The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-09
sACRIFICRx

myself, at that time five or six and
twenty, full OF aspirations for a bet
ter, purer existence than the life we
lead.
His day dream, cherished for a long
time, was to leave society, and, choos
ing some retired spot, live there alone
with nature. in study and contempla-
ton.
Talk" his friends called it when
they heard Of it. But Kenneth,
through all his work-and he was no
idler-retained the notion of this plan.
At last an unexpected legacy enabled
him to leave the Bar and purchase
the chosen site for his new home.
it was a ruined chapel on the side OF
amoor, Il place he had known all Isis
lie. OF the wayside chapel nothing
was left but an arch way. Behind
Ibis he had new walls built, dividing
the house into two rooms one
over the other. When all was
completed he went there. Some pco-
pie, | know, thought him mad; his
sisters laughed, saying he would soon
be tired OF his scheme. ! believed in
him. | would gladly have joined him,
but a mar with a wife and child isnot
n free agent. He cannot retire into q
lie OF contemplation however much he
may wish it
] went to see Kenneth in his new
nome. The place was almost ~inaccess>
lble; had not Kenneth met me on tue
hilltop and shown methc way over the
moor and moss | should never have
found 1t. The chapel was in a copse; Il
wild stream brawled by it. The oak,
alder and holly, We're restrained by Il
fence from encroaching on the chapel,
and marsh plants thrust their stems
through the bars. The nearest house
was a farm half Il mile away, Ken
neth's bedroom q simple, his sitting
room furnished in perfect taste. On
the walls some fine etchlngs, a plaster
relief whence smiled the homelv faceof
Socrates, on u bracket the image OF
Buddhu. Between these was iln ell
craving ofDore's Vale ofTears. Books,
too, there We're in plenty, and the fox
terrler-such were kenneth's compan-
ions.
"And nature" he said when l made
this remark.
"And here it is that you will stay, in
peace and quiet" l said. "until Your
mission sends you forth"
peace and quiet?" he answered,
smiling; mo, those are not for me. I
howe n rn.n,,ti,,,,, ,l,+ ~, ,lo,1
life viii not last long. shallmarry."
looked incredulously at him. He
showed me his hand. at is written
here" he said; al see it only too plain:
ly. Far as it is from my desires, it is
fated.n
For more than six months l heard
nothing Of Kenneth. We went for the
winter to Torremouth, | and my wife,
and to surprise and found
the Lamberts had the house next our
own We had flat, and on the fiat
below us lived Mrs. Nernay. Mrs. Yer
nay was the belle OF Torremoutl, and
Justly; | never saw any woman so
beautiful, never shall again see such %
face. She was tall and slight, with u
fair skin, blue eyes shaded with dark
lashes, and her shapely head
crowned with really golden hair.
No art was there, it was all nature,
nature in her utmost perfection. She
was young, a widow, said to be enor-
mously rich, but had she been q beg
gar maid we all should have worship
ped her. Young, old, single, married,
there we're none but paid homage at
her shrine.
Frank Lambert a badly bitten by
her charms. He was two and twenty.
home for the first long leave. Mrs.
Nernay encouraged him more than
any Of the others; perhaps being such
a boy she looked on him as q safe
game. / know that she stole his heart
with the first glance of her violet eyes,
and that he has never recovered from
her influence.
noon in the. Lambert's drawing.room
when Kenneth walked in. Torremouth
was not more than ten miles from his
retreat, and he had walked over, not
to pay his mother a passing visit, but
to stay if she would have him.
Did any mother aver refuse to re-
ceive her eldest son? How the girls
laughed at him! declaring theirproph-
ecies true and saying he was
weary OF solitude. I felt a
little surprised at him. Only one per-
son preserved her faith in him; this
was Grace Cheslyn, the girls friend,
almost like another sister. She was
staying with them. and upheld Ken
meth whatever we might say.
Mrs. Vernay dined that night with
the Lamberts, coming in lire some