The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-03-23
The old homestead, of which he was

piazzas were sweet with honeysuckle,
the gardens beyond twinkled with
Chinese lanterns, across the soft dusks
and shadowy vistas forms in white fit
ted, gay laughs broke the dewy silences.
Dear little Elsie had done the honors
prettily by mammals side; but now the
tide of incoming guests slackens. Some
one offers his arm. She is going off to
dance at last, thinks Robert. But no;
the young rector is surely not dancing
man. On his arm, his flowers in her
hand, Elsie vanishes. And Robert, with
a face which is a little cad and not o
little savage, turns away, and spurs
himself up to his hospitable duties.
| I" 1t is very good of you," said Mr..
Forsythe, softly, as they gained the
| piazza, Z" to give the first dance-time to
me. 1t is better than anything else
could be to be here in this starry silence,
under heavens arch, and with you'll"
Elsie was much awed and impressed.
Was this the way in which clergymen
talked to young ladies How nice it
was She had been little afraid that
he would ask her about her soul, and
Elsie did not know much about souls as
yet.
Still, she was practical little damsel,
and having gazed upat "heaven's arch,"
and seen only the piazza roof, she ven-
tured to say: "Didn't you ever care
about dancing, Mr.. Forsythe?"
He looked down serenely at her from
his height of six feet two, but did not
seem offended with the question-only
saintly-which Elsie noted with relief.
"Not very much," he answered,
gently. "And my time is so full of
other and graver duties that it is small
matter of regret to me that the church
has set the seal of her disapproval on
| such pleasures in the case of her or-
dained servants, whose life work is, or
should be, solemn and engrossing."
" Is there really a law against dane
ing, thenT asked Elsie, timidly.
Not for such as you. 10 fair
young life like yours such amuse
ments, when partaken of in modera-
tion, are natural and harmless. And
for myself there are many ccmpensa
tions-the privilege of ministering to
the aged and sorrowful, of SHAKING
their joys and consolIng their grie!s,
and. sweetest of all, the close relation
which bear to my flock"
Elsie murmured an assent. She felt
q little as though she were in church.
Still, it was undeniably gratifying.
EYES," continued the low, iervent
voice, 1T is world of contrasts. This
evening l am here sharing in this scene
of gayety amid all that makes life en-
! loyable. This afternoon I spent by the
bedside OF dying woman, glad 10 fold
her tired HANDS aud rest of er the
burden of life, even though she left her
children to struggle on alone. / hope
l was able to support and strength"
"Ob," interrupted Elsie, "tbat must
have been poor Mrs. McCraw! Is she
really dying? How sony / am! Mamma
is going to take one of the children to
keep as our housemaid, and she hopes
to get little Jenny into the Home. Oh,
1 am sorry Mrs. McCraw is dying on
the very day of my partyw
"Yes, dear Miss Baird, it is world
of contrasts, as 1 said. Death and life,
sickness and health, poverty there,
luxury here, and heaven over all"
II am so sorry" cried Elsie, bewil-
dered. II can help it. an young
and happy, or was before you talked
So" she added, with a little pout.
"But 1 don't forget that there are
sick and poor people, and mamua
never does. She is as good as she can
be to them; really she is, Mr.. For.
sythe."
Indeed, dear child" in q tender
tone, 81 know it we'll. Your mother is
one of my precious helpers and frieni e
and would stake my life that you, in
your maiden bloom and happiness
which heaven forbid l should in any
way seek to shadow-will also give
yourself to every good and holy work.
l have watchrd d you grow up under my
eye polished stone of the temple, and
no fairer vision has ever been granted
to cheer my lonely life. And Elsie"
he added, still more softly, "there is
no hope SO dear to me as this-forgive
me that speak of it; 1 cannot refrain;
the wish is too near my heart-that in
the future, which seems at this mo.
ment so near and so fair, you may for
ever lean as now on my arm. Suffer
me to lead and support you. Come and
brighten my home with your lovely
presence, and be to me the best gift
that God ever bestowed on man."
Elsie drew her hand away and stared
at the young divine with frightened
eyes.
IAN offer /" she cried, breathlessly.
"Are you making me an offer ?"
"What else, dear child?" he respond
ed, with some heat. "And in return
will you tell me-"
"Oh, please don't-please,' she
cried, in horror. 81 don't know any.
thing about such things. I'm so little
so young, Imean. Mamma wouldn't
like it. 1 know she never allows me to
talk about offers"
"Angelic dIffidence," replied her tor.
mentor. "You are right, 1t is to
your mother that 1 should have ap-
pealed. You permit, then, dearest,
that L should make her the Judge be.
tween us, and come at another time for
my answer? You can whisper it in
mothers ear, in the shelter of mother
arms, can you not, little startled bird
Shall it be so, then Z"
: "Oh, yes, yes !" cried Elsie, frantic
to escape. Mamma will tell you all
about it. Don't say any more to me-"
OFF she dashed out of the starlit,
rose-scented evening, into the protec
tion of the glare, the crowd, little reck-
ing OF the long, black, tightly buttoned
figure with clasped hands and eyes
raised to "heaven's arch" which she
left behind. She was prettier than
ever, with her flushed cheeks and shy,
dazzled eyes, and was seized on at once
by series of expectant partners.
Dance succeeded dance. YOUNG