The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-11

oOne anu hC was parting tuc young
leaves to look to the meadow beyond,
across which he saw his lost Madcay
coming, holding up her gown with one
rounded arm, a basket in her hand. and
a child on either side. tripping over the
cowSlip'S head, with a football light as a
shadow, quick us sunbeam,
A woman perfect as Il young mans Dream
And breathing beauty and the old sweet air
of the fair days OF Old, when man was young
And life an epic.
Heavens, how he had forgotten herl
Memory's colors had no more power to
paint her as she lived and breathed than
an echo is able to repeat the tone of q
well-loved voice; and if but u moment
ago he had thought OF her as happy.
how poor and pale u thing that happi-
ness seemed beside this radiant ioy that
glowed with color, life. and song! And
he realized then that in her choice she
had done well-that she might never
have looked as she looked then, if she
had married himself. and if the mans
passionate love leaped up i'm him at
sight or her, q nober instinct struggled
above, and thrust it down.
Look" she cried. there and here.
and here" and at each word stopped to
pluck q cowslip from its stalk, yet found
time between to kiss the little eager
faces so near her own, and 81 for the
first time brought her motherhood
home to Franks mind; for perpetually
as she had dwelt in his mind all these
| years, Madcap as a mother had never
for a second presented herself to his
imagination.
His heart throbbed; inexpressibly
sacred and more dear to him in this
most moving, pathetic situation wo-
man can fill in the eyes of the man who
loves her, was Madcap then. Her voice
came to him like q revelation as she
dropped her basket to throw an arm
round each child's neck and call them
her little loves, her sweethearts-after
all, might not the secret of her happi-
ness lie with them, not with Mr.. Eyre?
And now for the cowslip ball, y she
cried, and came all breathless TO the
brook, and sat down beside it with her
lapful of gold-"God's gold, as Doune.
who was beginning to understand what
his prayers meant, with some c0ndescen-
sion informed Dody.
But me know sumfin' too" said
Dody, who was watching the fall of
each cowslip's head with absorbed at
tentiOn-
"A wobin and wren
Are God a'mighty's cock and hen.
Did 90 know zdt, mummy"
NO" said Madcap, laughing; ''but
Dody knows lots and lots of things that
mummy doesn't!''
Nell seep wiz 90 tonight" said
Dody, with royal nod, land then NELL
tell 'Oo."
Josephine won't let you.n said
DOune, who looked upon such talk as q
frivolous interruption to cOwsliping,
and whose love for his mother was rare
ly shown in outward expression.
Ills fathers son." thought Frank, as
he looked at him with a momentary
thrOb Of aversion; then away from him
to DOdy. who in feature and coloring
equally resembled Mr. Eyre, but carried
81 subtle look of Madcap in his every
| look and gesture that won Frank s heart
on the spot. as later on, Frank won his
and kept it, too, to the last. To the
young fellow, the making of that cow
slip ball was an idyl. and never sure
was a string more prettily held than by
this little pair Of lads, so serious, so in
tent, SO fearful lest even by wander
T, ing glance after butterfly shake
should be engendered and blossom
spilled; while between them knelt Mad
cap in her white gown, swinging those
| golden bells as one who weavpJ in with
each a hidden JOY, q sweet content, that
made the wreathing OF this child's play
thing as true an index TO her life as
though Frank had followed it, day by
day. for the past SIX years.
''Esny more flowers, mummy?" said
| Dody, speaking for the first time since
the ball had been commenced.
Yes! there was one more; it was be-
tween Madcap's fingers then. She was
looking into its heart, cinque-spotted
J but she saw not the flower, she had for =
h<x. 1,.11 IN, Inl~ Co.
! seldom an hour absent. from her side,
had risen before her, and in spirit she
had leaped to it, and was crying out
Yesterday. wished you away; but,
to-day, wish you herci''
Me kno,cs nell drop it," said Dody,
in voice of grave rebuke; and then
Madcap came to herself with a start,
and swung her cOwslip. and with much
squeezing of certain little fat hands in
side it. the ball was tied and tossed high
in the air, with the magic invocation
Tisty-tosty, fair and forty.
How many years shall live?
Down slipped the golden ball through
Madcap's fingers. and with shout of
| joy was seized on by the children, who
held it up for her small-velvety, vo-
luptuOus, like a full rich draught of
summer after the hayward sips of
sweetness that Turk in the pale cups of
primrose and anemOne! AS the children
ran away with their treasure, Madcap
cast quick look around and drew from
her bosom letter, that she first kissed,
then held moment in her hand, as
child will delight to abstain for mo-
ment from its coveted cake; and Frank
wondered what could be on the page to
bring such lovely lights and shadows to
her face rs she read. Was it, then, Mr..
Eyre's habit to write his wife love-
letter every time she took morning
walk without him? She had found it
on her pillow that morning when she
had awakened to find Mr.. Eyre gone;
and this was his letter,-the first love-
letter Mr.. Eyre had ever written his
wife,
''Madcap," he said, II go to my father,
who is dying. This Is our first parting, the
first in six long happy years, and / leave
you thus rather than that the word Fare
we'll should be spoken between us; 1t is
word that must not, shall not, hold any
meaning for you and me. In three days, at
latest, will return, or summon you to my
side. i would take you with me, but such
associations are not FOR you. Wife-sweet-
heart-joy OF my life, write to me the mo-
-. ~.