, 1882-06-16


for Your thoughts, Herr Allen.
The instant the words were spoken
she would have given worlds to recall
them. He was only u boy tn" inhu
ence of the music, the twilight, the
dainty presence near him, swept hlm
into a current he could not resist.
Shall I tell you May | tell you,
Louise ,"
He had never called her by her
name before, and she knew, as any
woman would have known, what it
meant Some good angel must have
helped her just then, With one of
her graceful movements peculiar to
her, she arrested the words he would
have spoken, and held out toward
him little curl of yellow hair wrapped
in tissue paper, with only the name
Alice " and the date June lst 1S7-.
This fell from your prayerbook
to-day, Mr.. Allen"
In the moment of silence that fol
lowed, while the clinging curl lay on
his palm, there arose before him the
vision of the district school house
where he had learned of winters to
cipher and spell of pale face bent
faithfully over book and slate; of a
little brown hand which had been
slipped confdingly in his of little
girl he had last seen gazing wistfully
after him, the wind blowing her calico
dress about her He thought of a
pile of letters in his desk, written
with what painstaking care he would
never know, and with a pang Of re-
morse he remembered that the last
one had lain for weeks unanswered
My friend. 5" a clear voice broke in
upon his thoughts, "can you not tell
me about it or" archly, "can l
guess ?"
He was bewildered A moment
before he had been on the verge Of
telling Louise Van Dyke of his love
for her. Was he now to tell her in
stead about that plain country lass
who loved him, he knew? q? 1t seemed
so. With a few skillful words she
drew from him the whole story, hOr
he never knew. He had scarcely
thought of Alice Dare for weeks, but
now with a rush of pity and remorse
he recalled her pale, wistful face. 1t
was not long before Louise Van Dyke
knew it all, supplying from her wom-
anly instinct what he left untold.
How he had been bound out to old
Farmer Dare until he was seventeen.
How in his pity for the delicate child
whose life was utterly devoid of every
thing beautiful, he had tried, by the
scant means in his power, to help her,
and she in return had given him all
the love of her starved heart: He
had seen her but once in all the
six struggling years since he had
left Elben Dare's and went out into
the world to carve name for him
self and then-he could not tell Lou
ise Van Dyke how she had thrown
herself with q sob into his arms.
When the story was told, silence
reigned for a time in the shadowy
room. Then Louise spoke softly,
land you will go back for her some
day, will you not ?"
John Allen arose and paced the
room with hasty steps. Could he
give up without struggle the wom-
an he loved for the one who loved
him Too much was asked of him.
The snow fell noislessly without,
the church chimed q summons
to evening prayer, and still in John
Aliens heart the struggle went on.
At last Louise could endure it no
longer. Do not call her unwomanly.
She arose, and, taking Johns hand,
led him to the window Then her
voice rang out as clear as q bell.
John Allen, / am disappointed in
you if for one moment you hesitate.
Over those hills some one is waiting
until you come to take her away
from her barren, loyeless life out in
to the freer life you have found,
where your care and love will com
pensate for what her young years
have lost, And II offer you a
woman's friendship; for hold that
between man and woman friendship
can exist as loyal and abiding as
those between man and man. Ioffer
you all the help l can give. You
have never known a sister. May l
be one to you ?"
Her voice faltered q little here her
glorious eyes were wet, her cheeks on
fire, and it seemed to John Allen al
most as if the place where she stood
were holy ground-as if he were not
worthy to kiss the hem of her gown
Years afterward two men, both
politicians, both brilliant speakers,
one so-called self-made man, tho
other a wealthy, high-bred man of
the world, were snow-bound for a
long winter night on a western
bound train. Their conversation
had been on deeper subjects than the
light chat ofmere travelling acquaint-
ances is apt to touch upon. At last,
Senator Allen, opening his notebook,
let fall well-worn photograph of an
earnest, girlish face. Picking it up
he loo ked at it reyerently, then hold