River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-05-17


search of il.
aBertie. where are you?f he called.
AHere. papa. with q kind strange
lady: was afraid you had gone away .
'iGone and left my little boyl That is
hardly likely. Thank the lady, BERTHE;
and, madam, accept my gratitude also
for YOU good ness. i was detained by
some confusi on as so my luggage. Can
be of any service to you?"
"No, thank you," replied Alice; and,
as the gentleman disappeared in the
darkness, and Alice trndged along, fol-
lowed by the boy who bore her trunk,
she rather regretted her refusal of as
sistance, for the strangers face had in
terested her.
Alice's school-frieud, Julia Lawrence,
had married soon after leaving Mount
Iiolyose, where the two girls had grown
very fond Of each other, and bad often
written to Alice asking her to come to
her. to admire her husband, her new
house, and all the delights of a young
wife. Unfortunately, at the time of
Alice's sudden departure from her
mother, Mrs. Lawrence had gone on
few days visit to her new relatives. so,
when the traveller arrived, expecting q
hearty welcome, she found only dull
faced servant to receive her. heyerthe-
less, the servant showed her TO her
room, and left her prey to the most
melancholy reflections.
Mrs. Lawrence wouldi be home in
three days, Bridget had said; but three
days seemed a century to Alice, who, at
last, to keep from crying outright, set to
work TO empty her trunk Lifting the
lid, instead of her own familiar belong
ings, she saw belsre her cigar case, a
pile Of snowy shirts, an embroidered
sLlOking-cap, and in one end the little
socks, collars, and suits of a boy.
Alice stared while she mechanically
lifted the masculine effects one by one,
until pile of letters suddenly reminded
her that she was an intruder, and she
hastily put the things back with woman
~ precision, tenderly smoothing the
child's coats, and thinking photograph
of lady that lay among them was one
OF the pFettiest she had ever seen. Then
its likeness to the thin little face at the
station struck her, and 1t ali flashed into
her head az once. This trunk must be-
long to the gentleman with the nice
eyes; and not withstanding her depres-
sion, she broke into "A merry laugh az
she thought of his establishment when
he should find petticoats, slippers, rufiies
etc, instead of his own well-known gar
ments. The laugh however, ended in
despairing thought in respect of her
own predicament. What was she to do
with all those sensible, useful things
she had selected with such carer
CATER all, y she thought, "Daie's sta
ton is not a very large place; and ] will
send that brilliantlooking maid early TO
morrow morning to ransack one part of
it for man and boy, while | myself
will search the other"
After an early breakfast and interview
with the servant, to whom she explain
ed her dilemma, Alice set forth with de-
termination; but, as she turned the cor
ner of the street, she saw the gentle
man whom she was seeking, coming to-
wards her.
''Oh," she cried, "you must be the
gentleman | wantw
''And Won" he said, smiling down on
her and interrupting her, you must be
the lady | want. | have come 10 throw
myself on your mercy, and hope that
you have not been seriously incon-
venienced by my mistake"
ooh, mol" cried Alice, forgetting some
how all her troubles in the presence of
this comparative stranger, But your
son-did he not need some Of those dear
little things2"
"The poor child is i'll to-day, am
sorry to say, and has spoken several
times of the kind lady at the station"
"Oh, how | should like to go to see
hinl" said Alice, inpulsively. Then,
conyentionalty asserting itself, she add
ed "But beg your pardon; perhaps"
Your offer | accept as frankly as it
was made; besides, know already that
YOU are alone in your friends house.
The lady with whom am stopping IS an
acquaintance of Mrs. Lawrence; and
Bridget has, even at this early hour,
made her and your dilemma a subject of
gossip with my friends servant. We
had no difficulty in drawing conclusions
as to your identity. Will you kindly
come at once? And in the meantime /
will see TO the restoration of your prop
erty."
This was but the beginning OF a series
of little courtesies exchanged between
Mr.. Carlton and Alice Bird. Under var
ious pretexts he sought her society and,
when Mrs. Lawrence returned, she was
surprised to find two persons chatting
comfortably together in her drawing
room. She kissed Alice, who introduced
her to Mr.. Carlton, and told her of her
visit TO his little son.
"But indeed broke in Mr.. Carlton,
laughing. 81 can no longer pose in the
character of devoted father; BERTHE is
my brother, and not, as Miss Alice has
insisted all along, my SON.
"But the photograph of the lady in
your trunk? Surely, she is your wiie?'
"She was dearly loved sister who
died year ago and left her delicate lit
tie son to my sole care. | have brought
him with me here for change of air and
scene"
Alice's face had during this explana-
ton grown terribly red, which she would
have given worlds to prevent; and, when
MIR. Carlton looked at her with mean
ing look she could scarcely understand,
she turned suddenly pale, and would
have fallen but that he held out his arm
to support her.
1.-The poor darling is over-tired!'' cried
Mrs. Lawrence, sympathetlcally. 81
will call John to help her TO her room,
aud she shall be made to go to bed at
once"
But, before John could be found, Mr.
Carlton had kissed Alice and begged
that she would send him away because
he had loved her so short a time.
81 think | must have loved you from
| the first, she said simply. "But [ must
tell you how bad | am. | have run away
| from mamma and Robert Simms"
Robert Simms" cried Mr.. Carlton
''the scamp who is a notorious land
shark, and trying this minute to cheat
me ont of the very prettiest bit of prop
erty in the world What claim can he
have upon my Aliee?"
y I'VE owe him money" said Alice
with downcast eyes.
VERY we'll, my darling; we win
promptly pay him, and be married with
| clear consciences as soon as the law al
lows"
The recreant John having at last
been discovered, Mrs. Lawrence on
coming to take the tired guest to bed,
found her resting happily against Mr..
Cartoons shoulder
The Ear Northwest
| Puget Sound Correspondence of the New
York San.
Puget Sound is ravishingly beautiful