Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-26
cheer arises from the whole Iart Sneefs
title Bella, in paroxysm OF tfiuRn s .,innery
beside the silver monster ana KISSES i'' sPP'

lopd o,,oo. ,-,sos from the whole party, and
| little Bella, in paroxysm OF tIluk .,innerT
beside the silver monster anu AiS'os A''
| side!
Thirty pounds at least" we cry. 49,. c.,.,.
mo, twenty-five, perhaps, r saS Condition"
The excitemenf of the sport has completely
driven all thoughts of Dicks coming s.oo
T9m ron my, my mind but they nov declare to myself
and ponder little while the others are STEPPED
in fish-worship.
or hn, exclaim authoTiaavg, about here
dripping like Newfoundland dog. E'hei anu
Will walk back with you" s..,.ona.
Catcning Dicks eye, see tnat ne unu0'S'"AN'
me. Come along he says.
Ethel takes my arm on the side remote from
DICK. She Is remarkably silent, ana SHOWS "s; q
bly, that her anxiety about Dicks dangerous
escapade just now may have betrayed per.
DICK feeling that he is now, as ne Wouiu n I'LL
impenetrable dumbness. Never have Two
SUCH leaden companions fallen to my lot before
1t is relief that the beauty Of the winding
moorland path, stretching away behind US,
conn com eis me to stop and take out my sKetcn-
"I'll stay with YOU" says Ethel nervousiy.
What, and leave poor old Dick to jog home
chr" says Dick, looking at me with comical
terror. Don't let me drag her with me if she
wants to stay"
Nonsense; go away, Ethel. can't have you
Ihelr assiduous good nature in preparing my
Water-color box and block for action knows no
bounds; neither fulsums hints nor cross re-
questS Will induce them to depart. Al length,
When am busy with my first wash, and re-
1use with sulky steadfastness to answer any
more questions, or to offer any further pretext
they stroll shyly off together, Ethers eyes on
the ground, Dicks on the distant horizon.
them down the long slope of brake-iern and
neather, straining my eyes as they grow In
Gistlnct after crossing the stream, and finally
disappear, tOleave me none the wiser for all my
gazing.
Anxiety prevents my sitting still for ten
minutes together. My sketch is a curiosity-a
phenomenal specimen of the kind of daub pro-
ducible by the cOnvulsive dashes OF a hand
totally unassiSted by a mind, which is too
Ny eyes yearn to pierce the small knoll be-
i nind which the twain have disappeared. Are
those two heads any nearer to each other than
when saw them last?
For years we have looked upon Dick as a
brother; tomorrow night, when he has de-
parted, many tears will be shed which he will
mere freak, decision reversible, really be-
Ileye, by a single word from Ethel. Again,
DICK is his own master. unhampered by that
lack OF gold which Quenches the hopes of so
many young fellows Well, have done my
best, and, now they have had clear hour with
their fate in their own hands, may as well col
lect my paraphernalia and follow them.
AS pace homeward and gaze over the SWELL
ing hills, the sun setting "beyond their utmost
PuiPiC I'LL, SduueHS HE. ana the
gloom of eventide, melancholy as a long drawn
sigh'of nature, settle upon my soul; by the time
l have reached the last bridge to be crossed the
castles have built concerning Dick and Ethel
have crumb led one by one.
suddenly stumble upon them among the
rocks, and my hopes rush to the surface once
more; the glow of happiness upon those two
faces admits of but one explanation.
You old brick" begins Dick, claspng my
two hands with a fervOr which trust he will
never repeat. "1f it hadn't been for you, l
should never have done itr'
And, Lucy adds Ethel in thrilling voice.
with her arms round my neck, you're a dear
Old thing; If it hadn't been for the salmon and
Dicks going in after it, he would never have
"Done this" interpolates Dick, kissing her
again and again, with a cool indifference to my
presence, which bathes her face in crimson
But we haven't the courage to 20 in without
you,' he adds, when he has quite done his
whispers in her ear.
you'll have to, though, Master Dick,"I re.
ply, dashing onward and into the midst OF the
astonished group in the inn parlor
Its twenty pounds ten ounces shouts Bella
by way OF greeting
"Come outside. girls" exclaim breathlessly.
land I'll show you something worth hundred
salmon"
AS We emerge from the door the soft twilight
shows ms the prettiest picture we have ever
looked upon; and the happiness which underies
the shyness of the one face and the sparkle and
triumph OF the other wakes answering chord
In our hearts as we murmur, "WelcOme.
her,r-LOudOn SOciefU