The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-10-23
A MYSTERIOUS LOVE EPISODE.

IL don't think, Cousin barbara, that
I ever mentioned the word marriage
before I speak of such thing must
first discover if sweet Madge Craigie
loves me-"
"Sweet Madge Craigie, indeed Fan
cy calling her sweet Commend me to a
man for being taken in by pair OF
bright eyes and a silly giggle! No man
ever knew yet who was his truest friend
Miss Craigie isn't yours"
my dear cousin, you are prejudiced.
Madge has lived great deal abroad,
and acquired manners which will &C.
knowledge do not exactly resemble
those you are accustomed to see every
day; but she is none the less true and
loyal and womanly on that account,
while she is certainly ten times more
fascinating than most of the people one
meets"
"Humph!" growled Cousin Barbara.
Well, those who live the longest will
see the most"
Then there was silence, Trevor Lane,
who was an artist, went on with his
painting, and the middle-aged spinster
he called Cousin Barbara sewed her
white seam with much diligence as she
sat in the sunlight on an old settle by
the window.
Cross gained though Barbara was,
there was one being she loved with a
deep, fervent devotion, and that being
was Trevor Lane. And SO she ought,
for he had been the kindest of friends
to her. Left at the age of fifty, without
sixpence, Trevor Lane, who was only
her second cousin, had invited her to
come and live with him and manage
his house for him. This for the last five
years she had done right CONSCIENTIOUS
ly, both as regards housekeeping and
the giving Of such good advice as she
considered young man required.
Trevor Lane accepted both services
with apparent gratitude, bearing the in
Fiction of constant advice with so much
resignation, even cheerfulness, that he
proved himself to be thoroughly good
tempered fellow.
The fact was he was truly sorry for
his cousin Barbara, who had, he con-
sidered, been soured by bad treatment
in the past; and, though it was no fault
of his, yet he was resolved, if possible,
to make her life fair and happy in the
future. Hence every cross he answered
with a caress, every recommendation
that he should alter his ways with a
promise that he would be circumspect.
!. And so five years had dawdled on,
and the summer at Heathtield, about
ten. miles from London, where Trevor
Lanes studio and pretty home were sit
uated, came and went with but few in
cidents to disturb the current of the
cousins ways-till Mauge Craigie came.
This was the evil day for which Cous-
in Barbara had never ceased to look
the day on which Trevor Lane would
elect to devote to another some portion
of the love she wished to appropriate
wholly to herself.
."Trevor was not yet thirty, how
could sine expect it to be otherwise ?"
she would ask herself, repeatedly.
Then she would shake her head and
mutter: eff I could only like her; but
this Madge, this fighty, silly Madge-
to marry my Trevor! All, mew Cous-
in Barbara failed utterly to recognize
that whoever the girl was on whom
Trevor bestowed his affection, she
would consider her Objectionable and
displeasing.
rr1>.1o ~. 4
heard in the studio save the flies buzz
zing on the window panes and the old
clock ticking on the mantel-shelf.- Ire
vor himself at last broke the silence.
:"Madge is coming here this evening,
Cousin Barbara-you will he civil to
her for nv sake will you: not?"
Miss Barbara looked up suddenly and
saw the light of love in Trevor's fash
ing eyes, the glow of a deep passion on
his handsome face, and the sight of it
seemed to chill her heart to ice.
She answered coldly: "Miss Craigie
wants no warm words from me; since
you can utter them so glibly it is enough ;
but for the last time say-beware.
Trevor Lane went on working deliber-
ately at his picture; and Miss Barbara
hudaling up the white work on which
she was engaged into bundle, escaped
with it into her own apartment.
When this scene took place the after
noon was already pretty far advanced,
and the month being May, it was not
very late when the sun finally departed
behind the western hills. Trevor could
no longer see to paint, but he fingered
on in the studio, gazing dreamily at his
picture till it was nearly dark.
At last he shook himself back into
reality, and raising some portieres which
divided the studio from the dwelling
room in which he and Barbara usually
sat, he went in, sturck match and
lighted lamp which stood on his own
particular writing table. -
II wonder if she will come-I almost
hope she will not Till this prejudice
of cousin Bab's is overruled I must. try
andkeep her from the house. I would
not for worlds that she should know
that Bah has taken fancies into her head
about her."
And, half murmu1ing his thoughts
aloud, he proceeded to answer two or
three business letters which had ar
rived during the day. One of them
necessitated reference to some old, pa
pers, and, taking key from his pocket,
he unlocked the side drawer of his table
and began to look for the documents he
required.
So absorbed was he in his search, or
the subject that caused it, that for the
time Madge Craigie and the trouble
with Cousin Barbara was forgotten.
It was not till light hand was laid
on his shoulder and ripping laugh
fell on his ear that he looked up from
the open drawer into the sweet face: of
the lady who had bewitched him..
lis this what you call meeting me by
the garden gate and bringing me in to tea
with Cousin Bah? Look you, sir. I
have mind to be- very angry" 49,
"Not with me tonight, sweet lady. I
have had much to trouble and vex me
"a letter here which gives me endless
worry. Beside, Cousin Bah has gone
to bed-she is not WELL" ..e:..,
@"Gone to bed! Oh, then, I ought
not to have come, suppose" -, :. =. =:
"Since you are here, however, y on
win not go. ii. Let us chat together for .
little; later. on ! will see you home. 49,
And he rolled an easy chair to where
she stood and invited her to sink down
into its softness, Tor Trevor Lane was
sy barite in his home. sMadge Craigie
obeyed him, and, tossing her straw hat
from her head to the or ound, lay back
among soft cushions ---her golden, wavY
hair and white skin forming . striking,