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

;SVsiN;:s a3 sssE
to: lAics's face, when she, spoke abruptly:
Her question gave me the clew to the
long reverie she had been lndulglng
in.
"You saw Miss Carter yesterday did
you not, Catherine?"
"Yes," replied.
"Am I as pretty as she is?" she
asked .-s.s
"A thousand times prettier, my dar-
ling" said I. "Why, her face is no
more to be compared with yours than d
wax flower is to those roses in your
hair--fresh, dewy, and sweet with per-
fume.
"Do you think 500" said Alice. II am
glad, though I don't know that / ever
cared much for being pretty until lately.
I suppose Frank likes-loves her very
much--don't you?"
There was something more than
careless curiosity to hear my opinion in
that question. Had I answered her
frankly, I should have given decided
l dared run no unnecessary risk. I
would not encourage the latent hope
that saw slunbering in her heart.
"Of course" answered.
She sighed-a long, dismal sigh, that
| smote my heartto the quick. just then
we heard voices underneath the window.
Her ear was quicker than mine, for she
lifted herself up eagerly, bent her head
a moment, as if to listen, and then I saw
a quick color like the flush of
rose, ripple into her cheek. We
leaned together out of the window.
Beneath US were Frank Russell and
Annie Carter, pacing backward and for
ward on the grassy lawn, her hand on
his arm--his handsome face bent down,
till his dark locks almost brushed her
forehead.
I saw Alice's eyelids droop to crush
back tho tears she would not have me
see, and instinctively I put my arm
about her and drew her away from tho
window. / could feel her heart beat
ing stormily under her bodice, and when,'
with long, low, sobbing cry, she
threw herself into my arms and buried
her face convulsiyely in my bosom, I
knew she was conscious that her secret
had passed into my possession.
The next day and the next passed
dismally enough, but I saw, with SEN
sation of relief, that Alice Stunned
Franks attentions. Once reused to
sense of her danger, the evil was half
remediei thought.
On the afternoon Of the third day
went out for the solitary ramble.I was
accustomed to take after dinner. I
walked down to the river, and, to my
surprise, as I neared my favorite seat
little clearing among the willows thai
thickly skirted the bank--I saw Allys
white sun bonnet lying on the grass,
and little further on, herself thrown
down on the ground, her arms crossed
on the cool grass, and her face buried
in them. Her very attitude was one of
hopeless passionate grief, and I should
have known she was weeping, even If
had not heard her stiAed sobs.
While I stood hesitating, undecided,
whether to go forward and speak with
her, or leave her to conquer her sorrow
alone, Frank Russell came out from
among the willows opposite me. He,
too, noticed the weeping girl, and,
springing quickly forward, knelt by
her side Evidently he did not
know what to say to comfort her, for he
only smoothed her HAIR silently, appar-
ently..unconscious of my close proximity.
For once, Alleys heart misled her. She
thought the intruder was myself.
"Do not blame me, Catherine" she
said, II cannot help it-indeed CAP
so kind to me, that I was loving him
before I thought of the consequences.
We will go away from here to- morrow,
will we not, dear, good Catharine?-
where I shall never see Frank again.
Oh, my heart will break %, she sobbed
out, in broken accents, without lifting
her head. ..< 49, :,
My heart leaped to my throat with o
suffocating bound. 7 would have died
rather than that my beautiful, sensitive
darling should so tuncoDsciously have
opened her heart to the man who, of all
persons, ought to be blinded to its Sc
crets. It would kill her when she knew
what she had done. a@@x we ..- s.
But'I was unprepared for the revela-
ton of the next few minutes. Not till
I noticed the sudden start that Frank
Russell gave. the flush that came over
his face, the tenderness that leaped in
to his hazel eyes; not till / saw him
gather her up in his arms, with passion
ate caresses, pouring vehement story of
love into her ears-love that had not
dared to hope, and that, but for that un-
expected revelation, would never have
found utterance--didI reallze that Ally,
after all, was to be happier than I had
dared to wish she might be. -.4.s.. !.
L But T was startled when I saw her
struggle from his embrace with
frightened cry looking alternately from
him, to me, de if, trying to comprehend
her; Illuminating mistake-a hot fame
of Notwithstanding across her face,
her blue eyes darkened BY alook of pit
ifnl distress. as i, A. sS :.l.s5
EMO, no! don't come near me, Frank
Russell" she almost screamed, when
he would have taken her hands. IT
see how it ii what have T said-what
have done what yoa would say to me
to save my pride. - But do not mock me
so! Let me bear: this disgrace as my
punis only respect my, secret,
for its own sake. Come. Catherine, let
us 60 |" and she staggered towards me.
with both hands pressed hard over her
burning face. IS ~. s. s..' go
Moved BY hersufsring her shame
scarcely knowing what III did, I'D
my great pity for her tihumilia-
ton, I said bitter, harsh, things ito
Frank Russell, taunting him with. fck-.