The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-30

UieHued INTO night me euIfduCc Oh Tut
maid to remove the urn reused me al
dark frightened her.
'.Excnse me. miss!' she exclaimed.
Il thought Won must be out because you
did not ring. You We're asleep. per
kapsa Dear, dear, the fires dead out,
and the room cold as all out-doorsr'
Yes / replied. Il have stupidity lei
the fire go out and l am really very
cold. But you need not light il; / shall
not want it again tonight.
Then, after injunctions to deal gently
with my china, | left her, and feeling a
little dull, excused myself from dinner
and went to bed
The spring was early that year, and
Easter Day fell late. / awotze in time
s'to see the sun dance,n and il my own
heart did not throb measure too, at
least it felt'a glad peacefulness. calm
joy. All n once | remembered that
had neglected to get myself some flow
ers to wear 10 church and to decorate
my room, and this grieved me. | will
go now. early as it is, 1 resolved; | will
go back to tae woods by Silver Lake,
and hunt under the deaf leaves for what
/ may find.
Hooded and c1oaked / slipped silently
down stairs, and then leaving the town
| turned toward a familiar path, past
fields aud hedges, to where the woods
| began Next came u scramble up
| bank, where dead branches cracked be-
meath my steps and brown leaves fell;
after that another narrow, beaten path
leading to a small irregular little lake,
now lit up by the quiverine morning
beams of the Easter sun, and beyond
that the woods-our old woods. After
reaching them | stood awhile. to take in
all the fresh spring beauty, and to listen
to the happy birds, then remembering
that my quest was for flowers, stopped
and swept away the dead leaves with
ardent, eager hope. Yes, there came
the sweet almond fragrance and clust-
cred close to the brown earth lay the ar
butus. pink, white, and blended admir-
ed it, breathed il, kissed it before gather
ed it,and then sought more. Once fanci-
ed heard a rustiing sound. and rising
/ pushed back my warm hood to listen.
Only bird, | thought, as | pulled it on
again. In, my absorbing delight time
| passed, and the sun was rising high,
| when | again heard a sound-unmistak-
| ably a step. | rose with both hands full
and, turning. m Harry's astonished
gaze. His hands were full, too; we had
| evidently been hit with the same idea.
Pardon me-, he said, as he made n
wild, Intellectual effort to reach his hat,
and in 50 doing dropped half his flow
ers. Pardon me- he repeated. 81
can't manage it. How ever came you
here?9
Nothing better occurring to me / an
swered stupidity; Il was wondering the
same about you"
''Since you are here" he laughed,
would you mind helping me to pick up
what I have dropped? 1 meant them all
for you; but now" he hesitated.
Now you will carry them to Helen"
[ said resolutely
mo he answered; IF you won't
have them [ viii keep them myself. 1
couldn't offer arbutus to any woman but
you.
bnsied myself silently in gathering
the dropped flowers.
'Won't YOU tell me, - he said sudden
", show you came to lose your love for
meP''
| looked up in blank surprise, and
waiting until confessed rush of mean
ingless ideas passed through my mind,
[ answered quickly: The old break was
caused BY no change or loss. Harry. 1t
seemed best, and we submitted. "
II am not talking of the old break, y
he persisted Il am talking of 7loa0.
come back afterten years perfect truth
to you, to find You as lovely and sweet
Yes''-as | waved my hand impatiently
and turned away my face-''just the
same i'm that. no change there; only you
met me calmly as an old friend. You
parade Your Indifference and GOODNESS,
and yet once or twice | have fancied-
hoped-that a little regard was left,
which / might win back to love"
/ went on gathering the blossoms 81
iently, and wondering what to say.
Let the things le!" he cried irritably.
s'If Won can't answer me, don't kneel
there in that quiet way. can't bear it. "
rose. Harry, y 1 said, women and
men are different. While you were
travelling round the world, was tread
ing the smaller rounds of daily duty.
Ny calm has been required Inever ex-
pected YOU would return just the same
after years of separation. l should have
been unreasonable to expect any man to
do so. accustomed myself to the idea
that You would marry some younger,
prettier girl, and and" I did not
know what to say next l added tame
ly: That is why | seem calm.
Nv hen You said, Yesterday" he went
on. that under the dead brown leaves
the arbutns was blooming fresh and sweet
to-day, [ thought Won meant the old love
was liging still beneath the lonely wears. y
Glad yet not daring to reply, | knelt
down at his feet, ans! sweeping away the
rustling dry things, uncovered a dewy
blossom, blended white and pink.
Il am answered" he said gently;
edo not gather it. let it stay
And | was very glad he understood
without making me speak.
We. spent very happy day Later,
at church, l think we forgot ourselves
for awhile in the holy Easter joy, in Civ
ing praises to the Risen Lord; and then,
when we remembered, we added to praise
| thanks, because from the dead past we
| had lad restored to us n living love-
| Edith KtrkWook an Demorest's for May.
Tha "Multiphone.'
| One pf the latest of Cleveland $ inyen-
| -. ~. a.