Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-05-14

snow.
The branches in the glen tinkling and
cracking under their weight of icicles,
the stars glistening afar off.
1 bad run across the beaten path
that led from the house to the barn,
to get some apples that were
packed SO snugly in the oat-biu, for old
Mr.. Cornell had come to spend the even.
ing, and my mother took pride in her
uDpretending hospitality.
Bu5 just as stopped to lift the lid oil
the bin, rustling noise in the hay
startled me.
Before I could utter the low cry that
trembled on my lips, saw that it was
Stella Severn.
Stella Severn, neighbor Lockwood's
gil, wild, reckless thing, who received
bad name at every ones hand, and
contrived somehow to get blamed fol
every scrape that was going.
! Whether Stella was really bad or not,
no one could tell-but somehow she was
perpetually under the ban.
Mrs. Lockwood, a stiff, rigid dame Of
the Puritanic type, knew no more how
to manage Stella Severn than the mat.
ronly hen corprebends the rowing nat.
ure of the willful duckling that takes tc
the water in spite of everything and
for some recent escapade, the full details
of which did not know had been for.
hidden by my mother even to speak tc
Stella.
eyes, it is T." said Stella, slowly rear.
ing herself out of the recesses of the
| hay, and staring at me with her big
eyes. t'And I am, oh-so coldl"
What are you doing here?" asked
holding up my lantern in sore perplex.
ity:
':I'm trying tosleep, " said stelle. I've
run away"
s'Run away? What for?"
"Because couldn't stand it any long.
ger. Mrs. Lockwood accused me of be.
ing thief-she had lost some misera
bic old teaspoons or other-and I won't
be called thief"
"But, Stella" I cried my nature thrill.
ling with vague terror at the mere idea
! of such bold measures as these, swhat
are you going to do?"
"The Lord only knows" Stella ans.
.yered, with more reckless truth than
reverence.
"Perhaps mother would let you sleep
in our spare room,' hesitated.
"Perhaps she wouldnt!'' scornfully
retorted Stella, "No decent person lets
me in!"
81 mean to ask her,"
'tAsk, then, and get scolding fol-
your palms," laughed Stella, bitterly.
"But it is so cruelty cold, and mother
| InSf mt ~,
weather as this"
perhaps so, but am worse than a
/ dog. You mean kindly, EAie Heart,
but you'll find out the folly of it,
I made no answer, but ran as fast Of
Icould back to the house, where,
breathless and painting. preferred my
request.
"a theft A runawayl In my house!'
cried my mother.
"a lazy, good.for- nothing, who woulc
rather lie in the sunshine than work any
time," echoed Cornell.
$50 and warn her off the premises
Immediately" said my mother.
II dunno but I'd ought to go for the
constable" obviously remarked Cornell
feeling his stubbly beard.
skunk away disheartened.
Stella's prophecy had been correct.
But I was determined not to desert m,
own playmate thus.
Creeping up to my room, I took 1
solitary crown piece, treasured toward
a new blue sash for spring muslin, ant
wrote short note to Hubert Leslie
Hubert Leslie, the young artist who hai
lived with us the summer previous
asking him to befriend the friendless.
I believe he would do as much as tina
for my sake, and then hurrying once t,
the barn, crept up to Stella's side.
''Stella, said ], 'syou must go ava,
from here"
81 thought So" responded Stell
calmly.
"But here's crown-all the money
have got. It will take you to York
And here is note to a gentleman. VIII
may, perhaps, help you to find some
thing to do"
Stella threw her arms about my neck
and I could feel her tears, wet and warn
upon my cheek.
"Ehie Heartt," sobbed she, s:if a
the world was like you, perhaps
shouldn't be so bad as I am. Yet r
do my best. Give me the money and le
me CO."
I watched her dark form ploddin
away over the snow until the blac
speck vanished under the wall of tree
that lined the road, and then cam
back into the house where my mothe
and visitor were. -,
''Has she gomez" asked the former.
eyes, she has gone," answered,
81 ana glad of that" said my mother
GIVE no faith in that Stella Sever
She might have had good home wit
Mrs. Lockwood, if only she had behave
herself"
And it was not until some time afte1
ward that I ventured to tell my mothe
what I had done.
"You are fool" said she, with ace
bity. "Your money is as clean throw
away as if you had pitched it down til
we'll; and I'm sure I don't know whs
Mr.. Leslie will think Of your interfe1
ence."
I hung my head and made no answer
But when the summer hung her col
onal of big cream .colored roses Owe
our farm door, and Hubert Lesli
came back with his easel, ventured
ask him of Stella.
"Oh," said he, ''that black-eyed gil
with the Spanish face? Yes, I remen
Der now. I got her q place as child
nurse with my cousin, Mrs. Evely1
but she ran away within q month"
"Humph! told you 90" said m
mother, with the scornful emphasi
which is so hard to bear.
I bit my lip.
''Never mind, Efie, said Mr.. Lesli
kindly, SO good action is never entirel
thrown away. Stella Severn's gips
blood could i'll bear constraint; but
don't think she'll forget you, for a
that
That was just before Hubert Lesli
asked me to be his wife.
We we're married the next spring an
Invent to New York to live.
4 We had Little bit Of : room openin