The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-05-03

"
the church, and she had came in bright
and cheerful. l saw at once that Harry
admired her; for it was not long before
the gloom which had possessed him all
the afternoon vanished; and when she
got up, saying she must return to finish
her work, be proposed that we should go
back with her to assist. Pleading weari-
ness, l declined, and they went off to-
gether, while |, leaning back restfully
to rejoice over the quick success of my
scheme, looked long and earnestly into
the fire, until it turned from red to gray,
from gray to black. Then still | sat on,
staring at the ashes; sat on till twilight
blended into night. The entrance of the
maid to remove the urn reused me at
last, and the sound of my stirring in the
dark frightened her.
Excuse me miss!n she exclaimed.
81 thought you must be out because you
did not ring. You were asleep, per-
haps? Dear, dear, the fires dead out,
and the room cold as all out-doors!'
Yes" / replied, 81 have stupidity let
the fire 90 out, and l am really very
cold. But you need not light it; shall
not want it again tonight"
Then, after injunctions to deal gently
with my china, left her, and feeli lg a
little dull, excused myself from dinner
and went to bed.
The spring was early that year, ano
Easter Day fell late. l awoke in time
''to see the sun Dance" and if my own
heart did not throb a measure too, at
least it felt glad peacefulness, calm
Joy. All at once l remembered that
had neglected to get myself some flow
ers to wear to church and to decorate
my room, and this grieved me. / will
90 now, early as it is, resolved; 1 will
90 back to the woods by Silver Lake,
and hunt under the dead leaves for what
/ may find.
Hooded and cloaked l slipped silently
down stairs, and then leaving the town
l turned toward a familiar path, past
fields and hedges, to where the woods
began. Next came scramble up a
bank, where dead branches cracked be-
meath my steps and brown leaves fell;
after that another narrow, beaten path
leading to small irregular little lake,
now lit up by the quivering 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 nv 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 it, kissed it before gather
ed it, and then sought more. Once fanci
ed l heard a rustling sound, and rising
pushed back my warm hood to listen.
Only a bird, l thought, as | pulled it on
again. In my absorbing delight time
passed, and the sun was rising high,
when | again heard sound-unmistak-
ably step. | rose with both hands full,
and, turning. m t 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 a
wild, Intellectual effort to reach his hat,
and in so doing dropped half his flow
ers. Pardon me-" he repeated. Il
can t manage it. How ever came you
hereP"
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 | have dropped? l meant them all
for you; but now he hesitated
Now you will carry them to Helen"
[ said resolutely.
No" he answered.; ''if you won't
have them [ will keep them myself. I
couldn't offer arbutus to any woman but
you"
busted myself silently in gathering
the dropped flowers.
"Won't you tell me-" he said sudden
ly. show you came to lose your love for
me?'
L looked up in blank surprise, and
waiting until a confessed rush of mean
ingless ideas passed through my mind,
answered quickly: 1.-The old break was
caused by no change or loss, Harry. 1t
seemed best, and we submitted"
Il am not talking of the old break"
he persisted: Il am talking of nos0. 1
come back after ten years perfect truth
to you, to find you as lovely and sweet.
Yes l waved my hand impatiently
and tuned away my face-''just the
same in 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 little regard was left,
which l might win back to love-"
| went on gathering the blossoms ST.
lently, and wondering what to say.
LET the things lie!'' he cried irritably.
'sIf you can't answer me, don't kneel
there in that quiet way. l can't bear it. y
Irose. Harry" said, ''women and
travelling round the world, / was tread
ing the smaller rounds of daily duty.
My calm has been required. never ex-
pected you would return just the same
after years of separation. Ishould 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-" | did not
know what to say next. | added tame
ly: THAT is why | seem calm
"When you said, yesterday" he went
on. ''that under the dead brown leaves
the arbutus was blooming fresh and sweet
to-day, thought YOU meant the old love
was living still beneath the lonely years. f"
Giad, yet not daring to reply, L knelt
down at his feet, and sweeping away the
rustling dry things, uncovered dewy
blossom. blended white and pink.
Il am answered. he said gently;
''do not gather it, let it stay"
And l was very glad he understood
without making me speak.
We spent a very happy day. Later,
at church, 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 had restored to us a living love-
Edyth KirktCook IN DemoreSt's for May.
A bachelor and spinster who had
been schoolmates in youth and were
about the same ape met in after Years