Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02

proved text DOCK WITHOUT much dSes anu WIN %
knowledge and experience, the "Saint's Rest In
stitoot" as some one facetiously dubbed it, began
it's work. The scholars all called the teacher Angie
but in less than month she was known as Miss
Angie, even TO her own five brothers In her IN
shrinking defiant way she managed it all somehow,
and no one ever guessed the inspiration that lay
behind her pluck
1t was one spring day at four o'clock in the after
noon and the last boy had darted from the school
house and ran with haloa to be free down the
hillside The little schoolmistress, slender, 1.-the
and dark-complexioned, looked bravely about her,
as if to hang her superiuous courage upon the
walls, and then without moment of warning her
black eyes gave way, gray wave seemed to surge
across her face her thin red lips writhed and long
dry sob burst from them, and then she sank down
upon the step and hid her face in her arms. The
something and strange that had come into the
little woInans life seemed sometimes to expand and
burst within her heart with dull, duI ache, and
oh, such pain. 1t the DID, old lesson OF loving
she had learned. Is there ever woman who has
not known its sweet thorn? AS Angie knelt there
whole black world shut down upon her eyelids
and weight Of care settled on her shoulders. In
that one blank moment she felt that she would have
liked to toss her life away and rest from fighting the
days, and planning her hot brain, in long. cool
oblivion Her fevered and nerveless fingers dropped
upon the rough boards, and moan that was born
of exhaustion, though not OF the body, struggled
along the line OF her dark, slender throat and died
away just beyond her lips.
"Why, Angie, Angie" said voice in her ear,
"Pve been waiting whole minute for you to look
I
little hint at despair" Before she had time to lift
her head, her transformation was perfect one.
"Ah Van p she cried, with low thrill OF ecstacy
cadenciug through her tone. The black world
weighing her took wings rose in air and left her
bthe, ripping with sunshine and filled with unheard
of tones and harmonies. a. don't care" she flashed
| to herself daringly :" shall have this hour OF
happiness if there is another one, and then
with pretty nesting motion of her shoulders she
said aloud, trying to appear impatient and vexed
while her very voice carol, 1t has been such
| long time since you came before"
| For answer, the newcomer with step made her
station his own and the very soul of the girl shone
in her eyes as he took her face in his hands and
kissed her. "Do you think l staid away, Angie, u
he asked because the rocks and the trees and the
you?" He kissed her as he would have taken long
draught of pure water after travel returning to the
pure crystal OF the cup again and again. Her one
rarest loneliness he had told her often, that her
! lips were so innocent and new-they were not old
with kisses. Anomaly it was, but his attraction to
her was his experience and knowledge of good and
evil, the air about him of having seen and known.
When she told him so, he had laughed little
hard and reckless laugh, and she had felt
the strange chill of something rising between them,
had shuddered at it and beaten it down, only have
it rise again in its horror some other day. He was
the one she had ever seen with the worlds per.
tune hanging upon his manner, and what was to
her that grand beyond OF delight, the city reached
out its familiar hands to him and spoke through his
mouth. He was ike beautiful, wondrous picture,
such as she had never seen, or like grand and pene-
trating burst Of music such as she had never
heard, Angie said to herself as she thought OF him
when he was away.
There was something about this girl, blossomed
into womanhaod before her time that like mag
net to the wandering bit of rust off life of the
city had cast away toward the lovely evergreen
hills. The moment Van Hall, rascal card-player,
cheat, saw her, his fingers stung as though he had
touched her. Now and then woman will have
such an influence. If it happens to be a good
woman, praise God if bad one, give the victim
over to his fate.
Angles companion sat down by her gently on the
step of the schoohouse, and his glance roved about
within the little room.
"Tell me- little one, he said, why you ever
began this business. 1t was happy chance, at any
dwellings down yonder or I should never have
known you. What should l have done off here
without your"
Something in his tone was like assault upon
her pride, and so1 ewhat of the bitterness of the
moment before returned to her. "What have l
done but help you pass your lonely hours hours
which will, nay which must, soon be gomez" Her
voice trembled, half with unshed tears and half with
the force thai vibrated within her she answered
in trouble and yearnng and determination. ut was
the only chance saw before me to be doing some
thing which should set me little farther ahead.
Why was l ever born in my circumstances, or why
was 1 not born content with them? l wish l could
answer myself that. Day after day can't be still
and must be up and doing, and by keeping busy to
quiet myself think should gnaw my nails to
i4iSh, anu iiet soti " SNtl
still do, if could not grasp at something out of
reach. just look about you and see what small
things do, and yet l am driven TO them
angie, you are as far above me, l think some
times, as the serene and shining star l look at
through the chink in the old cabin over yonder,"
was the reply in a deep tone. 81 have no such de
sire as that, and this moment / haven't another
thing in this world to wish for than just you and
this soft breeze laden with the scent of the pines
1t is" he drew her closer to him as he spoke, and
neither saw the pair OF startled eyes gazing at them
from the Towering buckeye hundred yards away.
81 have felt wish to be BETTER though, for your
slke," he continued. :" haven't been good man.
Angie. 1t has never occurred to me till now that it
worth while to fight against my natural bent of
mind, but since first spoke to you in the path
that day Eve had sort OF an instinct toward some
thing better than am
" But you viii be good man, dear % she said
earnestly, scarce understanding, save as far of
shadow, what vice or a crime might be.
eyes, will try he answered humbly. "Hold.
ing your hand, it seems an easy thing, and feel as
If might succeed. If you were my wife, Angie, as,
God willing some day you shall be- little love, per-
haps your influence might SO wrap round that 1t
would be like an. arIuor against temptation. al
most think it would be SO. never dreamed, sweet
heart, could love a woman one-half SO much"
A vision sprang before her eyes fair as dawn, Of
herself as wife and she saw herself walking down
the years in halo of rose and the glory of her
crowned life There is path love makes for itself
along which the flowers spring, and it leads into
sunset as beauteous as the sunrise from which it
walks spanning between like the one bow Of heaven.
Upon Its way Angie saw herself and her very heart
wept tears Of blood for joy The love have here,
deep, and long, and wide, and true though it be
sometimes, is just the shadow cast before OF the
great hereafter, where alone is the perfect rounded
love OF our longing. We can only dream of it
/ here-but Angie was in the heart Of that dream.
| 'But do not understand" she said by and by,
''what you mean by it all. Why are you worse than
/ l, or than others? How is it you are bad? Nay,
dear love- not any is perfect and you scourge your
self but the rest of u.s. l cross with the boys
at home and with the children at school, and with
myself most of all. I am filed with the evil spirit
Of discomfort, and something that seems like I'm.
happy ambition. And so l put the lash upon my
self, too, and will not believe you any otherwise
"Alas my little love" he answered half laughing
and part in earnest, my devil is greater far than
that. But since you have taken so much on trus.-
| who am what am, and whence | am-for Gods