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

- snail nave 10 smut MN up. fald
Miss Prue. "His travelling expenses
will ruin me.n
BY this time the poor bird had lost
most of his fine tail-fcathcrs in the pro-
cess OF being run down by the Miller
brothers and their contemporaries, and
presented a ragged appearance which
went 10 its owners heart. So he was
shut up in a temporary pen til he should
learn better ways; but Miss Prudence.
going 20 look after him one afternoon.
found the two Millcrs inside the pen,
chasing him about 10 display his plum
age. while their little sister stood out
side and clapped her hands, and n crowd
of other children stood pcsping between
the stats.
"What are you doing, children" she
cried.
"Oh, we've been reading about pea
cocks, and they need exercise vouch-
safcd the eldest Miller.
IL seems TO me that you need n
stick" said Miss prue.
Father don't approve Of whipping"
chirrupcd the youngest; edo YOU, faith
orP'
And Miss Prue lifted her eyes and
met those of Rev. Austin Miller, which
wore q startled, perplcxcd expression.
while the color palpitated across his
pale face.
"My children have annoyed YOU" he
said, with the hcsitating one which
begged 10 De gnin-said.
They have only annoyed the pea
cock" answered Miss Prue, dropping
her gaze, and flushing rosy red in her
turn.
81 came In search Of these rogues,"
he went on. "Bridcct was sure they
were in some mischief did not eX-
poet TO find you,n
fNos of coursc not" said Miss Prue.
in n voice studiously matter-of-fact.
81 have read somewhere Rev. Mr..
Miller pursued, "that the only real
happiness which ever arrives To us,
springs M quite unexpectedly in our
path IL is not the result If search. |
dropped the thread of my sermon,
against my will, at n critical point TO
pick up these little folks. | have my
reward
"You are very easily satisfied" re-
turned Miss Prue, in the same remote
voice. She was hardening her heart
against the persuasive tones which had
once been like the music of the spheres
TO her.
enc, | am not easily satisfied. /
have never been satisfied with myself
with some hasty actions of my own,
should say. Miss Prudence, YOU have
never forgiven meP' he spoke half
questionmgly, AZ II he would fain be
contradicted.
Il never thought Of il rs anything
"a forgive, - she said, and her voice
melted and broke u little In spite of
herself. "lt was so long ago" u little
| proudly, as II she would not let him
that fate OF + slsulneu. see now
MS than | believed. TdonsS e Sin'' y.
intended for a domestic life. ~ w.,
eyes fell upon the three harum-scarun
children in their torn frocks and mis-
chief-the children who might hav,
been her own, but for their mother.
double-dealing.
Austin Miller smiled a little sadly NJ
his glance followed hers.
They are torrents TO the neigh
bors, ! fear" he said; "but they mr.,
all tho comfort | have,' holding a han,
10 them. Come, children, make YOU
bes To n.s7 IIidrcth, and an '"'
"But we are not a bit sorry said
little AMY. 'sThe peacock Is so beauti-
full. we are glad we conied. We near
TO do II again"
ssTruth is no longer nc the bottom u
"A wnll,r said Miss frue, with n real
smile dimpllng her face as she said
goodbye.
II Deacon Bracket could have seen
the manuscript Of MIR. Mnler's sermon
as ne rejected IN his studs that evening.
he would have supposed that the words,
Come again, dear dream scrawlcd
on the margin, referred beyond n doubt
20 the dream Of Jacob wien he saw the
angels OF God ascending and descend
ing.
Them there Miller boys be enough
10 drive you to glory, an no mistake
declared Jane, a few weeks lJter. 81
wouldn't be their mother-no, not II
you'd give 'em to me-
"They'renot mine ~ give said Miss
Prue. ''What have hey done nowPn
"DoneP They've g,ne andbrokc the
pea-hen's eggs, 20 $40 the little pea
cocks. sure's you're alive. They eN-
pectcd TO find 'em mll-ilcdged, long
tail and all. Amy's gone home crying
"And where are the boysp'
MIR. Miller, he's going TO send them
10 bed without Their supper, and serve
'em right. Their mothers shirked all
the bother OF 'em, snre enough
without their supper-poor things.''
cried Miss prue, "Why, it's only three
o'clock of n summers day. remem-
Der when used 10 be sen TO bed by
daylight when ! was little and naughty
aud II always seemed TO me n horribl,
injustice. Jane, run over to the par
sonage, and tell Mr.. Miller he win d,
me n fayoa il he will"
"Baste 'em soundly,' put in Jane.
"Janel how inhnmanl He will d,
me a favor if he will let them OF thi
time.n
"Now, Miss Prue, II you'd write !
yourselt-sure's you ~live-eNcusc me
miss-but amt got the face to carr,
that ihere message And IL 50 hap
pened that Rev. Austin Miller foun,
himself dreaming overa perfumed note
In his study, while his sermon lay for
gotten before him-dreaming of the frs.
note he had ever received from Mis-,
Prue, fifteen years or 50 ago, the word.
of which starred out nom some hidden
corner of his brain where they had been
sleeping unknown 10 him; dreaming OF
the dewy evenings in the rosc-gardcn Of
the old parsonage where he studied Di-
vinity and she taught the children their
Al Cs; of moonlight nights on the
river together, ana spring mornings in
the woods hunting tie first wild flower;
OF Sundays, when they sang together in
the choir; of their stroll home through
green, sweet-scented lanes. The thou
sand and n dear hours they had spent
IN each others company passed before
his minds eve like some beautiful piano.
rama. He wondered II, indeed. he was
the hero of those dreams. II he had ever
been SO happy, The first parting, the
first estrangement, wrnng his heart
anew, as ii they had happened only
Yesterday. What a foolish Thing their
little quarrel looked like to-day, seer by