, pale aud thin and sad. She is
sleeping now, her loose hair, like a
/ shadowy covering, hides the frlnged
eyelids, and one fair arm Is thrown over
/ her head Outside it is showing, cold
and bitter. Her mother has left me to
watch her moment. She has been
very low, Dan having thrown her on q
rock and almost crushed her tender
skull ''Concussion of the brain,' the
doctors said. Five days we have
watched and waited, and she is still
unconscious.
The weary hours we watch over our
loved ones, i'll or dying, are the most
miserable of our lives. How We tremble
at the senseless glance of the eye, the
glow or pallor Of the cheek, the wild
mutterings of discontented dreams OF
delirium
But to-day the WEAKNESS passed away
as l heard Pappoose turn on her couch
and say:
"Mr. Walter"
Quick as thought l am by her side
and her hand is in mine.
"Where is mammal
=" She is down stairs, little Pappoose.
"Why are you watching me?"
Because | love you, Pappoose
"Won't mamma do it?' -
"Yes, she has just left you. Yo1
don't care for me staying with you, d'
vou?"
"How long have you been here?''
"Only few minutes.
, 'sYou had better go away. | an
, we'll"
| 90 out in the cold can't under
, stand it. / believe Pappoose loves me
+ but she is SO artless and childish in he
, manner, that | cannot tell. For som
t reason dare not ask her feel hart
| and yet know not why. Her mothe
+ asked me to remain III the room fe7
| minutes while she was sleeping. Was
: maiden modestv, or does she dislike me
i I walked up the street with the sno'
j drifting in my face, a north wind twistin
| nv hair into curls with its cold fierc.
+ ness. Two men in front of me, mutfle
up in warm ulsters, are talking rapid
r as they hurry through the cold. One {
o them says:
She's a good one That young fello
t Bascom thinks he has got 1t all his ow
i way: : but wait till che goes and she
l come back to me quickly Laura low,
ME better than anybody else in Il
). world"
!, NY name is Walter Bascom, and Pal
Il pooses name is Laura. My jealous fame
l makes the application Immediately.
: follow them up, and stop the first a
:" Quaintance | meet to ask the names
It the two men. One IL q gambler, tt
e other, who spoke of Laura, is the keep
# of variety theatre in the town h
name Is joyce.
r, Maddened with pain and anguish,
(. retrace my steps l find Laura sittil
= kind, but says:
J. Mr.. Walter. beg your pardon
N am very grateful for your kindness
!. NE
i am feeling mean, and I say
~ Il would be glad 10 see YOU lookil
/ SO well, but il seems Mr. joyce wou
NJ be better pleased.
How the dear tender face, the piteo
wall come back 10 NE after the lapse
years. She droops over like flower c
ar down. Her breathing Is faint, and
r can see the prlsations through I
ba recent wound
!" Poor little Pappoose, She never spo
again. She Is dead now and | ne'
~ knew and never shall know whether
~ unhindncss killed her or not.
NO II seems like dream from which
l1e have awakened. The village is bu
le memory. the churchyard where Lat
w lies myth and Lulie, who is nv "
r. now. kisses the sadness from my br
I and SAYS
of IT was a dream, Walter-a lo