Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-04-10

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stupid, and such triumph would be a
novelty in the flirting world, worth
schenling for. Imagine sun burned,
shock headed youth standing before me,
grinning with bashful simplicity hoist
ing first one foot and then the other in
sheepish embarrassment, and stammer-
ing out his ardent love-avowal some
thing after this fashion: "Wwwill
y-y-you have me, Cousin Alice?"
laughed in spite Of myself at her
comical picture, but babe her have a
care; for coquettish games were always
dangerous ones. and she might be the
smitten one after ALL She shook her
head at mo with merry, skeptical
laugh, but made me no reply in words.
She did not speak again until we hal
reached the end of our journey.
The pleasant blue eyed little woman,
who came down to the wooden gate to
meet us, was very like the picture she
had painted of her: and the motherly
way in which she smoothe1 back the
brown curls of her niece and kissed her
white forhead, her kindly voice, and
above all. the cordial manner in which
she clasped nv hand at introduction,
quite won my heart.
While we we're directing the coach
man about our baggage, gentleman
and lady on horseback galloped gaily
down the valley road, and nodded to
Mrs. Russell as they swept past.
"Mv son Frank" she said, in an ex-
planatory way, as they went by. eve
were not expecting you until TO- morrow
or he would have remained at home this
afternoon.
turned and looked after the retreat-
ing pair mentally comparing that tall,
elegantly formed man, carrying his
head so proudly, and managing his
spirited steed with that graceful, easy
skill, which is the beauty of horseman-
ship, to the shock headed, bashful youth
of Alioe's fancy. I think she recalled
her own words, too. for her glance fol-
lowed mine, and the look Of pleased
surprise that frightened her whole face
did not vanish till the dust of their
horses hoofs had settled in the distance.
Deliciously cool and sweet was the
little spare chamber assigned to us,
and after bath and a change of appar-
ell, seated myself by the low, open
window, and leaned out through the
climbing network of roses to enjoy
the beautiful freshness of the summer
scenery spread out before my gaze. AL
ice was--I know not where, though a
snatch of gay song, warbled III the clear
est OF voices, or thrill of merry laugh
ter, occasionally betraying to me her
whereabouts. All at once I saw her
emerging from the baritone foot slip
PEERLESS. o great rent in her frock, her
curls tangled with bits of hay, her gay
silk apron filled with eggs. She was
laughing and singing all in breath
butas she danced along, her foot slipped
on a pebble and she fell. I heard the
clash OF the eggs in her apron and saw
the broken ,yolks and whites trickling
out upon the ground in little rills OF
gold and pearls. Just as I was going
to her assistance, I caught the sound OF
an amused mirthful laugh by the gate
and the next moment Frank Russell was
assisting her to rise.
"What carelessness! Six new laid
eggs everlastingly ruinedl How shall
we remedy such loss?" he said in a
merry, knocking voice. "This is my
cousin Alice, I am sure. Even if I had
not been anticipating your arrival, I
should have known this face among q
thousand. You are very little chang
ed-so little, indeed, that dare greet
you Just as l used to years ago." and
stopping he kissed her blushing cheek
gallantly.
They came into the house together,
chatting like old friends, and pretty
soon Alice came up to change her dress
for tea. She fingered longer than usual
at her glass and smiled, in spite of
myself, at the painstaking care which
she manifested in dressing. That even
ing as we sat together in the porch,
Alice asked her aunt, with mischiev-
GUS glance at Frank, who the young
lady might be whom we had seen on
horseback that afternoon.
ooh, she rs Annie Carter" was the
reply, II expect in year from now
you will be. able to call her cousin. She
has been engaged to my son this long
while. y And the old lady smiled good
naturally over her knitting.
Isaw shadow come over Alices face
very faint, but still shadow-and no.
ticing that, q sudden pain struck coldly
to my heart-a irstinctive fear of what
the next few weeks would bring about.
Frank was smiling, but there was not
the slightest visible embarrassment in
his manner, as he composedly pulled off
handful after handful of leaves, and
rolled them up into balls to pelt the
big Merchandising dog lying at his feet.
The events of the next two months
Gor our visit had been indefinitely pro-
longed) were but q realization of the
prophetic dread that fell like cloud
over my. spirit the first night of my
stay in that house. Alice Rossiter's
heart was sjngularly simple in it's affec-
tionateness and child like confidence,
and Isnotioned with feeling akin to
pity the mastery which her fascinating
cousin was gaming over it. They were
inseparable companions. There were
morning rambles on the river banks
long promenade's under the summer
moonlight that white, magnetic flame
in which Cupid 50 often dips his arrows.
Now Alice would want Wild flowers for
8 wreath; only Frank could, show her
where the finest grew. Again il was
moss for basket, or water lilies for her
fays lite vase; only. Frank could pro-
curl Them Tor her. Once she sprained
her ankle a descending hill. Frank
brought her home il his arms and i
could but notice how tenderly he held
her how c1oesly her white face nestled
down a6Ainst his breast, q though it
would never ask 10 rise. 4 day
10 two after shs vas stuns ~ ! malic-