The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-10
What Did He See !?

fallen, and the wind had blown il
into huge drifts, so as to almost
prevent travel.
John Leslie sat in his kitchen,
in front Of bright fire. He new.
er went into the parlor, though
there was rather grand one at
the other end Of the house-that
is, for the country. His thoughts
were not Of a pleasant nature this
evening. Try as hard as he would,
he could not shut out the vision Of
the fair-haired girl who in days
gone by had graced his home with
her presence; nor of the mother,
who, when dying, had placed her
in his arms-a wee babe then
and begged that, come what might,
he would never cease to love and
care for their child. -. -.
The snow of many winters had
fallen upon her grave, and the
then babe had grown into a wo.
man; had been wooed and won by
the man she loved; had married
him, and the father who had prom.
ised so much to his dying wife had
driven her from his home thereof.
John Leslie had not married the
second time. He had engaged a
housekeeper at the time of his
wife's death, and as things had
gone on about as we'll as he cared
to have them, he was contented
and happy.
If Grace Leslie had not married
he would have felt that his ''lines
would have fallen in pleasant pla.
ces," but the man that she had
chosen was one that he detested
and he declared "that he would
sooner see her dead than his
wife.
Grace heslie had proud spirit
and an idomitable will beside; SO
when she found that entreaty was
of no avail, she thrust defiance in
the old mans face and married
Edwin Thor.
Thor was a good enough sort Of
a feilow-bore a good character
for honesty and other virtues, but
he had once made bargain with
John Leslie which he considered
a little close, and from that hour
Thor lost cast in his eyes.
The old man was strong in his
prejudices, and when he had
formed one against man he was
as firm as rock; and in this case
even the tears and entreaties OF
his dearly loved child failed to
move him. 49,.
So they had gone out into the
world, each strong in hope of what
the possible future might bring
them; and if their bark, so richly
freighted, should drift out of the
channel and strand upon some
elsie Of Shoals, it would not be
the first one, Then, too, they
had love at the helm to guide
and love is brave! .- Il.
This night az John Leslie sat by
his fire, there came to him long.
ing for the sight Of his child's face
once more. Once or twice he al.
most fancied her present with him
and turned about in his chair and
gazed out into the room, as if he
expected to see her,
Then, when he would fall into g
half doze, he would dream { p that
somewhere out in the night she
was holding close to her bosom a
babe and struggling through the
snow trying to reach his home
Then he would shake this thins
off with a mighty effort and try t
Danish all thoughts of her from
his mind.
/ But somnolency cannot SO easi1,
be shaken off, and sitting by /
cosy fire OH a cold winters night
does not help the matter much
and from time to time the old mar
would fall into doze, and each
time the face Of his daughter ap
|pearsa before him and her ewes
would look 50 pleadingly into Iii:
that he would waken with a sud
den start and call her by name.