Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-29
seeking in vain for the eager childish. ,ons

seeking in vain for the eager childshs scnt
from her side Il little fortnight ago..
The Summer wanes, and autumn w1ilAs
sigh through the little garden; charmingh
happy days, full of soft, dreamy sunlight,
alternate with clouds and gusty weather.
ana lead leaves are whirling and plling i'll
tence.corners and among the bare rose
bushes. Kate Breeze has recovered from.
the low fever that seized upon her soon
after her return from the sea-shore. Sym.
pathizing friends exclaim that it was for
tunate she was moved to come home. How
f@orlorn it would lave been to be i'll in a
summer hotel, with its noise and thin par
titions. The girl is grateful for that ill
ness. 1t is a shield behind which she can
retire from all but her mother. She has
not contided in her at once, but there comes
a day during her convaiescence when Mrs.
Breeze puts a direct question:
"Who is Mr.. Carew, kate?"
The pale face lushes violently.
"Have l been talking about him"
"Yes, dear. He and the hot sun beating
down upon the beach seemed your chief
causes Of distress. You said nothing of
him which need worry you. You need not
speak Of him now unless you wish"
81 ought to tell you. mother. Perhaps
you can help me-" The girls brown hair
lies braided on the pillow. She pulls the
plaits nervously us she speaks with evil
dent effort.
81 met him with his little boy on the
CIV w u saw IL * cit 'lCf1 VI oilC "
while the children played. He had a sick
wife. l did not think of it's looking i'll or
being any harm. Al last he took me TO a
dance at the hotel, and afycrward lheard him
talking with a friend outside my window.
He sald-O, l can noa repeat what they
said, but it opened my eyes and 1 knew ny
own heart. | was as guilty as he, only l
had been blind and he had seen all the
time. o, mother, mother,'' and with the
cry of pain wrung from her very heart the
l rtp1 1,,.,t, t~to r, N,r, ~ 81 ,e, ,i 1I,,s
mother kneels beside her, soothingh her with
loving words. $40, no, that is not the
worst" murmurs Kate. eth worst is
that l can not hate him. We were togeth-
er so much and he was SO lovely, one could
not help loving him, could not help it,"
"What was Rose doing, DEAR" asks the
mother, simply.
Kate makes q helpless, impatient ges.
ture. "a half sister is not like a whole
sister," she says.
AS the weeks pass by she arrives at a
comparatively restful state OF mind, but
the vivacious, gay girl who has enlivened
the cottage for so many years does not re-
turn. Instead q sedate young woman
comes and goes, an absent.minded crea-
ture who sometimes fails to respond i'm
mediately when she is addressed, and who
loves to go away by herself to a nook in
the woods not far from home where she can
read and think for hours, undisturbed.
She seeks this retreat on one of the last OF
the Indian Summer days. The sky, the
foliage, offer such vivid c~oloring she cam
brought with her. She fails into the old
train Of thought and drifting on and on,
forgets the flight OF time
A light touch is suddenly laid on her
arm. She starts violently as she meets
BERTHE Carew's dark, thoughtful eyes.
"Why, BERTHE !" she manages to utter,
and begins to tremble.
"Aren't you glad to see me, Auntie Kate:
!, Why don't you kiss me? It's pretty here,'
looking about critically on the leafy sur
!, roundings.
, her lips but holds his little hand eagerly.
"Where did you come from, dear? You
, surprised ME SO. How is your-yourm mann
, nlaW
r 90, she's lots better. she's most we'll"
"And-your papa" she breathes.
The child looks solemnly surprised "Oh
9 Why, what's the matter, Aun'ie Kate,
:. you look so funny! y, Pop, Pop"
Mr.. Carew hurries Onward at the cry o.
. alarm. The sight OF him revives the faint
ing ggKE III: carew-Bertie tole
a me" She lifts her pale face proudly bu
does not raise her eyes.
aKate, can it be possible that you be
q lieve it still-shat l I'M Bcrtie's fatherf My
poor sister has been very near the gate
OF death since l saw you. Inns Is tne IFS
minute that l have been free to come t
Y you"
o eagerly, incredulously, joyfully.
"And he's talked about you all tn
way" remarks BERTHE, in some disgust
"I'd rather see Ray. Where is Ray
Why, Pop, don't hug her SO tight" h
:, adds, opening his eyes to their widest eX
tent and using a deeply aggrieved tone
500 you love her better than me-"
" .Better than you. better than the Who'll
world, !'-Clarn Louise Burnh1n
;, IN the Continent.