River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-03-26
JEAN.

''Ah, how pretty she ISL he said.
''Was there ever such pretty lass,
dye think. Jean?''
Perhaps not" said Jean; and she
took her milking pals, and followed
Hulda going on before with a light
step and a gay song toward the
meadow where the COWS browsed.
But when she was quite out of hearing
OF Ned Weiton, sitting perched upon
the stile, she muttered to herself,
Pretty, pretty! pretty! All, they
ring the changes upon that, these men
as the old bell-ringer that knew but
his one tune used to, down in the
church tower. Pretty! pretty pretty
It's never good it's never honest;
it's never true. It's always pretty. y
Then she stopped and looked up, and
said. with culver of passionate grief
in her voice: ooh, I'd give the world
I'd give half the shortest life that /
could have-l' d give half an hour, if that
was all | had to live, Just to hear Ned
Wefton call me pretty! What a fool l
am! what a fool J am! what q fool |
am" and she went on with her pals
toward the COWS Brown Bess and
Lily White and Pretty Polly.
Certainly she was not pretty; and
what there was in her face the man on
the stile would have been the last to
see. Had she been a queen, many
would have seen something strangely
fair and regular in her face. Had she
been only rich gentleman's daugh-
ter, some one might have dreamed OF
those IapD pyaG "a nd q Ts4rra brow ~
hers; but red and white, and fat and
dimples were the recognized beauties
there, as indeed they are all over the
world, to such folks as her lot was cast
among, and she was spoken Of as
''plain." Two years before she had
taken into her foolish head to like Ned
Wilton very much; and he. the farm
er's son, had thought well enough OF
the dairy-maid to say some very pleas
ant things to her. She had had a
sweet dream, but Hulda Britton' COM
ing broke it. Her beauty was very
bright and rare, and Ned forgot the
nice girl he had been SO fond of chat
ting with, for the pretty one who
smiled and glance at him.
She was not so good as Jean; she
had not half her earnestness and con-
stancy; but the face was all to Ned.
So Hulda Britton wore little plain
gold ring that he had given her, and
had promised to be his wife in mid
summer; and Jean knew it, and out
wardly gave no sign that she suffered
only now and then, as at this mo-
ment when Ned babe her notice
Hulda's beauty-as at the moment
when she paused, meadow midst, and
said to herself that she would give half
OF her life, were it but an hour, to hear
Ned Wilton call her pretty.
They lived upon the coast of Lin
colnshire, and it was years ago. None
of them knew how to write more than
their names. The farmers deepest
lore was the market price of grain.
Outside of them, the great world OF
1etters-great, at that day, as perhaps
it never has been at any other time
rolled on without giving them any
sign of its existence. And none OF
them had ever read a novel or poem
or seen play. But they acted out the
drama Just as well, and Ned loved
Hulda and cared nothing for Jean, and
Jean loved Ned and hated Hulda.
And Hulda knew the whole, and tri-
umphed over Jean, and cared little
for Ned, because of his broad shoulders
and bronze curls, but not over-much
and tnany a novelist would have given
much to have had the little plot Of
their daily lives, to touch up and make
pretty with his pen.
The girls slept together in an upper
room of the house, and on her wedding
eve Hulda spread out gown and shoes
and cheap white veil, and dancing
about them, boosted that when the
morrow's sun set she should be mis-.
tress Of the house, and Jean her SER
want. And Jean, thinking of the old
grandmother who had begged her not
to lose so good place, said nothing,
but stood silent, whitc-faced and wan,
and felt a bitter hate rising in hel
heart Ned was away at the town,
and would not be back until next
morning. the morning of his wedding.
The old folks were asleep below. How
easy it would be, in the dead of night,
to 10 this beautiful Boosting creature
some harm-to mar her beauty, OF
even end her life.
The thoughts grew so, and were SC
horrible, that she could not be sure OF
relief Hulda. watching her, saw only
q deadly Wilderness creep over her lips,
and with the first touch of pity in heI
heart, folded her veil away, and said,
unwisely enough, but meaning il
kindly.
mo doubt, the next wedding will
be ours, Jean.
Then Jean, without 4 look, turned
from her and left the room. She
sought To be safe from herself, for
fiendish thoughts possessed her; and
longing for solitude and quiet, she
climbed ladder that led to the tiled
roof, and seeking the shelter of the
great chimney, sat down in its shadow
and looked up at the sky. 1t was
calm and full of stars. Its peaceful
ness had an instant influence on her.
Repentent tears began to flow. She
PRAYED as simple children pray;
..Pleuse make me goodn' And all the
hate for Hulda left her breast, and
her love for Ned-her yearning, ach-
ing love for him-sOftened into a
sort of tender memory. She was still
sad A painful humility crushed her
heart Il longing for love oppressed
her but wnen she had prayed for
herself. when she had Striven with
herself. the evil spirit had departed.
Soon, with her white, well-deyelOped
milk-maid'S arms under her head, she
slept upon the messy roof. under the
canopy of the stars.
AT last she began to dream. They
were going to church and Ned
and She heard the wedding bells;
but going in nj the door she saw. in
stead Of gayly dressed guests. mourn
ers all in black and coffin before the
altar, and gave scream and waken-
ed. Bells were ringing, but not we'd
ding bells-the bells that tolled if
there were any need of the men of the
place-if fire broke out, or robbers
were heard of. or there were any riot
inc in the town. What could it
mean?
Jean listened. A strange Sobbing.
surring sound fell upon her ears.
Lights cleaned in all the houses of the
town. The truth flashed upon her.
Years before, her old grandmother had
told her how the old sea wall had been
washed away, and tide had risen and
swept in upon them on that wild coast
of Lincolnshire, carrying with it as Il
went out, kline and tlocks and little
dwellings. and even land itself; and
how there was mourning throughout
the land for those that it had done to
death men and women ana children,
that t,,opI- bpusn-