Claiborne guardian., 1881-08-10
A Little Street Singer.
BIT ANSABEL DWIGHT.

"Oh, Reuben, | am SO sorry! | do
not care for yon in that wa,!'
The spe .ker WAS n young girl OF
eighteen, slender and graceful, with
short and loosely curling golden
hair, framing "a bright young face
whose patural expression Was Que
of archurss and mirth. just now.
however, a look of shocked SUI prise
had swept across II, as, with her
luminous blue eyes upliited to her
companions face, she spoke the
words written above.
The man beside her was tall and
Nalwart; not a handsome man 10y
any means, but a man whose brow
bore the impress of truth aud honor,
whose eyes were clear and kind,
and whose heart had harbored
never "A mean or ungeuerOus thought
III all the tweuty five years Of his
existence.
His cheek was pale now, and
with IA visible effort he smiled aud
answered gently:
Never mind, Valerie; am sorry
to have panied you, dear child; Tor.
! get my unIucky words
The girls wisttut eyes still chung
to his tace, and, stopping, he touch
ed gravely and tendeIly with his
lips her broad, white brow. aud
turned away, his hasty stride crush
/ ing the sweet clover blooms which
dotted the broad pasture, while
Valerie ran in'u the big farm house
aud UP TO her little white.washrd
chamber, where ior long honr she
wcpt in an abandonment OF griet
which left her lauguld and heavy.
eyed.
The Chadwicks had been so kind
To her. Mr. Chadwick had adopted
her when miserable little orphan
she had nearly wept her heart out
over her mothers dead body.
Reuben had been like dear
brorher-np,rr could any brother
b- klnd-r or more helpful and ten.
der than he had been; and 10 think
that he should want To MARI, her.
How strange il seemed. She had
never thought of him as ii lu>er-
oh, no! Her fair iact flushed there
in the solitude of brr room as she
remembered another, dark browed
and passionate, who had whispered
burning words ct love IL her iHHo
cent ears. and with whom she had
planned TO leave the house whose
roof had sheltered her for 80 many
safe and bHrp, years,
What a base return tor all the
, tenderness OF dear Mother Chad
wick, tor All the indulgencies of the
otd tatmer. tor all the loyal love o
their son Reuben.
Her heart was filed with mispra
ble shame for herself, Yet 40 strong
was her passion for her love-ai
actor in u third rate Italian troupe
which had been performing III thu
little country town-that her dc
termination to fy with him tha
night was unshaken.
Consequently, there was coDster
nation, grief and horror unspaka
/ Dlc III lUt nOfiit ClitIt vi NbV io''o"
!, ing morning when it WAS discover
ed that Nalerlr's bed had not bee'
slept in, and when Nalrrle's litll
- tear stained note WAS found upoi
her dressing case; II note Wild AM
iucoh-rent enough, giving no cie'
to the companion OF her flight, oul
=" stating that she Was going ava
with one for whose love she Wa
willing TO sacrifice all other happ
ness-unr whom they wou,d nu
approve, hut in whom she VII
!. proud 10 trust; and begging thri
to thlnk M gentle ut her as possible
That WAS all.
Aud the years went by, hut II
!. Valerie returned u Them. The ol
farmer and his wife were laid SID
b, side in the quaint little gra>'
y yard Oh the bill, aud R-ut~n Cha'
wick. With his brown heks gaihe
Jug silver threads with every yea