Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-04-26
JUNEI
By PHKBK YIELD.

ing. lFf
Nestled down on the grass under the old
apple tree, the wind showering her with bios
SONS, she looks the embodiment of spring,
with her golden curIs floating over her shoul-
ders and her blue eyes scanning the page be-
fore her.
She reads on and on until the end is reached,
then the book falls unheeded inner lap and a
long sigh parts the rosy lips followed by
smile.
"Aunt Jane says that love is cruel" she
murmurs.
fBut think she is mistaken"
Dream on, happy child, dream on while you
may, the time may come when you, too, may
say with Aunt Jane, "love is cruel, cruelP'
But not now, while she sits in the shadow
of the old tree with the birds singing all
about her, and the warm air tanning her
flushed cheeks.
"June! June!'' The girl starts from her
dreaming, takes up her book and hat and
goes swiftly along the path towards the
house.
She finds Aunt Jane with her spectacles on
her nose and in state of great excitement.
'What do you think, June" she says, as
her niece comes in, "Fred writes that he is
coming next week and will spend his mont his
vacation with u.s."
"Goodp' cries the girl, "Ifam glad; Fred is
good company for fishing and boating"
eyes," assents the old lady, little doubt
fully, "but he wants to bring his friend Har-
old Arnold with him."
"OI' says June in dismay, "that pink of
perfection Kow dreadful"
"I see nothing dreadful about it," says
Aunt Jane with much dignity; II am sure any
friend of Fred's is welcome, and it isn't like
" he will trouble you any,"
"True," laughs the girl gayly. "you are
born comforter Aunt Jane, but you don't
hatter me bit, and when everyone says l
look as you did when you were girl"
'There, run along you saucy child, and
don't go to getting foolish notions in your
silly head"
"Miss June shall etry the river Tonight"
It is several weeks later and Fred Coxton
and his friend have been at Oak Knoll for
some time.
And June!
June is in dream, and has been since this
dark-eyed stranger came among them, with
his handsome face and winning ways.
A dream in which the days pass with
winged hours, and the nights in blissful fan
cies of the coming day.
A dream she wishes might never end, and
yet she would not for all the world confess
even in her own heart why she is SO happy.
Why the walks and rides are so much pleas
anter this summer than last, when there was
only cousin Fred to share them.
Why the very sky seemed bluer, the grass
more green, the flowers more sweet. Even
the birds sang sweeter tunes when the dawn
crept up the sky.
o, foolish little June!
But Harold Arnold waits for his answer,
and it is long in comming. June looks up,
then down. over to where the river shines in
the moonlight, then back to her companions
face.
She longs to go, and yet she hesitates. A
new and strange shyness has come upon herr
she breads to be alone with him. to meet the
glance of those dark eyes that grow strang e.
ly tender when they rest on hers.
s'But where is Fred?" she ventures at last.
"You need not be concerned about Fred,
Harold assures her, che has gone to seel
4hox
''But Aunt Jane might not like"
''Nonsense!'' interrupts Harold. "Yor
have been out every night for a week ant
your Aunt has made no objection. Come
get your shawl, and let us CO."
And June goes.
Ah, that happy evening on the river! Th
girl looks back to it during the days that fol
low, as Eve may have looked back to the P ar
adise she had left behind.
Harold rowed with swift strong strokes VI
the river to where the willows grew up thic
and tall and threw wierd shadows on tn
water. Then he rests on his oar and begin
to sing; low and soft at first, then louder an
more clear, until atslast, defined and cleal
Auul6 AhuTlo, nOhtoc Jul Ou buo eCiAa diK
and June listens, and dreams, and thinks sh
could float down the river forever and neve
care to reach the land.
The song dies away, and there is sill enc
only broken by the splash of water from tn
oars that are again in motion.
''Miss June, do you believe in love; love
such as that song tells OFF" The young man
voice is quite low as he puts the question, br
the girl starts till the boat rocks.
"I don't know" she Says
''I never thought much about it." Whic
is not the truth and she knows it, but VIII {
would you! Can one tell the exact truth
when ones face is losy red in the moonli gh
and ones heart is beating like an imprisone
bird against the cage.
'sI wish you would think aboutit Will yol
Junef'
But the girl does not answer, and he do'
not press the question.
Instead, he quite changes the subject ar
asks:
"Do you suppose your Aunt would be vii
ing to take in two more people for fe
days?"
June looks up in surprise.
"My sister and her friend are on their vi
to the mountains and I have said so much
praise Of Oak Knoll, that they want to stt
here few days. In fact, }" he adds with a Ii
tie laugh, II believe I half promised to 60 {