The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-21

a cold, clear voice, full of defiance. She raises
her eyes proudly to his, though in very truth
her soul is fainting within her.
after three long years of incessant search,
to find you hereof all places-unawares!"
he says, gazing earnestly at her He seems
| lost i'll establishment; he cannot, though the
doing so would be relief to him, avert his
eyes iron. the fair but wrathful face that re-
turns his glance so steadily.
We'll, you have found me-" she says still
| defiant; land now what have you gained by
your discovery
Not much. perhaps, in your eyes; but to
| me this accidental meeting has brought COM
fort that is almost empowering. / have
! seen you-you are alive and well. 1t is
great deal. You cannot of course, under
stand how much-and, besides all this,
| have held the child in my arms! She slept
| here" Oayng his hand upon his heart with
a rather SIMPLE gesture "She had her little
arms around my neck; she was happy with
me-"
MY daughter told me you had been kind
! to her" says Mrs Stamer coldly. She speaks
as one might who is acknowledging small
kindness done to her by an acquaintance OF
Il day. The settled distance of her manner
cuts him to the heart.
ut was nothing" he said, his color rising,
his voice growing tremulous; nothing to
you. at least; but it filled me with joy l
have not known for years-for three long
years. l can still feel the pressure OF her
little head'
"Dulce was grateful to you," said Dulces
mother, Jelly. 81 regret she cannot thank
you in person."
"'Duice She was Audrey once" ez-
claimed he quickly.
II changed all that when I change d-many
other things. Dulce suits her best-my
sweet" AS the last words fell from her lips
they soften them, and her whole face grows
alight with the rapturous glow born of the
most eternal love of all.
May 1 not see her?' asks the General,
very humbly. Surely have some claim
| to"
''She belongs to me-" says Mrs Stamer,
interruptng him with some passion. Is
there not fear mingled with it. She turns
aside from him as though his presence is no
Longer tolerable.
You are in mourning" he says, quickly,
bent on OBTAINING her for even one more
| precious minute.
"Somber colors become those who are
widowed" replies she with her eyes on the
ground.
But the chld?" excaims he in deep agi-
tation. Last night l noticed it-she, too, is
| in mourniug?'
ut is only right she should be so; she has
| lost her father" says Mrs. Stamer. She moves
away from him to where the giant elms are
throwing dark shadows on the grass, and soon
is lost to sight amid their gloom.
] cooking older graYer, the General goes
down the dusty road, lost in saddest thought;
! coming to a slile, he steps over it and enters
a field green as emerald, at the side of which
a little stream runs gurgling with tremulous
| glee. as it PUSHES to meet the great ocean that
| lies in q white mist far below. a stately fir
uprears itself in the corner of the field, and,
leaning against it the General gives himself
up to the most miserable reflections, wheh a
| sound comes to him. A fresh, sweet sound
thar thrills him to his hearts core and uplifts
it to know that even for him there is Joy upon
| the blessed earth.
1t is a child's voice singing and the child
herself is coming to him across the sunlit
sward. with her dark eyes all aglow and her
lips parted and her hair flying behind her
like a golden glory. She has crimson pop
pies ir her hands, and is holding them close
| to her little bosom, as though filled with
love for them, as she speeds along. She
has escaped from her nurse. and in the de-
iicio : sense OF freedom is chanting aloud a
merry Tilt.
But even as the General gazes upon her q
change passes over the little face. AS if to prove
that ever pam must minge with our dearest
gIadness here the child pauses in her happy
run, her song ceases. The small face Fuckers
ominously, and, sinking on the ground, she
/ bursts into flood of tears.
! In a moment the General is at her side. has
! lifted her in his strong arms. and is asking
| her what has happened. He presses her
| tangled yellow head against his breast and
/ betrays such genuine grief at her mshap
! that the child is half consoled He may be
unlearned in childhood's ways, yet it is with
a touch that q woman might have envied,
| because OF its gentleness, that he sets about
discovering the damage done.
| Dulce is not shy. She has ceased crying;
and now, lifting her angelic eyes to his, she
points sorrowfully to her little rounded bare
| leg as though demanding sympathy. 1t is a
! small affair, after all-the sting of a venom
/ Gus nettle that has raised pink flush upon
her tender skin The General stoops and
| kisses the soft in ured limb with the greatest
| tenderness.
He even removes the shoe and sock from
| her foot, with view to ascertaining whether
or not the wicked nettle has penetrated
/ through the strong kid. Then with an awk-
wardness unrvaed lie draws on the sock
again, and, after fierce and protracted bat
| tie with it, reduces the button of the shoe to
| subsection. Dulce is delighted with him.
She has quite adopted him by this time and
is sitting without the slightest regard for
decency with her arms tightly clasped round
his neck and her cheek rubbing its velvet
| softness against his.
"Does he know mamma? Does he love
her?'
| The General fushes. Yes he has seen
mamma, Does she love her?"
"Oh, yes. Mamma is beautiful and must
be loved. She, Dulce, loved her most
though, when she is crying, and she is often
crying, poor mamma. Then Dulcc comforts
/ her. Mamma says she is her only comfort"
| "And Dulces papa?"
| Papa is dead. Mamma has said so. He
is buried down, down." pointing to the
ground. But mamma told her only YES
terlay that she.must love him always even
though she may never see him till She goes
up 10 heaven. He was the best man that
ever lived" said Dulce, sweetly, as if repeat
ing the old lesson, looking straight into the
! Generals abashed eyes.
HE was not" says the General, suddenly
losing his head.
but he was" declared the child, indig-
nantlv, regarding him with a sudden acces-
sion OF dsfayor. Mamma says So"
! Mammal
| a.Xns ,,,u ,n,nr,n, AND ohn i.nnrrr Va,