Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-14
,rvto have friends in that town, I made

ortwo alone. IL was Saturday alter
noon, lovely weather, and set out Tor
| a walk. well known in years gone by,
through the Lovers lane, past QUAR-
Abbey to Fish-house, nesting by the
waters side. 1t was 50 warm, and the
country was so alive with beauty, that
took my time and fingered, nothing
snots memory once held dear. Reaching
Quar- woods, / wandered through the
brIlshwood to the waters edge. Along
the shore there runs or ran wall, an
old. noss-erown wall, and within thin
wall a garden--so ancient it deserved no
better name than wilderness. The weeds
grew rank and thick, and no hand bat
natures had much to answer for In II.
There was an old, green gate at the
bottom, which moved on rusty hinges
under the trees was q garden gate, much
the worse for weather and wear; and on
the left was an old summer-house, damp
and mildewy, withsteps uPthe roof ana
seats upon it.
/ entered the garden and climbed up
to the old roof-seat. My pipe, III
sympathy with the weather, was sooth-
ing to my nerves, Gradually substance
became shadow; the soft wind sang
sweet music to my languid ears, and
gentle charm came over me. L fancy
it was sleep. Utopian to lie there, the
waveiets ripping upon the shore, dim
suspicion of unclouded skies prevailing
my dreams.
Something woke me-a sound. L
opened my eyes dreamily, conscious
that voices were somewhere near. L
Law listening with sort of curiosity,
and became aware that was listening
to the prattle of Children; little voices
where borne upon the breeze, children's
laughter mingling with the ripping
waves. But every now and then there
was another voice, not a chud's, yet
childlike. It was familiar to my ears,
and as listened its sound woke WITHIN
me chords of forgotten music. Before
many seconds had gone L knew II was
Ems voice | heard. But L did not
move, nor did turn TO see. l lay as
in q tower of strength, and it was
comfortable feeling to known that had
but to turn upon my elbow and there
before me would be the little lady who
once was my little sweetheart. But at
last moved. / rose upon my elbow
quietly, so as to make no noise, anu
looked over the side of the summer
house on to the garden below and there
saw her. She was on the seat under
the trees: about her were four children,
two bows and two girls. They stood ut
her knees, close together, watching her
make a chain of daisy flowers. She had
crown but not much; she was still lit
tie maiden, and it was plain she never
would rank among big woman. She
was dressed in blue-a little blue cap
perched daintily upon her head, still
poised like queens upon hershoulderS,
and q blue serge dress, which fitted her
better, noticed, than her dresses used
to do. Even from where L was could
see her blue eyes flashing and that
wonderful smile upon her face. She
was certainly prettier than of old, anu
see looked like maiden stepped down
from fairydOm.
! Law still and watched, content to be
near her. knew / had but to open
my lips and she would be with me on
the instant. But / did not choose.
preferred, like child, to play with
pleasure, spinning it out to its full
length. 1t was summers ecstacy, and
for a while would not break the charm.
But then the thought came to me,
was there? Wondering what the
answer might be, softly, hardly above
whisper, gentle called, Fan but
She, engaged with the dalSy-chaln ana
with her little ones, did not hear anu
| paidnO heed. So, smiling as watched
her. Il second time L called little
louder: "Emw But she did not hear.
! The daisy-chain and little ones seemed
to engross all her thoughts and my voice
blew past her with the wind. How
would it do, / thought, since she was SO
ohstinately deaf, to rouse her by con-
| fronting her? II she would not hear
| She should see, and her eyes, if not her
ears, be opened. With some such fancy
| / was lust about to rise and intrude my
| self upon her presence, when noticed
| the figure ola man coming down the
path. =. ,...-
ing our meeting, through / could have
! spared even them; but third party,
and stranger, did not want. SO L
waited till he should have none. He
was young man, a gentleman, beyond
a doubt, good looking, dressed in a gray
suit of Scotch tweed and bright red
| necktic. His was fair young face,
He had promising mOustache, which
| he Tended with one hand and he was
smoking mighty meerschaum. In
| stead of passing, rs / expected, when he
| reached the wall he paused and looked
at the group within. There was /, peep
ing over edge of the summer house,
wondering what kept him there. There
was he, leaning with one hand upon the
| moss-green wall. There was she, with
her daisy-chain and children at her
knees. Just as thought he would be
moving on. to my surprise he vault"t
lightly over the wall, hiding behind the
| very snmmer-hOuSe on which L sat.
Then quickly and quietly he passed
from tree to tree, rs though he wished
to do so unobserved, until at last he was
behind where the unsuspecting maiden
sat.
While watched with angry eyes he
darted from his hiding-place, ran TO her
| from behind, drew her head back to him
and kissed her twice or thrice upon the
| lips. The blood boiled within my veins
1 did not doubt that this was das-
| tarCi outrage, and that my darling heed
| ed a defender. In a minute vengeance
would have been done, and he or L
| WOJllu nave uttIl XIII INV bul hSh oA'
! wcr showed / was mistaken.
"Charlie" cried she, with that sweet
smile / knew so well, show can you
kiss me before the children?n
"Why not?n said he; don't / kiss
them before you?" And to prove his
words, he snatched up little girl and
kissed her again and again, she laugh
ing at the fun. Then he sat down by
her side, and putting his arms about
her drew to him. The daisy-chain
dropped to her lap, and she looked at
him as though ne was all the world to
her. Darling said he mot loudly,
but loud enough for me to hear, 81
have spoken to my mother about you
and me today, and she thinks l am
very foolish; but since / have been and
always will be so, she thinks l may as
well take you to be my little wife
though you will be very foolish for let
| ting me-"
Her answer was to lax her head upon
his shoulders and flash her blue eyes
with still softer blue upon his face.
Charlie said she, "are you sure you
4 love Ona@