Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-01-08
quite old and long past the age q

quite old and long past tho age otI
good locks.
In tremb ling silence Elizabeth fol.
lowed jamie into the room but one.
glance treasured her. The dreaded
moment was deferred, neither the
Major nor Reginald Branksone was.
there. s'7t
Out on the lawn the people went;
games Of lawn tennis were made up,
the young people paired ohnot al.
ways to their own or other folk 8 sat
isfaction the elders at chatting, or
walked about the old fashioned gar
den. II ..S 3s.s (
Elizabeth exerted herself to amuse
the guests, but whether from the heat,
or the subdued excitement, soon grew
tired; her head ached, and the noise Of
the incessant chatter wearied her.
ooh, for a few minutes rest!' she
thought. .. a L. 81 5..5
She looked round; no one seemed to
want her just then, and, glad of q
chance Of even momentary quiet, she
turned into a favorite path, shaded
by trees, and leading away from the
house. At the end was q rustic seat,
and on it she rested, leaning back
YEARLY with closed eyes. feeling al
most too exhausted to make any
struggle at all for the right, against
| what fate might send her. 81 .-
"Janie, /" said her mother, "where il
Lizzie? Major Arson would like to
be introduced to her-ah, but, though,
Iwant you to start that set first"
| s"Oh, mother, lsaw her in the shrub
berry! If Major Arson will come with
me, it won't take minute, and / know
he'll excuse my leaving them after
wards" 49,.
The major bowed; they started, but
had just reached the shrubbery when
her sister called after her:
! ooh, Janie--Janie, do come and ar
range this set!''
"You seem in great request" he said
politely; II fear to detain you; think
see my unknown friend in the dis
lance. Let me go up and see if there
is mutual recognition, and then, he
added spontaneously, 1.-THE players
will be happy, and you will feel at
liberty"
Janie hesitated, but after a glance
at the Major, and another glance
at the players waiting about
with that aspect OF fretful helpless
ness that undecided people generally
show, she determined to follow his ad-
vice, and, with a bright smile and a
laughing remark at her rudeness, has
tened back to the lawn.
Ma or Arson walked on slowly.
Elizabeth sat quietly-so quietly;
only her feverish eyes showed any
knowledge of his approach.
| He raised his hat cOurteously, q
commonplace remark upon his lips.
MAY I introduce myself as an old
friend?"
She half rose, with another of those
commonplace speeches that so effec-
lively hide our realfeelings.
"Do you remember me, Major An
SOM"
The faint smile died away on her
lips; on his face polite indifference gave
way to a startled, eager look, as he
noticed the large burning eyes, the
changing color, and the quickened,
gasping breath that checked her utter
ance.
Then their eyes met fully, and the
fourteen years had passed away into
the dreary past, and the engagement
of a day had never been broken, but
| was continuing still, casting its glori-
Gus glamour around them, and hush-
ing all care and uncertainty into per.
feet peace.
Merry voices were heard in scraps
of careless talk. "What a jolly after
noon"' "That was good set''
"Did you see Janie's back. handler? 1t
quite upset the other side."
Then Mr.. Branksome was heard
saying, in deeper tones than usual,
and with suppressed eagerness:
"Where is your cousin? have not
seen her yet.:'
jamie began laughing: ooh, there
are those two, talking over old times
still" but was checked by strange
feeling that instinctively caused her to
lower her voice. The feeling sptead.
The hum of men was hushed by some cold
| thought
| They knew not what.
Reginald Branksome felt the sudden
gloom, and, unreasonably, the fore,
boding of a loss of Elizabeth s
love, that now it was gone
from his possession, and that he was
left a lonely and desolate man. With
a tightening sense of pain at heart he
followed the rest into the shadowy
path.
The soft rays oftheevening sun came
gently through the trees, and had left
the upper part of the shrubbery il,
semi-twilight. The evening hymn OF
praise of the birds had in it solen1-
nifty not often in their songs; the flow
ers gave forth perfume like that OF
incense in some high and sacred cere.
mony in spacious cathedral.
The light tones were dropped, as by
those who suddenly enter q chambe.
wherein Death sits enthroned.
Coming nearer they beheld Major
Arson kneeling by the seat, reverently
supporting a dropping form, and gaz-
ing with q look Of sadness, almost
despair, on a pallid face and closed
eyes, that rested on his shoulder. But
on that face was a smile-a smile that
was the seal ofeverlastingp Yes,
thank Heaven, everlasting peace!
L 1