Little Falls transcript., 1886-01-15

figures stepped OF from the Old ta,pes
TRY to play once more the shadow
farce of life.
Guy was gone away now, angry
with her that she would not share hi
life His ship was in the far-off China
seas, and when his few letters cam.
they brought the breat II Of spice and
aloe from the low shores of greer
Borneo, from the slopes Of Tar Perang
that and nothing more, no love
no relenting. d.
81 thought i had the first claim to
You, he had said coldly ~ ou gave
me the right to think SO, Dolly" !" g...
s*"a All, yes, 8 said Do olly, softly; ssbut
this claim, O Guy! can you not see!-
II is older than / It began to thrust
roots into my life before I was born. & Z
+. He kissed her and went away, leav.
ing her to live OH Hope. But was not
that better than the misery on which
so many live? a...@. ..s.' ". ii.
It soon became evident that the
gentle stranger had come to them only
to die. But it was lovely to see the
pale flame Of his sbla1neless life 90 out;
it was like watching the last flower oi
the summer garden fade and die; life
went in sweet decay. The pale flicker
OF sacred oil burnt perfume to the
last. Then, too, the whole household
grew to love him. He had q wonder
ful punctilious courtesy, a gentle echo
OF speech and manner caught from a
tar-gone time of paint and powder,
OF lofty ways and high-fown compli-
nent, sweeping bows with deterrent
glances-musk, music, quick attend
ance-the perfect flower OF birth and
breeding. = s ~x .,-~
One day he brought to their aston
lshed presence an old guitar, upon
which after that he was forever play
ing-coaxing rather--airs from a
shadowy. past--threads OF melody
caught from memory's tangled skein;
they snapped short always, while the
faithful lover explained that Dorothy
was iond, OF. this, or Dorothy would
sing him that; one finger hectoring the
Weary string, while he sighed "Una
toccata,s una toccata," "and the very
air ~smelled weetsqwith the seringas
OF the South. ...
There was q morning song he often
sang to an old Russian air:--s..s sSs
.r.=., Sleepest thou still? ,.<...
My lutte shall wake thee.
II used to sing it under Dorothy's
window" he told Dolly remembering ly;
1T would wake her--all the earth was
filled with the breath of the white H.
]acs. Once she was angry. why do
you wake me so ear}v?' she cried out
from her window with afrown. Dear
est, all the other flowers are awake,
the bees are here I said, pretending
surprise; but | never walked her again
with lutte Or song"
WAS that the old damsel that sent
you up Salt. river?'' said q young
squireen to him one day. The little
family group were gathered in the hall;
the young man had ridden over, he
had heard something of the story and
had all the freedom Of to-day in gath
ering information.
James Milton stared at him a mo-
naent IN npathetic silence; he did not
answer except by a look that went like
winged speech over his face. A little
later, seeing Dolly in the garden, he
went down to her. ,:.'s'
''Is that the way they talk now?"
he asked her. The gentle, refined old
man was standing in the sunshine,
among the white lilacs, a bunch of the
beautiful snowy flowers bent and
touched his snowy hair E'He said
he seid'-the sweet old voice, like his
song broke down.
Don't mind what he said" answer
ed Dolly quickly. "What does it mat
ter?"
"she didn't-she didn't, ,"-began
James Milton IN a lost tone. "She
was not like that; she was true to me,
| was true to her; weioyed each other.
10, Dolly, never knew why she cast
me off; [ was true,' he repeated with
confused strength.
II know it, replied the living Doro-
thy, taking his pale hand and kissing
it. Il am sure you were faithful"
Il was true to Dorothy; was true
to my Love,'' he began again with the
tired vehemence of a worn-out pas
sion In his look. In all things, save
my love@for her, Ifa;led. have done
dothing-nothing-nothing.",
His voice rose with the last words:
it sounded strangely thin and shrill
and sad; drained of all sweet vibra,-
tion in the young morning air.
"No, no." cried Dolly; ut is not so;
the greatest triumphs are those thai
fall, the greatest successes are those
that end in loss and SORROW" The
experience Of ages was in her,swe II,
as she consoled him. ,"If iaith means
anything, orotruth or tenderness, you
have done much.". ......,. at
But the wound still hurt; tie
careless thrust had touched a vital
smart, .ttssAh, my little Dolly, you
don't know; [ was to. have been so
great; others dres,ined dreams OF me;
I Was to do great deeds; i failed in all
But Flowed Dorothy-1 loved Doro-
thv."%* 80 , / to,.G ts.,
/ Was it any wonder that this other
younger Dorothy, listening to the
gentle stranger with his gentle prattle
Of unchanglllg worship for one girl
lover,s grew. lnore and more fondTsof
him? thai she was, patient always,
caring for him, waiting by him, smil.
ing, helping, consoling? 81, a.4.1,s:
There are so few men that are
faithful she would say with yokth's
unstable bitterness, that is only O
wandering seed, that has not yet
taken root in life, that has still a
sweetness inits bitter, not poisoning
the blood as it must when the draught
is taken in stronger cups. so few are
and she thought of one, one
who was in reality as lonely as Dolly,
on the lar off China seas, pacing his
deck-"not remembering her" But
Dolly did not know. NJ r. I 5s#sstt ss&s Il
One morning q cold and still October