The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-10-21

resting after the tolls of a game OIL
croquet, for croquet was played in
those Yday-ca1m, languid croquet,
withinone of the fierce excitement
the frantic movements and contor
tions of its successor, lawn tennis.
They professed to be watching with
great intere another game played
on, the beneath the raised path or
which their seat was placed, but they
were really interested only in each
other;sthey were far enough away
to talk gently without being heard,
and no nnkind intruder had made
himself, or more often herself, an
unwelcome third. f
After q few pointless remarks on
the game, silence had fallen between
them. Elizabeth sat looking on the
ground, feeling that crisis in her
life had come. The weight of 81.
lence seemed almost unbeatable, and,
with an effort, she turned to her
companion and began trifing re-
mark, which died away unfinished
on meeting his eyes full of look
which pierced to her heart and filled
her with an unknown rapture. lie
spoke in a tone of depressed passion ;
she listened. Let those who will re.
call what words size heard. Love has
always the Same language, varied
only by characteristics of the speak
er, uttered only with slight differ
ence of speech-sometimes lesitat.
ingly, sometimes eagerly, sometimes
brokenly, sometimes assuredly, but
always with the same meaning, Il
love! And you?
"Your eyes always ts4d me they
loved me! Did they not speak the
truth?'
A look answered. What need to
reply when they sllone brightly and
acknowledgements with happiness
unfelt before by her, and truthful
with the love of Il pure soul?
How long they sat n perfect con-
tentment neither could say, but~it
seemed almost like a thunderbolt
falling when Emma's voice was
heard. e.:
'"Lizzie, are you ready to 60
home?'
The merry farewells. the laughing
appointments for the next meeting,
the walk back-;,ll were to Lizzie
like dream, except the long .linger-
ing pressure of the hand rs he
whispered, "to-morrow-to-m orrow''
What possibilities of untold Joy lay
hidden behind that word To.h,or.
row, to hear his voice to feel his
hand, 10 watch his smile and glance
Of love that came in his eyes when
resting on her, and, greatest hap
piness of all, to know that to-mor.
row would only be the forerunner OF
many bright days all equally clouded
so many that she grew bewildered
at the thought, and gave herself up
TO the one dream that youth values
above all else, "He loves mel" love
hint
Alas! poor Mrs. Howard. your
warning words had the com slon
came too late!
Lizzie, my dear, come to my
room -; want to talk to you,' she
ga d, with more gentleness than was
her wont. ''My chilli" shutting tie
door,and drawing the girl down to a
chair:at her side, "why did you not
tell me this before?'
On Eliz,beth's face came look of
sad self-reproach.
"Oh, mother" she said, her bright
ness dimmed and her eyes filling,
81 could not speak of it I was too
happy! But now sec was selfish
and wrong"
Had her mother but bsen as kind
and approachahle as her father,
Elizabeth would not have kesitated,
but she knew that Alfred WAS not Il
favorite, and her tim idity of spirit
made her afraid of increasing the
prejudice against him.
"Yes," said Mrs. Howard, graveIy,
chad you but told me all as you
ought to have done, you would have
saved yourself much PAIN
Here shs went on, not needing
the sacred look. which gave place
to one Of anguish as she finished.
"When your father told me was bor
rified, especially after the talk I'd
had with him yesterday. Alfred
Stone, as he knows well, is not tho
husband we should choose for you"
Mrs. Howard liked to pretend that
her husband always agreed with
her, but in this cave, as in man
others, he, poor man, sat below in
his study, grieving over the affair,
aud wishing vainly that it could be
allowed to progress smoothly, and
thinking that he "was sure it would
turn ought right, and Alfred make a
good husband, and be quite steady
and all that
"Yon, being young, have been de-
-ceiyed by his outward looks and
manners. I grant he is pleasant
but that is not enough, and we, who
who know more than you, have
heard enough Of his character 10
know for fact that he is not
steady
Elizabeth tried TO sneak. Knit a