Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-06-15

] III nNA'NNAn'H al" ~ NfANNlA Nv
she had secured herself for all time by
burning Truc's letter, but she had
tossed the wrong envelope into the
CRATE. Austin Miller had lived his sor-
row over again after this discovery; he
had walked with II and wrestled with IL
without getting nearer happiness, and
had long ago made up his mind to do
without II. But he had thought IL due
20 Prudence Hildreth 20 send her word
that by an accident her letter had come
20 hand five years too late; he said moth
ing Of Letty's share in the matter, but
Prudence understood all. These memo
ries had been revived by Pruc's hasty
note asking him to forgive the children
for breaking up the pea-hcn's ncsL
Her children, tool He was at the point
OF carrying the note to his lips, when
his eye fell upon his sermon. and he
threw II into the waste basket. lie
looked at the clock; he had been idle
two whole hours. "Of what was he
thinkingP" he asked himsclfi '"where
was he driftingp an anointed priest, the
example and counselor Of sinncrsP'
AT least he could go and thank Prue
with q clear conscience; as for tho chill
dren, they were already in bed. tcchni-
cally speaking, and having such n CAPT.
tai pillow fight that they agreed to get
into mischief every day of their lives,
and be punished.
After that Mr.. Miller often found
himself dropping in, on ono pretext or
another, at The Fins; to ask Miss Prue
TO play over the air of some new
psalmody. that he might Join in the
congregational singing; TO lend her the
latest volume of religious thought; TO
beg advice about the children. Some
times he came bringing those unruly
infants, with their brown hands full Of
peacock feathers and their little hearts
full OF impcnitence. They and the
peacock were now the best of friends;
he ate from their hands and endured
their pctting, which was much like
punishment, with heroism; If he stayed
away they hunted him out and brought
him home in triumph.
Those children might as well live
here" said Jane.
" And their father, too" added
John.
mot n bite of swect-bread can |
keep in the larder; and when they tears
their frocks they goes straight to Miss
Prue, and she mcnds them before
Bridget scolds 'em, just as II they'd be
her very own
"a fine stcpmothcr she'd be maxi
ing" observed John. "They do be
saying in the village thst it's her cap
she is setting for the parson.n
"That's Just the way of the gossips!
II a man takes to n woman it's always
she that is Asserting of her cap for him.
] fII, vUp4.u .taubf 10 aal fapa 20 MOB
out u wife for him and suit their
selves
And then there's others who says
it's her money persisted John, who,
like n fails historian, was bound TO state
both sides; Fan that he come hero
a-pmposc 10 marry herr
"a great deal they knows about t.. y
cried Jane. 81 herd him tell her, with
my own blessed ears, that when he was
called to this ERE parish he never
dreamed that she lived here. They must
hey knowed each other, you see, when
they was young, afore Miss Prue came
ihlo "er g~rcat-uncle's property, and
came 10 mo at The Elms; for | hear
EN- taking o. and again of folks that
uon belong h~ercaDouts. And he SAYS;
DO you remember the day we went
hither and the day we went yonP' And
he says: 81 remember, | remember
and looks away from her face. | thinks.
myself, he must bo m old he-o, lao,s
! secs IN oG6reh ff5ca-t6lngs. and she
lamps, and pottering round
LAT the kcy-hole, laughed John.
"And Two never found 'em love-
making onct, though l steps quiet-like,
John, as you know, and IL isn't like
opening a door TO push the portiere
aside.'
II is true the Miller children were a
great deal at The Elms. and gave their
father frequent excuse to follow them;
and it Is truHiherc were few congenial
souls In the parish or village, and what
so natural that he should see more or
less of his pleasant neighbor, with whom
he could journey back 20 the past. In
deed, they never talked of to-day or to-
morrow; II was Away Yesterday whose
praises they sang. whose skies they OK
tolled, whose pleasures they coveted.
He was nothing like a lover, to be sure.
except in preferring her society, and
yet IL was n happiness 20 Prue TO see
him there, to know that he would come
tomorrow. IL was toward night, one
summer day. that Miss Prue, looking
out on the lawn, where the shadows OF
the leaves We're dancing. saw Mr.. Miller
no unusual sight-coming toward her
door. He had been out of town n week
on business; Bridget had coniided 10
Jane that he had ''gone away srWld.n',
after q telegraph in n WALLER wrapper
come to him;' but he had been ut home
several days without darkening, or to
express her feelings better, illuminating
Miss Prue's door. Naturally, she Won
dered what his crrand had been; II he
had had n call 20 leave she parish; and
ut that thought her heart stood still.
'lou have been away she said,
after the first greetings.
Eyes. hope you did not suffer from
an invasion Of young Mil|ers during my
absence.r
We met, but we missed YOU" she
admitted. II hope your vacation was
a rest and recreation to You"
'My journey was not a pleasure
trip, Prue, ~ he said. "My wife died
suddenly at the asylum on the 9Th OF
the month";
"Yonr wife, gasped Miss Prue.
"1our wife-died Ion the 9th of the
MONTH lthought-Austin 49, Mr.. MIL
ler-l thought She had been dead years
and years.
IL thought you know" he returned
Il supposed everybody had heard of Il;
Il was too sad n story too gehearse often
or needlossly. IL was In oil tho Galios
40 the time. You must have been
abroad then. Amy was in her cradle
when Lefty left me-elopad with her
music-teacher, Two years q she
went To the asylum. mad as Hamlet.
Prue, Prue.' he cried. edo YOU think |
have hidden Anything from you9 Is
not the loss Of fifteen years of happiness
enoughg Shall her ghost divide rs
stillP"
"And | have been loving another
woman's husband all this time" she
said, moving away from him. Heaven
only knows how FAR her Puritan con
science would have carried her, but
Just then Jane burst into the room, cry