The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-08-03
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MY LOVE TEST'.1

JACK WaSA pOOfGlS1leIAlaHeAu III poor.
fshernan's daughter.aa We could give
each other nothing bufSlove, yet his
was to me the greatest wealth the world
could hold, and for three weeks were as
happy as any foolish lovers can be-
Then the first shadow fell on my life
TWAS lovely evening in early autumn,
and Jack had taken me out with him On
the water. The red sunlight was tinging
the white sails, as the boats beneath,
lying at their anchors, rocked
to and fro, with the heavMg of
the pillows, and The fishermen calling
cheerily to each 4other the result of the
days labor. Jack alone was silent. IL:
gave some strong, hard pulls, that placed
MS beyond reach of their voices which
rang far over tlie sea from the rocks that
lined the Beach, then rested upon his
oars and turned his handsome, sunburnt
face to mine He had such an easy gen
tlemanly way about him, 80 different in
every respect from the rough compan-
ions with whom | had lived since my
childhood, that | often wondered how
LIZ CtIcu " lCdll VIC 1lIc 1lt uIO
Jennie" he said, my mind is made
up. can't live this way any longer; SO
IN q g gxil E; away" =
"I know" he added; with smile, at
the amazement in my face, "that you
think me foolish, and will 90 all III your
power to prevent NE, but"
Il shall do no such thing" Interrupt
81, rather proudly. of course it's noth4:
ing to NE. When do you.go??'''$z:= r.
"Don't be angry. I,ilss,," 1t. pleaded,
land Tll tell YOU all about it. You see'
DEAR though / love water like my life,
Pm too lazy here to do enough to keep
you and me alive It's no use to say
anything more about it, except, indeed"
with his pleasant laugh, chat I leave
for the city Tomorrow
My face fell dislnally.
"The city! we may Us we'll say good
bye forever, then, for you'll SOON. forget
mefthere." ; =" : =.
j Shall ren,e1nber'slll my life the look.
he gave me, from his beautiful eyes, and
flush.
nie?' =
l answered him never u word and we
rowed home in silence There's. was a
sudden GOODNESS between US when We
parted, which l knew was all SmyltauIt.
| would ll4tlet iim kiss me good by, SO
he left me half angrilV in the. dusk, and
wentoufinto the world. returned to my
simp1eddties with heavy heart. He
meyer wrote me letteryto tell me how
leigetpn, but now and then. I'd get a
line slike-rr 80 Have coufageY dear, a little
longer, land, how il, made me. hate.
myself because I had. doubted him
for. s~s knew by the few Simple
words that he MAS: true to me. Bit the
shadows decpened around 1ne; my faith
'er died leaving me quite alone in the
World, sal1d it WAS now, when | most
needed his comfort and aid, that Jack
leftoff writing. o., the weary, weary
days Then when was about despair
ing. help that | least expected, came to
me. < lady i'll the distant city, where
had been but once in my life, heard Of
me in some unaccountable way, and
ofafedsme, a home, and a liberal monc,'
alloW vance f1Woutd be q companion to
her.z: She was very wealthy, az invalid,
and must be,sswi4ling to submit to her
every whim, but as.17ny patience had
been tried already,:.and stil WAS notnow
out, Iwent and
l. 4IOW lllSC ~ HtS. 1flIfCt
there in the evening. 1t had stor.ncd
all: day, and the night was cold and dark
Was it a bad omen I wondercd' Mrs
Hathaway's carriage WAS waiting for me,
and l, seemed to be in Il dream, as | was
driven to her beautiful house. | did not
see her until:I had my tea in the room
that was to be mine--perfect fairy land j,
with what l.had been accustOmed-and
fixed my hair. anew, the Wavy, golden,
brown hair that Jack had praised so Of
ten. Then, with flushed cheeks and rap
idly beating heart, I: was led by a liver
led footman to the drawing room to meet
my mistress. She was stately lady, with
a proud, handsome face, which, although
not old, was surrounded by masses OF
soft: silky hair, white as snow, and wore
a heavy black silk, that rustled when
she came towards NE. Was this the in
valid that had come to care for?
Miss H;trmun.' :.
I started as heard my name pro,
nounced, and felt the cold, light touch oi
You are tired, my dear, and cold; sit
down and rest yourSof.'
Her voice was very. kind, and full Ut
pity; for WAS shiVering violently, al
though my cheeks burned, and | obey
ed her without word.
"Jackl"! She TURNED away from hle
now to another part Of the room, and
my eyes felt for the first time upon
gentleman standing before. a cheerful
ssfre with one hand: IN his pocket and the
Eother ontstretched to the blaze. 80. - Sonne
here, and let me Introduce you. : Mis-
HaIinp ;iily SON: =: He furngu<his head,
!: gaVe.ip IA tzcareless nod, and did: not
move ;aKutl / had spHen him, and my heart
: seemed tosstai1d Sstill:s,I ..did not faint,
: though Lcould feel the ::.co]er leave my
face as an: icy, chill ran over me. Then /:
was myself again; yet notmyself. H.. ;:
!. ) ssJ3Gk.""3 His mother went on, "is*Ayis
in the ibrary?; I wish you would bring
herin here, that sheSmay meet my yo1ng:
sfrlend." (, -. -
!. Even though Ire: stood in. the shadow,
II couldSsee his face light .ipAWjth bis old ).
rare: smile, and then whist(ing. laerflly
he left the room =. Z :s:, ,.s $50 =.
x g Avis is my nice" Mrs. HatIa@6y IN
formed me, and, we waited His return.
::r1sSsshesis an orphan and an heiress, 50 you
must pardon her il: she is 9 little peculiar
She has been hume red All her life. .17rsr.
s<s.' size says; Jack putsinat this point,
with a low, rich laugh, "that. she can't
come. she is busy reading, and would
like Miss Harmon to come to her"
go no, no." began easily: It. was
the first time r had spoken and my own
voice sounded strange to me. 81 shall
not like to disturb hen, Any ether time
shall do as well.' =.
"You mad better cone," Jack answer
ed co]dly, with no sign Of reconciliation
in his face "ssince $ he has sent for YOU
Then with bitterness remembered my
station, and 4neekly. followed him
Miss Avis Hathaway was like her
name, slight and fair, with a low, cooling
voice and merry red lips that parted Of
ten in soft laughter. She rose, half Ian
gi1aidly; as we entered, and extended to
me her pretty white hand. After that
the two hardly noticed me. and l
sat apart and listened to Jacks torment
ing voice, as he tried to prevent her
reading and make her talk to him. So
the day Us went on, aud grew into weeks,
the weeks into months, and yet no
words Of explanation passed betwcenus
Though we were often thrown together
alone, he was the same utter stranger to
me as. at other times, and gradual
ly I.became as proud and Indifferent as
himgeFs Bat the clhngatoM upon me.