The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-10-27

baby as baby still, and Viola Away
comes to me as saw her last. Sh
stood on tiptoe, holding open the doc
a little, and kissing her hand to nj
with a light ripping laugh. There wa
sunny sparkle in her beautiful eyes
and l remember that her hat was OIL
one side, and her hair was lying loos,
and tangled about her neck. can SCI
every motion and GESTURE have beer
over them SO many times-as if it were
but yesterday, even to the precise pat
tern of the embroidery on her crimson
merino dress. You remember the
dress, Ralph? She had it on the might
of the wreck. The salt water didn't
hurt it bit, though 1 remember
thought it would, and that should
have to wash it; but 1 just rinsed it ur
and down in some clear water, and
hung it up without wringing, and il
looked as nice as new. She never wore
it again till we started to come on,
here. What comfort she would have
if she had lived"
She sighed, and put her hand up over
her eyes.
81 suppose it is all right" she said.
still shading her eyes with her hand;
~ suppose everything is, but 1 can't
always see it as your father does. l am
sure l try, and 1 know tbs so, but
things seem SO dark sometimes! They
did when your grandfather was
drowned"
81 will tell you." said Ralph, "what
1 had in my mind when asked you if
you ever thought how our lost Viola
would have looked if she had grown to
wOmanhood. Ihave often busted my
self fancying the sort of woman she
would have made, and how she would
have looked. Well. you know have
been up to Mr.. Montford's to-day, but
you wonder what that has to do with it,
| see by your face--what transparent
face you have got, little motherr And
getting up, he came. and stood behind
her chair, and leaned over and took her
face in his hands and drew it back and
kissed it. II wish l could read
Blanche face as easily as can yours"
he added, blushing, and then laughing
to turn it of. "What a face that girl
has gotr'
"She is very handsomer'
"Yes; but it isn't just that, I mean,"
he interrupted.
~ think Blanche likes you, Ralph;
and if-you think-that is" she STAN
mered confusedly, IF you two should
like each other well enough toto mar
~ some day, it would be splendid"
80 mother! Blanche is too elegant
and accomplished for fellow like me
to think of" he said, deprecatingly. but
a faint smile softened his lips and eyes
"a faint, dreamy smile, which showed
the thought was rather pleasant than
otherwise.
You see if Viola had lived I should
have hoped you would have liked each
other. 1t would not have seemed like
strangers coming into the family. But
.ince that cannot be, Blanche is the
next choice of my heart. But, of course,
don't expect you to please me: l
only mentioned it because fancied you
were mutually pleased with each other,
and Tom and thought it would be
pleasant to have it so. Tom likes you
so muchr'
Pm greatly obliged to him." Ralph
said, with laugh, ''but Pm sure don't
Know why he should; he doesn't know
much about me-may be that is the rea-
son! Well, now ! am going to tell you
what l attempted at first. There is a
sort of waiting-maid, or
servant of some kind-at Mr.. Mont
lords, who looks just as have fancied
Viola would if she had lived to be a
She is very slight and fragile
cooking. but for a certain indomitable
iir and expression which give her
sort of subtle strength. You remem-
Der that popularity in Viola. This girl,
whose name is Stella Blake, came to adj
nit us this morning, and l was so
startled by her resemblance to Viola
lot so much resemblance as to what
the was, as to what thought she would
nave been-that was guilty of the rude
less of staring at her, 1 fear, very i'm
,ertinently."
'How does she look? Iwish could
zee her." Mrs. Anderson said. eagerly.
"She is, as l said slight, with a pale
dive skin, and jetty eyes and hair. But
hat dosen't give you an idea about her
ooks at all, tor that rests so much upon
and she has got the most |
expressive face-not after Blanche's |
lyle. Blanche controls her face, this
,irl does not-with eyes that look like
volcanoes; Mrs. Niontford |
,alls them 'uncanny.' BY the way,
What sort of man is this DeVries? 1t !
llways seemed to me that he knew |
more about Viola than he was willing |
o tell. 1t is rather odd, isn't it, that |
We should happen to be neighbors?''
Il don't know, l never thought much !
fit never saw him but once; then |
lie called here, and very naturally the
turned on the shipwreck. |
lie seemed to feel very badly when 1 |
alked with him about the sad fate of
title Viola He said he had been stop
ing in England and on the Continent
ONE months, settling up the business
fairs of Mr.. Montford, who had come
o America with his family the previous
lay. He had completed his business,
nd being at Havre. he took passage
n the LIE Brun in preference to waiting
Or the regular steamer week. There
7ere but five or six passengers. and this
lrs. Mallard-he thinks the name was
iallard, as he remembered seeing it so
ecorded, and he remembers distinctly
caring the Captain address her by that
her child were among them,
ut he only saw the child; the lady
eemed suffering under some nervous
lalady."
why didn' you tell him what Viola
aid about her mothers being SO af-
,cted when she saw him?" interrupted
alph.
II did, but l am positive. Ralph, that
he was mistaken. You would have
cen if you had seen how panied and sur
rised he was that the child should have
Incied such thing. He said if he had
fought of such a possibility he should
Of have rested till ha bod ran,arad tho |