The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-06-08


"His sonP''
"Why, yes 'um-I reckon SC"
81 shall have to shut him up" sale
Miss Prue. His travelling expense;
viii ruin me. =
By this time the poor bird had lost
most of his fine tail-feathers in the pro
cess of being run down by the Miller
brothers and their contemporaries, anG
presented ragged appearance which
went to its owners heart. So he was
shut up in temporary pen till he should
learn better ways; but Miss Prudence,
going to look after him one afternoon,
found the two Millers inside the pen,
chasing him about to display his plum
age, while their little sister stood out
side and clapped her hands, and a crowd
of other children stood peeping between
the Stats.
"What are you doing, children?" she
cried.
"Oh, we've been reading about pea
cocks, and they need exercise" vouch-
safed the eldest Miller.
"It seems to me that you need a
stick" said Miss Prue.
9 Fatherdon't approve of whipping. =
chirruped the youngest; do you, faith
er?''
And Miss Prue lifted her eyes and
met those of Rev. Austin Miller, which
wore startled, perplexed expression,
while the color palpitated across his
pale face
"My children have annoyed you,'' he
said, with the hesitating tone which
begged to be gain-said.
"They have only annoyed the pea
cock" answered Miss Prue, dropping
her gaze, and flushing rosy red in her
turn.
/ came in search of these rogues, -
he went on. Bridget was sure they
were in some mischief did not ex-
pect to find you"
"No. of course not, +" said Miss Prue,
In voice studiously matter-of-fact.
81 ha read somewhere" Rev. Mr..
Miller pursued, that the only real
happiness which ever arrives to us,
springs up quite Unexpectedly in our
path-it is not the result Of search
dropped the thread of my sermon,
against my will, at critical point to
pick up these little folks. I 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.
No, | 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 me?" he spoke half
questioningly, as if he. would fain be
contrad cted.
" | never thought of it as anything
to forgive" she said, and her voice
melted and broke a little in spite of
herself. "It was so long ago." a little
proudly, as if she would not let him
suppose that it signifed. 81 see now
that fate OF Providence was kinder to
us than / believed. / don't think was
intended. for a domestic life,n as her
eyes fell upon the three harum-scarum
children in their torn frocks and mis-
chief the children who might have
been her own, but for their mothers
double-dealing.
Austin Miller smiled little sadly as
his glance followed hers.
"They are torments to the neigh
bors, fear," he said; "but they are
all the comfortI have" holding hand
to them. "Come, children, make your
bow to Miss Hildreth, and tell her you
are sorry
"But we are not bit sorry" said
little Amy. "The peacock is so beauti-
full, we are glad we coined. We mean
to do it again
'Truth is no longer at the bottom of
a well" said Miss Prue, with a real
smile dimpling her face as she said
goodbye.
If Deacon Bracket could have seen
the manuscript of Mr.. Miller's sermon
as he reflected in his study that evening,
he would have supposed that the words,
"Come again, dear DREAM serawled
on the margin, referred beyond doubt
to the dream of Jacob when he saw the
angels Of God ascending and descend
ing.
Chem there Miller boys be enough
to drive you to glory, an no mistake,'
declared Jane, few weeks later. 81
wouldn't be their mother-no, not if
you'd give EN- to me-"
They're not mine to give" said Miss
Prue, what have they done nowp''
''DoneP They've gone and broke the
pea-hen's eggs, to see the little pea
cocks, sure's you're alive. They ex-
pected to find 'em full-fedged, long
tail and all. Amy's gone home crying. .
"And where are the boysp''
"Mr. Miller, he's going to send them
to bed without their supper, and serve
EN- right. Their mothers shirked all
the bother of 'em, sure enough"
"Without their supper-poor thingsr'
cried Miss Prue, '.Why, it's only three
O'Clock of summers day. / remem-
Der when / used to be sent to bed bv
daylight when was little and naughty,
and it always seemed to me horrible
injustice. Jane, run over to the par
sonage, and tell Mr.. Miller he will do
me favor if he will
"Baste 'em soundly,' put in Jane.
"Jane! how inhuman! He will do
me favor if he will let them off this
time. /"
Now, Miss Prue, if you'd write it
yourself-sure's you live-excuse me,
| amt got the face to carry
that there message. y And it so hap
pened that Rev. Austin Miller found
himself dreaming overa perfumed note.
in his study, while his sermon Law for
gotten before him-dreaming of the first
note he had ever received from Miss
Prue. fifteen years or so ago, the words
of which started out from some hidden
corner Of his brain where they had been
sleeping unknown to him; dreaming of
the dewy evenings in the rose-garden of
the old parsonage where he studied Di-
vinity and she taught the children their
A b Cs; of moonlight nights on the
river together, and spring mornings in
the woods hunting the first wild flower;
of Sundays, when they sang together in
the choir; of their stroll home through
green, sweet-seented lanes. The thou
sand and one dear hours they had spent
N each others company passed before
his mind s eye like some beautiful piano.
rama. He wondered if, indeed, he was