The Red Cloud chief., 1882-09-08
A HAPPY GIRLS LETTER.

~"u soVA Out upOn Tie rver an
think OF you. 1 must write 70 o an
tell you all that has happened since no
birthday party-my sixteenth birthda,
that we kept 80 merrily out there in on
country home. II was soon after Chris
mas. the 'twenty-eighth Of December
q the Christmas wreafhs were q
about the room. and the children
Christmas tree. all glittering with gIas
balls and little candles. stood in Tn
corner. / wore my white silk wit
Jacqueminot roses I'm my hair and nj m
bosom, You had pale yellow silk an,
tea-roses. We wer. the hest dancers h
the room. and papa had quite . littl
band to play for US.
Don't you remember telling me tina
you thought DIR. Jack Garcia had tn,
most beautiful eyes you ever saw, ex
cept in b head of q seal? Such q fun
ny compliment! But they were splen
did: and you were right; and when yo,
said he was very much in love will
me. you were right. too. But Charli,
Constant had been counting me fol
some time. and he proposed that even
ing when he followed me into father.
study. where ] went to get some music.
1 remember just what he said-the very
words:
"Rose. you are the prettiest girl !
know. May I have you9'
laughed. and said: ..Yes, il mother
and father say So" And he kissed me.
Later on. when Madame Vine was
playing a wonderful piece, all trills and
quavers and crashes, DIR. Jack Garcia
got me 10 himself in a quiet corner, and
did the same thing. What he said
was:
Rose. 1 love you betterthan my life.
! wish thought you liked me enough
TO be my wife some day."
And. Amy. in spite Of what had just
happened. a real pang pierced my
heart. You know how he could look
at one. and what q deep. soft voice he
had. I had hard work o answer lust rs
/ did.
20. DIR. Garcia, lido like you; but I'm
engaged to Charlie Constant"
But. then, who could blame me for
my choice? Mr.. Constant was old Arch
ibald Constants only son rich, hand
some. accomplished all that men envy;
and DIR. Garcia was poor, had his way
TO fight in the world. and was not hand
some. Good? u, yes, / knew that
well; but all the girls envicd me Charlie
Constant. Yes, / said that quite quiet
". and he took my hand. said: .'God
bless you; hope you will be very hap
py."and went away. and ! did not see
him for a long time. Charlie brought
me . ring next day. and We we're to be
married on my seventeenth birthday.
What. . pleasant year 1t was. 1t
passed like q dream. and mid.winter
came again, and the week before nv
wedding was q full moon.
We had planned o glorious sleigh
ride. To start at loon and return Mt
nine In the evening. There were six
slcighA. each holding two. Charlie and
/ together. Of course. We drove two
new horses that day-animals that cost
him . fortune. and were splendid Great
ures, though very nervous and hard TO
handle. But / was not easily fright.
ened then; / did not know what fear
was. / could not remember ever hay.
ing been hurt in all nv life. / had
never been ill or unhappy.
We flew over the snow. one behind
the other, until we came to the fall. It
70 . fall in summer. Then it was only
. frozen precipice. the edge of the rocks
covered with snow, and the branches of
great trees all covered with icicles.
One branch fell - we dashed nm. Il
the horses. They swerved;
sleigh turned over; that's all I know
about it. Afterward I cam to myself
down on the rocks. horribly hurt and
eold-so cold l could not stir; and
Knew | was freezing to death.
l did not know what had happened to
Charlie. Perhaps he was lying neal by
dead. The sun was going
down, and far up above I saw the cliff
which I had fallen and the great
cicle that showed where the water came
Town. 1 thought Of mother, and faith ,
d, and everybody. and il seemed very
hard 70 die. O. Charlie must be dead.
thought. or he would have come down
% me. IL was all q kind of dream by
hat time, but Just ~ the last red CLEAN
AIDED away l saw . man coming down
he rocks. A rope was around his waist
ND . stan in his hand. He came near
Y md nearer. and At last he was beside ,
:
~ ""s Snafiie. IL was larger
{
-. .1ler' askcd. through my l
W. i
ing. Father is up on the rocks there. !
{ h1" and l knew il was Dr. Garcia. !
l don't know how he got me I'M. but 7
. did it somehow. / was In liffle =
oedside hut, in bed between bIaukets :
n ;s sS.s fs:rt .,% ~ u = east not I
s.;ss - ne nsa saved my life. 9
49, ~ "a -. anu . WAS 4
~ not Jsrsd - al "s 9 ss1e, l n
ma thst tSs No. I 2
nd H. 80 - ~ si.;.a;.. gu s1sy: q
one on. knowiax nosSSn~ cf !;
sas: and hat Nr. Chs<,e. e Co.s scc 9
-. to ten thsn Iwas dssa ~ :
-. q 90 Falla i