Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-01-19

At this mement she saw on her dress
ing table a small parcel with a note. 1T
was mans writing. She turned it over
breathlessly in her shaking hands. Who
would write to herr Interesting little
missives often came TO Edennount in
manly scrawls for ner sister, but none
had ever come before directed to Miss
Chance.
Atlength she opened it. A very short
note it was, it ran as follows:
"DEAB Miss CHANCE.
81 have just been reading the enclosed
and found it interesting, so have taken
the liberty of sending it on to you, think
ing you might care to see it.
yours very truely
BLACKBURN FoRT."
Lollie read over the words several
times, then she looked in the book
French story. She understood at once
his motive in sending il, and the counsel
thus indirectly given. Her life might be
barren, but her mind need not therefore
lie fallow. She took no time TO bemoan
the unhappiness resulting from Knties
teasing, but straightway went to the
school room, sought out the best French
dictionary there, aud, wrapping her
shawl round her, sat down to the work of
translation.
Once, as she worked, she caught sight
of her own face in the glass.
" Lollie," she said, gravely addressing
herself, you are quite plain and nearly
thirty; do not fancy Mr.. Fort has any in
terest in you-nothing like Harry Bel
fords in Katie, for instauce-beyond
thai OF good man who tries to rectify
tie faults and failures of the human be-
ings about him. l am much Obliged to
Mr.. Fort for his advice; he Is kind, butt
she set her lips and went on with her
reading. But, alas! heats are not always
under head control, and "a dream cometh
of the multitude of business" Certain
vague thoughts and desires, as vain as
they were vague, came to her that bright
winter afternoon, that nevermore could
be persuaded TO leave her.
After this Mr.. Frost met her in the
streets. He often came to Edenmount.
But although he found she was following
his unspoken advice, she did not seem to
grow any happier. Her demeanor was
still as reserved as ever; but he noticed
her too closely not TO see that the old list
lessness mad dsepened to depression, end
negative merged into active wretched-
ness. He was dismayed at his own work.
He had meant to do good, but the result
was evil. Soon she began to avoid him
quietly, but steadily; indeed, she could
do nothing else under Katle's laughing,
but keen sighted eyes Fort asked him
self what he could do for her nowY The
answer, though disheartening, was final:
Nothingl
Meanwhile Lollie's awakening nature
had buddea and borne fruit at last. She
had not followed her own advice; the
needs of the human heart once called
forth are imptrious in their hunger. She
felt keenly, bitterly, all that her life lack
ed, and although she never for an instant
dreamt of return, she had the miserable
knowledge of hopeless love within her.
The Sights and ridioule of former days
had hurt and worried her, but now, with
the keen constituencies born of her new
feelings, they became absolutely intoler-
able Her slow moving nature once set
in motion bore down all opposition. She
determined to leave home, and, to her
surprise, Katie actually helped to carry
out her plans. She undertook to fill tenn
porarily the post of superintendent in a
Nurses Home. She was not qualified
nurse; but being rather in dilemma for
want of some one TO fill the post, the in
stituCe accepted her services for the
time.
The Home was situated in remote
town in the north of England, far from
Tessleton, and Lollie felt the change to
the new lonely life. The nurses were
usually absent and although she had 2
good deal TO do, and cha enthusiastically did
her work thoroughly, still there we're times
when memory was vivid, and the longing
to see Blackburn Fort once more almost
too strong to be resisted. IN the long
winter dusk she used to sit aud picture
the doings at home; the merry voices
Katie's pretty glowing face; Mr.. Fort;
step in the hall, the sound of which she
had learned to know so well. Was he be
ginning to love Katie? She imagined
over and over again how beautiful, how
true. how grand thing his love could be
Happy Katy!
1t was hard to force herself to &c
through her duties. The thought of al
that might have been was a perpetua
Leart sickness. Many an inpatient shor
sigh she heavsd over her account books
and the household linen. For awhile hel
power Of self command failed her, bu
thare would surely come a tin % when she
should care less than she cared
now, when useless regrets and
desires, grown feeble, would cease t.
poison and spoil existence. Her sore
heart, in lis suffering, almost longed fol
the old days of ignorance and deadne3i
to return. IL sometimes seemed imposs
ible TO "teach her trial patience" to s.
on living her methodical, monOtonous lire
far away from the sight OF events which
indeed, she could have no power to alter
but which so keenly and intimately inter
ested her. Katie's letters wsrs feverishl.
expected; they were suggestive, and thu
mention of Forts name grew more ant
more frequent. He had done and salt
| this and that. They seemed to have grown
confidential for one day Kate wrote
"You must have been source of amuse
ment to him at one time. He Otter
/ speaks OF you" The very vagueness o
! this was its torment What had she, Lol
lie, done? What had he said? Was b
base enough TO have dissected Ter hear
and life for mtre amusement?
And so two weary months slipped by