Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-08

ardly than to play q practical Joke" 1
sad, "on a person whom circumstances
pace to a certain extent in ones power.
n practical joke of any magnitude is
iasaltlng. cruel. stupid. and a disgrace
70 one person only the perpetrator."
The girl 8 face got very red, and she
Uttered nervoasly.
joker | went on. Il am pretty sure
you have, AMI on Miss Morley; have
you not" l demanded, stcrnly.
mered.
"f!ease answes me traightlorwardly,
Miss Thomson" l SAID, 20, 1 must, as
your clergyman, apply to your mother.
o will know what l mean if your
conscience accuses YOU. Did you not
Moyley;?"S
Inc girl burst into tears and grad
ually tlld me all--how she and Amy
MAD written the letter in fun, and never
meant any harm, how. when she mag
lned Miss Morley had answered it, she
was too fri ghtened to confess, how she
' 49, &SlIJ tLlN 81 Ols
You have done an unmaidenly,
cruel action" l said; San action which,
Dutfor Miss Morley's good sense and
ladylike mind, might have caused great
mischief. ! hope this will be a lesson
to you, and that in the future you
will be more c~onsiderate for Others
feelings.
Inow hoped that all trouble rising
from the unfortunate letter would be
ended; but it grieved me to see how
Miss Morley dropped. She seemed al
most afraid TO look at me, though !
strove hard to put her at her ease.
Several months passed by, and
found myself taking more and more in
tercst in her, though we rarely ex-
changed words now. One day I was
much concerned to hear from Mrs.
Thomson that she was leaving them.
"Miss Morley lsavingH exclaimed.
you surprise me! Why is she going?'
81 cannot discover" said Mrs.
Thompson. "She has no complaints TO
make. 1 have always been kind to her;
but she says she must go; and she does
seem to be falling into bad health here.
It's a great pity; but 1 can't persuade
her to remain"
1 could not help feeling that ] was
driving her away. The thought caused
mo pain, and l began to wish that
had never told her | had not written
that letter, but had accepted the love
which now | began to prize. One thing
l determined: she must not leave her
situation. l could far easier lind an
other curacy than she another home.
Ii l went at once she would doubt ess
remain; all I need do was IL speak to
her, and tell her, as if casually, that l
was gong. l watched for an oppor.
tunity.
One afternoon l met her coming OUT
of the church; she had been trying the
organ. I hurried to Join her at the
gate.
"How do you do, Miss Morley?' ]
said. "You have been practiving,
see."
EYES," she replied.
'It is q queer Old organ, is it not?' ]
continued. II wish the parish could
afford a new one"
81 suppose they not" she said.
"aood-by, MIR. Citheroe."
care you not going homer" 1 asked
"No,"sh replied; II must go roune
by the village"
$50 mustI and we will go together
/ said. II want to tel! you that I an
going away"
"6oing awayP" she repeated
"Whyy"
"'Io better myself as the people
say,n lreplied smilingly. II We only
Just made the arrangement; in fact Il
was only this morning that l told Mr..
Ponsonby; and l mean to leave in less
than q month"
"{ou will be missed here, MIR. Clith'
eroe," she said.
'.Do you think so!" / asked. "Ah,
fear very little. But it is pleasant K
think one leaves a kindly memory be-
hind. When are you go ng?'
81 don't quite know" she replied,
"Mrs. Thompson urges me to S Jay and
not 90 at ALL
81 know she does" ! said; land
hope you will"
perhaps 1 may she replied; ''bu'
my plans are not settled yet"
saw l was right. Poor child, she
had no wish to go nov was leaving
We walked on for some time in
silence. | could not part from hel
thus. At last said suddenly
"Miss Morley, I love you; l can mo-
tell you how much! When 1 had tc
deny writing that letter l did not; bu'
since then you have crept into my ut
most soul. Have | any chance left?:'.
''Mr. Clitheroe, | thank you,'' she an
swered, calmly; ''but ! must ask you te
drop the subject"
.'Why?" | exclaimed.
..Why" she repeated. "Eecause
you are saying all this from pity. 70,
think | have been unhappy, and won
be pit ed"
indeed, you wrong me,' I pleaded
but she was obdurate.
Isaw her once mo e before [ left.
was lunching at the Thomsons'. lhat
a rosebud II my hand. and presented i
to her.
els it not a lovely bud?'l asked.
"Yes; 1t is a beauty she said.
eff you have not forgotten Il con
versation the other day. I pleaded
will you wear this rose us a sign to M
that WY, ,aInnt and will he mine"