The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-02-25

Thirty years OF age and never but once
before saw face that touched the heart.
Tint other face was seen in my boyhood.
and stole boys heart.
More than a decade of years before this
event had met at st. Paul bright. CHEEKY
girl of sixteen, and we both lost our young
hearts.
For two blissful months we walked.
talked, fished, and gathered flowers together.
wove garlands of the sweetest prairi
beauties and placed them as crown upoi
the queenly head of the brown haired and
blue-eyed Allie Floyd, and she told me so
tenderly of her newborn love that l be-
lieyed my bliss was 10 last forever.
But the dream was soon to be broken and
a life shadow follow.
Suddenly was called down the river to
attend TO a matter of business.
Promising Allie quick return, left the
girl at the landing as the steamer swept out
into the current and away.
My absence from st. Paul was prolonged
into weeks. AS was on the wing nearly
all of the time did not hear from my little
friend, and when did go up the river again
the Floyd family had left for their New
England home.
The cause of the sudden departure was
the illness of Allie.
After months loneliness l wrote letter
to the place which was remembered as the
girls home. TO this nc reply came.
Four more weeks passed, and wrote the
postmaster of Silverhold and received the
prompt intelligence that, owing to the death
of their daughter and the ill-health of the
mother, MIR. and Mrs. Floyd had gone to
Europe.
This intelligence struck me like thun-
Z! ~. no. MI I'D,
broke my young heart.
From that day until the one that I met
Lena Suthern female face had never been
seen that attracted particular interest.
This woman l had just met brought back
the bright, sweet face of my Allie, and re-
yived my young. pure love.
l loved this Lena Suthern with all the
earnestness of my yearning soul.
During the whole afternoon and night
that followed / thought of nothing. dream
ed of nothing, but the sweet one who had
come to me with the bright angelic face of
my boyish Idol.
One thing deeply regretted. had neg
lected TO ask the lady for her residence
street and number.
/ would have made some excuse for call
ing upon her had / obtained the inforna-
ton.
Writing could not be resisted. The let
ter was addressed as before, but no answer
came.
l had simply asked for an interview,
claiming that certain suspicious entertain
ed respecting the man who gave me the
purse needed verihcation or refutation, and
begged that / might see her but for a
brief interview.
Thinking that, perhaps, for some reason
the letter had not reached her, second one
was sent, but elected no answer, and SO,
heavy hearted l started westward.
Absence and business cares did not cure
my warnings, but, If possible, made my
heart grow fonder.
i stood it as long as I could, and then
wrote Lena Suthern, making full con-
fession of my love, and, that she might
understand how such devotion could come
at first meeting, the story of my ideal, Allie
Floyd, was given her without reserve.
My pleadings for an interview were so
earnest and pitiful that believed ON answer
would come.
A week passed, and my heart was
thrilled.
A letter came with Chicago postmark,
a letter as bulky as the one had sent, and
it was addressed in lady's hand of superior
touch and finish.
could not trust myself to open it upon
the street, or even at the store, and so
fastened TO my room and broke the seal
with trembling hand, and doubtless a livid
face.
never shall forget that moment.
Had dagger entered my breast I could
not have been more painfully stricken.
From the white and delicately perfumed
envelope l drew forth the long epistle 1 had
written IT, Lena Suthern-nothing more.
My chagrin and modification were be-
yond words for expression.
The margins of the different sheets were
examined for single word, but it had not
been written there.
There were marks upon some of the
pages that looked as if teardrops had fallen.
Had / known that they were such could
have blessed her forreturning it even thus.
The summer passed away, and the season
came again for visiting Chicago.
Back into my old empty hearted condi-
ton l had settled, feeling myself a victim
of circumstances.
There was desperate struggle going on
in my whole nature to live and forget the
face and form that had rekindled the light
of my soul.
The bright, liquid eyes of my dead Allie
seemed 10 shine out 10 me through those
of Lena Suthern. 1t was really the first
love awakened, for had not known the
first should not have loved the last.
Fully determined was L 10 master my
heart. No further effort would be made to
meet Miss Suthern, and yet my stay in Chi
cago was prolonged beyond the usual period
of visit.
invented delays, and was slow in max
inn tNrrchoCaa Not A female faca naega1
me unobserved.
Really was hoping. praying TO meet by
accident the lady, even if l could but once
more get glance at the inspiring face.
The meeting came, but ut a moment least
expected.
Late one evening, upon turning n corner
abruptly, found myself face TO face with
the woman / worshiped.
Our coming together was so sudden that
both were startled, for the lady recognized
me as quickly as / did her.