The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-03-20

Dead, and then the wall of an unbroken
%silence. Lida mourned with u bitterness
OF anguish that found no relief save in
hard work and caring for other stricken
hearts. Alasl there were plenty to care
for in those sad days. Mrs. Brown
mourned loudly and wore the deepest
mourning-for six months. Then she
was married again-widowhood was sc
lonely" But her last choice was a very
bad one. Whether she had married
him for fanciedl love, or what had inhu-
enced her, no n could tell; but he, the
new husband, was a%drunkard, and, after
some years of misery, the woman who
was Jack Browns wife was laid to rest
and few mourned for her.
That was all of the past that Miss
Olney received to-day, as she sat in her
lonely room; but oh, how it filled her
heart till her eyes overfowed in tears.
The day that had been SO bright in the
morning grew overcast as the afternoon
wore on, and ere night snow and sleet
filled the air. Miss Olney lighted her
lamp, but she did not close the shutters.
Better let her light shine out, she
thought; it might cheer some lonely
passer-by, and guide them on their way.
So she set out her supper with
"snowy damask," and dainty china, and
the silver that had been IN the family
for more than a generation. 1t was her
choicest treasure, her only inherited
wealth, and as she laid the solid knife
and fork beside her plate and placed
the other pieces to her satisfaction, she
stood back to note the effect, as she
often did, and then she sighed to think
no II was with her to sympathize With
her in any Of her feelings.
Just then she was rather startled BIZ a
heavy rap at the door. "Only some
neighbor, she thought as she stepped
to admit the applicant.
The wind blew in with its attendant
sleet and snow, and the stranger at the
threshold stepped in with it, neither
waiting for an invitation. A gentleman
by his dress, but Miss Olney, though
not given to fear, felt q sudden chill as
she saw that he was a stranger. He
might be a robber despite his gem
tlemanly ~guise-and her silver, her
precious silver. How %imprudent to set
it out before her unshuttered windows.
The stranger did not wait for her to
speak; he was shaking as if with an
ague chill.
Excuse me, madam" he said, in a
voice tremulous and hoarse, II believe I
am chilled through. If you'll allow
me-"
But before the words were fairly
spoken Miss Olney had drawn her own
easy chair to the fire, and the stranger
had dropped into it, evidently exhaust
ed. Ida forgot her fears in compass
sion for the stranger, and when his
trembling fingers tried in vain ia I'm.
loosen his muller, she offered her assist
apce i'll tones she found trembled, too.
The next moment she fairly blushed
Of her act, as the face, clear of its wrap
pings, looked up at her. The pale face
with the mustache and hair hinged with
gray. and the eyes! He looked but said
no word; his lips worked as if he fain
would speak, but no sound came. Only
the tears welled up and fell over the
pallid cheek. Ida stood mute, trans.
fixed by that look. What does il
meant" she said atlast, in an awe-struck
whisper.
Then the stranger stretched forth
his hand. He had no strength for fur.
Their GESTURE, his agitation was SO ex.
treme.
"Lida," he whispered, "Lida, don't
you know me? Don't you know Jack %
Was the world receding from her?
Had the grave given up its dead? She
felt no fear even in that first moment.
Spirit OF mortal, it was Jack. But fol-
a few moments her senses seemed te
fail her, and then with a whisper "Jack,
she clasped him closc-only for a
moment though, for she must look at
him.
rs it really you. Jack?" she said at
last. ''Are you sure its you?"
Eyes, quite sure,"he answered with
a laugh that if he had been q woman,
would have been hysterical.
But / thought you were dead Jack"
And were you sorry?"
Such a look as she gave him. "How
can you ask? But tell me how it was.'
And then he told her of the long OBJ.
livion. from which he woke to find
himself reported as dead. The terrible
prison life had driven him mad. He
was taken and cared for by good Sama-
ritans for three long years, and then
when he was himself again, he found
that every one supposed him dead.
and" he said, knowing my wife had
remarked and my other friends given
me up, l thought it best not to break
the silence. But hearing, long ago,
that she vas dead, I could no longer
resist the longing to find out if I was en-
tirely forgotten. I arrived here but q
little while ago., and found on inquiry
that your were still Miss Olney, and
lived alone, or at leasth had an establish
ment of your own"
"Ah, Jack, do you know what day it
is? You are my valentine sir.
Audacious, wasn't it for little Miss
Olney to so forget the proprieties ?
The old people in the other part of the
house came home, but whether it was
hours or minutes after Jack came nei-
ther Of the young" people could have
told.
And SO the wonderful news of jacks
return became ar old story in Lorraine,
and Mrs. Brown, once little Miss Olney,
tells her children the story of her val
| entine." .
Gold in Nova Scotia.
NOVA Scotia is not generally regarded
as a gold producing country, yet since
the discovery of gold in 1860, it is said,
ifs mines have over "a ono n