Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-12-18
CHAPTER X.
PAST RECALL.

Joe the miller walked away. He did
not return, he did not look round again.
Trip stood with folded hands looking
after him. The muscles of her mouth
were twitching with laughter. In the
moonlight the merry dimples came into
her lovely cheeks. What droll idea Of
her mother that was of the balloon and
the elephant.
But she was little sorry that she had
laughed aloud and hurt Joe's feelings.
He was good soul. Perhaps she might
miss his friendship when she left that
part of the country.
She was looking after him as he went
along the drive, broad and white In the
moonlight, with his hands joined behind
his back and his head low down. He
was a solidIy built young man. He
walked slowly, steadily, with firm tread.
Every step was taking him further from
her, not for that night, but forever, so it
seemed to her. The dimples went out of
her cheeks, and she took one step for
ward as though to go after him, and u
transient feeling woke in her heart that
she had made o mistake to send him
away. But it was soon effaced, as writing
on the sea sand is efFaced by the rising
tide, for the next thought that swept
over her mind-she was born for better
things than to be, as her mother said, q
Mrs. Windmillcr.
So faithful, SO kind, so gentle, Joe had
ever been to her, and to every one else 50
inaccessible, so hard and cold. Then a
gush of warm, true feeling poured
through her VEINS and she cried out:
"JoeI Joel"
The might was SO still that he heard
her, end stopped. She ran along the
drive toward him; and he came walking
| Jack-not fast, not eagerly, as If expect
ing great things-but firmly, calmly,
ready to accept what she. was willing to
| give.
If he had run and thrown himself at
her feet, perhaps she might then have &C
copied him; but when he came trudging
back SO composedly q revulsion took
place in her feelings, and when they met
she did not quite know why she had re-
called him, what she wished to say. Sc
she stood still, bent her head, and NUT
tered:
"I'm sorry called only wanted to
say one thing; whether ] leave Ring
wood or whether stay, you will let me
sometimes come UP the steps and &C
oyer the--the"-her heart became soft
again for moment, and tears were in
her voice.
~ mean, Joe, the dear old MILL"
SIS that alp he asked eyes, so long
as am there you can always visit it; but
he If he sets foot ON the ladder, I'll fling
him down."
lyon are not angry with meH' Sht
looked up into his eyes, furtively. She
was playing with him, and yet she wa.
half in earnest. She'l liked him, but she
laughed at him-her elephant.
"Angry with your he asked. ''No
Trip never. / have borne with mucf
from you already. have borne will
you this evening, but / am not angry
only, Trip, so, SO sorry"
1--WE shall remain friendsY'
always your friend, but not you
friends friend"
"And, wherever I may be, yen vii
think of mes''
81 never do other than think Of YOU
think of you with such pain and anguish
in my heart that it is like some deadl,
disease which has taken hold OF me ant
is consuming me-"
He spoke with averted head. He coulC
not trust himself to meet her eyes.
as that all you have to sayp' he asked
"that you may still come and see tn
mill! That''--his voice quivered-"yol
may some day drive up to the steps in you
, grand carriage, with your coachman IN,
footmen in iveries, and your bras
, mounted harness, and that you may &c
ont Of your carriage, dressed in PIN
silk, with gloves and rings, grand as tn
greatest lady, and so, 80, with your para
, sol over your face, and hat, and feather
| so, so, may come up and honor tn
poor-as you called him once-dun 10
/ Millerl'
. Oh, foolish, unhappy Joe Why di
I You speak ia these terms' Why did 20
: call up such O picture before the val
> girls minds eye, and spoil your onl
5 chance of winning her, just as her hear
{ was yielding'
: Yet 1t was well, perhaps, that he di
4 thus unconsciously thrust her from hin
, They were not pair, the elephant an
the fire balloonl