The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-09-11

II,
not bear to give her pain. He could only pray,
time to fly that he might seek her presence.
He passed the holidays with her; In her
neat cashmere dress and with the sunburn all
oieached away, she was prettier than when he
parted with her. And before = blazing wood
fire they passed delightful hours with books
and each other.
: All, yes it was beautiful adream But
would it not become painful reality if he
transplanted her from her native soil?
She was sweet rather than handsome; she
listened rather than conversed; she was sim
plo and unassuming rather than picturesque
in attire. She would not be at home in his
world; and constrained Aunt Ruth and loud
Uncle William, would they not be laughing
stock for all Ills circle:
Yet how could he leave her again? Still, he
did leave her, with only ''be true to me, little
sweetheart; shall come again in few weeks,
as promise asked or given, or hope to
tighten the dark gloom for Lisle.
left her. Yet he would go again soon.
1t was, aftor all, very delicious to have such
= sweetheart hidden away in sly nook where
no oAc knew her-where their wqpings we're
as sacred and as free from gossip as the twit-
| sering Of the birds in II leafy forest =.
Would it not BIO cruel to drag hor out before
tho cold-eycd criticism and vulgar comment Of
merciless dissection?
He half dreaded opening her first letter af-
ter his return. He felt sure it was one agon-
Yet he was conscious Of keener sense of
disappointment than of relef when he found
it Was, lnstead,a very pleasant, friendly letter,
relating occurrences at home, books she had
read, andhor ideas of them, with polite re-
ference to the pleasure his visit had given
her.
Not letter he could find fault with, yet not
q satisfactory letter at all
In his reply there was perhaps more ardor
and warmth than ever before. 1t was long
L~e~ h. H.. b. i,
long that he grew almost desperate with sus-
pense.
Then there came a brief letter telling him
that she was about to start to New York city
on visit to all old schoolmate.
"She went abroad two years ago and made
somewhat romantic marriage a year later"
Lislo wrote 'She has since returned, and has
all winter been urging mo to visit her. hope
you will find time to run up and call while
am there"
Richard laid down the letter with almost a
His sweetheart in New York! And she
chopped he would call" Why had she not al
lowed him to escort her through her long jonr-
ney! Was it not his right? Why did she
treat him in this distant manner?
He went to New York before she had been
there two days and called; but sho was not at
homo.
She was the guest of people of wealth and
fashion, he Judged by appearances. And again
an uncomfortable query rose in his mind: How
would she appearin this new element? He had
| all opportunity to judge of this ere many days
passed
On his return, disappointed and unhappy,
| that evening, he found a handsomely engraved
card awaiting him, asking his presence at No.
12S0 to reception given in honor OF Miss Llsle
Ashley.
He did not make any attempt to see her be-
fore that evening. Somehow q sudden barrier
had arisen between him and the idol of his
dreams, which rendered him slightly afraid of
her.
1t was with great deal of trepidation and
many fears that he presented himself on the
evening appointed at No. 1850.
! When he enteEel -he was late-he found
himself in e4nidst Of a brilliant circle Of so
cioty people--fnahy Of them his intimate ac-5
And presently he deserted the object of his
search across the hall conversing easily with
Senator Roman, the most intellectual man of
his circle. 49,. ;.
Yet, it was Iisle. She was dressed in
beautiful trailing garment CT rich material,
which fitted her round figure perfectly, dis
closing her lovely throat and bare arms. She
welded a handsome fan with skilled grace, and
charmed tho brilliant senator with her accom-
plished art of listening, as we'll as with her
bright repartee.
Just as Richard approached her, her hostess
advanced from an opposite direction, and with
ont seeing him, or not conscious thai he had
not yet paid his respects to her guest bore her
off to some new suppliant for her favor.
It was half an hour before Richard found an
opportunity to reach her SIDE Then he had
only time to give her the formal greetings of
the evening, to hold her gloved hand one mo-
ment, to meet her calm, sweet gaze with re-
proving, searching eyes before she was again
called away.
She was a social success, and became i'm
mensely popular
$50 naive, SO bright, SO simple and child
like, so cute" were few of the expressions
Richard heard applied to her, as tho evening
"a wild rose In hot-honse atmosphere" he
thought elbow long before she will lose her
sweetness and freshness, wonder. All, how
lovely she is J! Inever dreamed she could be SO
lovely. And yet would rather see her inAher
print gown How dare these people discuss
her SO, my own wild rose-my love!'
His eyes followed her wherever she moved.
Such easy grace, such an unconscious air of
her own loveliness, such fine conversational
abilities as she possessed. Senator Roman
thoroughly charming women he ever met.
And she was one Of the lovetest, it seemed to
Richard Her fashionable couture, her elegant
toilet the touch of powder on her complexion,
completely transformed the pretty rustic to a
beautiful belle.
Richards heart swelled with pride and pain.
Why had he been so tardy? Why was she not
his acknowledged fiancee now? Why, indeed!
He had no opportunity to see her alone that
evening. But on taking his leave he asked If
he might call the following afternoon.
eyes, she would be charmed to see him"
He called at the appointed hour, to find Sen
| ator Roman just before him, and two other
callers came later.
She entertained all graciously, but Richard
left without teto-a-tete.
He WAS obliged to return to Albany that even
ing, and business detained him there several
days. When he returned again he found her
gone out for drive with Senator Roman.
Mrs. Metcalf, her hostess, entertained him
with maddening account of the brilliant sena-
tors devotion.
ssSuch success as dear Lisle has made at
once" II am quite charmed, though I expec-
ted it Demure and unassumins. and simple
as she was at the academy receptions, Lsle
was always BELLE She would look absolute
ly plain some days in her quiet dress and with
her still ways, and in the evening she would
astonish us all by her exquisite toilets ind
brilliant manners. The society youths and
the staid old intellectual, professors were equal
ly wild over her: always thought she would
make brilliant marriage. I have ueen urging
her for year t. come to New York.
but she was fascinated some way with that
lonely country nook whore her uncle resides.
I am so glad dragged her out of it, and
what handsome couple the and Senator Ro-
Ric hard thought that he would 80 mad be-
fore he got away. Would that woman ever
cease talking.
But how amazed he was to fiDd that the lit
Ito rustic, whom he had feared to present to
his circle of fashisnable friends, was belle
who had always boon able to slime in society.
He went home and wrote her very humble
little note, asking her to-, s1ind seneuGA to
appoint an hour when she wonMbe 1t libeEty
to see him without her SATELLITES. "Ns r = y
He receiyed pleasant reply BY return post
stating the hour when she would be at liberty
and 'spleased to see her old friend''
He kissed the little note as. rapturously as
Iisle ever could have caressed his letters in
her lonely days upon the farm.
Yet, when he called it was very stately
young lady who greeted him. with Mrs. Metcalf at
her side; and Mrs. Metcalf never left the room
for one moment
Lisle was cordial and gracious, yet Richard
felt as if n thousand miles lay between him
and this girl, whose charm and sweetness and
worth he had been conscious of for many
months, but whose entire suitability for the
station of his wife he had doubted, or at least,
had questioned.
And now he would have given half his life to
know that he could win her.
Had he lost forever the golden opportunity
for perfect happiness by his tardiness and
So it seemed: His efforts to see her alone
proved unavailing Some one was always
present when he called. Sometimes Senator
Roman, always Mrs. Metcalf.
"Has your hostess constituted herself body
guard Of one to protect your" he asked, in an
ungracorls aside, one day, when he was thor
oughly irritatcd by that lady's' seeming uncon-
Lisle looked at him with questioning surprise
and disapproval
/ 81 desired Mrs. Metcalf to assist me in enter
tanning all nv callers" she said,