The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

W
Of the good book" begins Farmer Law.
son, wiping his glasses suspiciously.
and he opens the ancient Bible and
reads few verses, but when he ceases
the old longing is still there.
Mother Lawson lifts his head and
gives him a cooling draugh,. but even
that does not satisfy him. His wistful
gaze is still fixed on Beth.
Suddenly the girl darts from the
room. Straight up the narrow stairs
she goes with fleet steps, and knecls
down by the black box half hidden
under the sloping ewes. With nimble
| fingers she opens il, and lifts the violin
from its cofin-likc case.
Beth feels no jealousy in her hear,
toward the dumb thing, and her touch
is gentle rs his own was wont to be rs
she carries it down and lays it silently
in his arms.
As his gaze fails on it, smile of
wondrous content crosses his lips, and
he puts one hand to touch the strings.
One instant the long, slim fingers rest
there, and then slip down from sheer
WEAKNESS.
"Not tonight" he says softly; mot
tonight"
When the elders 20 down to partakc
of the belated supper in the shady
keeping-room, Beth still watches on.
The gloom decpcns in the apartment,
aud there is no sound save the chirp of
the crickets III the pasture. The moon
rising. sheds a flood of lnstre through
the wide easement.
Leaning forward in the silvery light
Beth touches the brown hand lightly. 1t
is icy cold. The girl makes no cutlery,
sheds no tears, but laying the helpless
fingers back on the dumb strings, goes
to the window and looks out over the
wide fields to the far-oT silent woods
with eyes that see nothing, and lips that
say only, mot tonight, not tonight
Not any more"
Two years later Beth marrics her old
lover, John Mansen, and goes with him
TO his ancient homestead to live. He
denies her no wish Of her Heart, pleased
if she but smile on him in return. Soon
a little one comes 10 bear them COM
pany, and "a time rolls on. 4 troop Of
children play through the low-raftcred
rooms.
In summer their favoritc haunts are
the sunny paths bordered by rows of
tall hollyhocks. and ovcrrun by creeping
myrtle; but in winter they froic in the
great garnet, where is stored Il multitude
of old relics which constitute at once
their childish wonder and delight.
One bitterly cold afternoon Beth sits
in front OF the open hrc listening TO the
wind as it bowls through the branches,
shaking the frosty panes with savage
fury, and watching the red embers as
they drop slowly one by one. Suddenly
there comes Il rush Of eager feet along
the hail, the sound of childish voices,
and the harsh twang of discordant notes.
Look, mamma" cries Ted, the
eldest. You know you told us never
to touch the old leather trunk that
stands near the south window, the one
that was yours when you were u girl;
but Lettie disobeyod, and look what
she found at the bottom hidden away in
a long black box. See, it has strings,
and can sound them"
$50 back to your play children
4 careful hand takes the violin from
Ted's rough grasp, and closes the door
on the small jewellers. A firm step re-
crosses the room. and stalwart form
bends over Beth as she still sits in the
glow of the fire.
"You need not have hidden this
dumb witneS, from me, Beth" John
says kindly. II know naught of music,
but the sight of this is dear to me il
only for the poor lads sake. know
well that YOU loved him in the old days.
l know. too. that can never DC like
him. God casts men in different moulds.
finer or coarscr as the case may be; but
he gave me heart that loves you too
well to bid you remember in silence.
Beth cannot see the embers now
There is q curious mist before her eyes;
so she looks up at her husband instead.
"You are noble man. john she
answers softly. 'Ilow noble | never
realized before. Yes, it is true that l
loved the lad, and knowing that you
possess this knowledge, will make you
n no less tender and truc-heartcd wife.
And gazing into the upturned face
that, spite of the changes wrought by
Times unyiclding hand, is dearer to
him than its girlish counterpart John
Manscn smiles and is satisfied.