Milford chronicle., 1883-10-05

81 can come up here another time, -
she said
The two went down the rocky slope to
the road. The young man turned and
looked into his companions face.
"And now you have my history, limo
cence."
'I knew" she said, quietly.
"Did youP" he asked.
She nodded.
Mamma and heard part of the story
the first evening we came"
Past turn after turn of the piney,
winding road they proceeded together
to the old hotel at the riverside, the
Lowland House, where the two were
ellow-boarders.
1t was an old-fashioned place, but full
OF comfort-honest and respectable
nothing more.
Innocence Adair and her pale mother
had come there from distant city,
pleased with the air, the pines, the river
everything
They were to spend the summer sea-
son. There were other boarders who re-
manned the year round, among them Al
Ian Fairlie.
Innocence had never seen him in
miners suit until that day when he had
come from his work to meet her and
guide her to a new sketching ground;
but she thought him very handsome in
the blue-fannel shirt, his strong arms
bare, the fair curls showing their crisp
ness under the simple cap.
Innocence ran feetly up the old stair
case to her mothers room, and Allan
Fairie went back to his labor.
He walked and worked with musing
eye. It had cost him something, stirred
him painfully, to refer to his experiences.
He was not in the habit of speaking of
his misfortune.
His unjust disinheritance was a sore
spot, which he was not fond of probing.
And new thought haunted him now,
which he tried to put aside, and, leaving
his monotonous task, began to talk with
the men about a proposed blasting of
rocks for which a heavy train would
soon have to be laid.
"YouT be careful, boy-eh? Blast
ing is dangerous work" said a bent,
little man, in a low tone, at his elbow.
"I'n be careful, father" with rare
smile. "We shall not be ready for a few
days, any way"
But when work hours were passed the |
haunting thought again took possession
of him. This blue-eyed girl, whom he
had known but brief month-he loved |
her
After he had parted from her the truth
broke upon him. How fair and sweet |
she was and how fragile Who should .
win must keep carefully this delicate
flower, though Innocence was far from
believing herself not strong, and, indeed,
had peculiar elasticity Of constitution,
It was rather a tenderness and sensi-
bility of nature, which seemed to need /
protection and the fostering care of love.
Did he read Alright those eyes Of blue?
Had he found favor in their sight?
The thought made his countenance
luminous for a moment; then it grew
downcast.
He was a poor and homeless man. He
had no wish to wed one he loved to such
What would any woman
gain by giving up her freedom and inde-
pendence to marry him? He could not
support a wife in comfort. He would
never ask this girl to live on a miners
wages.
How lovely she was in the Sunday
calm of the next day. walking slowly
along the pretty path Of the old garden,
among the tall red hollyhocks, in a dress
Of simple white, with ribbons to match
her eyes
He walked by her side. The attention
with which he regarded her did not dis
her. 1t was part of Innocence's
charm that she seemed quite unconscious
Of her beauty, and unaware of its effect
upon others.
"Have you heard the news" she
the heiress of the Earle
place is going to take immediate posses
ZION ?"
81 had not heard" And added. "It
loes not matter to me" s
But something mattered. He sat down
YEARLY when she paused at a rustic seat
,,day o,, old tarooraclr trea
"The housekeeper told Mrs. Lord, our
that they were expecting Miss
Earle this week. But perhaps you do ]
,ot like to talk of this ?"