The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-03-03

which was not grateful TO DR. Lake, who
had offered to provide me with a geological
hammer or fishing line that very morning.
But one must be happy to enjoy chipping
off little bits of rock and calm to be able to
sit on damp bank, waiting too see little
float bob up, and draw in miserable little
fish.
"Larkins, let's go shoot something's" said
Jack
IAN right" said I, thinking that should
like it to be Rufus Sparks.
We took the usual precautions to avoid
alarming Mrs. Lake, and then, with our
regular plea of a little walk left the
house. For some time we banged away
fruitlessly at the squirrels and little birds.
Then we spied what We supposed to be
hare. was intent on the animal, and I
shall never know Just how he did it, but it
was at that moment that Brush shot me. 1
had expected it all along, for he would han
die his gun as though it were a mahl-stiek,
and when fell with yell into the bramble
bushes, I remember groaning 81 told you
so.n
The next thing / knew they had carried
me home, and was in bed. There was an
awful commotion in the house, and the rival
doctors of the place had been summoned.
They took the bullet out of my shoulder be-
tween them and left me to recover in o little
room that was not my own, in q little white
bed had never slept in before, for had
been too heavy to carry up stairs, coming as
I do of family that seldom stop growing
under 200 pounds.
As soon as ! was able to think, 1 saw that
it was womans room, full of pincushions.
hair receivers, lamp mats, silk-cased cologne
bottles and work baskets
My next discovery was that it was Win
MES; my next that pinned to a certain
seemed to grow in the air without roots.
And then Aunt Hulda's garden and her talk
about the liveforever returned to me. This
was liveforever inlpaled on pins. These
were the two stalks she had put into Win
MES bouquet Had she s'named them ?"
1 lay there staring at the light green,
fieshy leaves, at the dark shadows behind
them on the door-frame, and thinking. One
of the stalks had grown very long, and was
fourishing like green bay tree. The other
WINS short, and spindling, and unsuccessful.
l felt that would give the world to know if
either had been named after me. And, be-
ing feyerish, could not rest. The doctor
had told me my life might depend on being
quiet, but crept out of bed and made my
way TO the door. Yes, l was right in sus
picion had had. There on frame be-
heath each sprig were written certain initials
Il. L. beneath one, r. s. beneath the
other. What could they mean but Lawrence
Larkins and Rufus Sparks? And, thank
heaven the long, green, furnishing bit of
liveforever grew over my initials, while that
over his was evidently at its last prayers
got back to bed, and went quietly and
happily to sleep, as though I had applied
sovereign band to my wound. Indeed | had
found one for my heart, which was hurt the
most.
Three weeks afterward, when first went
down stairs, Rufus Sparks was no longer in
the house, nnd had Winnie alone upon the
balcony
She looked at me softly and kindly, and
sat near me again, and played and sang fol
ne alono once more And it was toward
the end ct that evening said to her All,
well, do you suppose / shall tell you, or that
allowed her to know that had noticed the
sprigs of liveforeyer, or remembered what
Aunt Hulda had told us, until after we were
safely married MARY lyle Dallas.