Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-01-28

II see" he said, turning to the young man,
tive are in a rat trap"
Something Of that size. Did you ever see
q squirrel turning in a cage, and another
squirrel sitting ~philosophically over his nuts2
! needn't ask you which of them looked mors
Of a fool"
THE PARSONS MARJORY.
After some years the old people died, both
in n winter, very carefully tended by their
adopted son, and very quietly mourned when
they were gone. People who had heard Of
his rowing fancies supposed he would hasten
to sell the property, and 60 down the river to
push his fortunes. But there was never any
sign Of such an intention on the part of Will.
On the contrary, he had the inn set on a bet
ter footing, and hired a couple Of servants to
assist him in carrying it OH: and there he SGT.
tied down, u kind, laxative, inscrutablo
young man, six feet three In his stockings
with al iron constitution and a friendly
voice. lie Don began to take rank in tho
district as q bit Of an oddity. 1t was not
much to b. wondered at from tho first, for he
was always full Of notions, and Kept calling
the plainest common sense In question: but
what most raised the report upon him was
the odd circumstance of his courtship with
the parsons Mariory.
The parsons Marjory was a lass Of about
10 when Will would be- about 80, we'll enough
looking and much better educated than any
other girl in that part of the country, as DO.
came her parentage. She held her head very
high and had already refused several offers
OF marriage with a grand air, which had got
her hard names among tho neighbors. For
all that she was a good girl and one that
would have made any man we'll contented.
viii had mover seon much Of her, for al
though the church and parsonage were only
two miles from his own door he was never
known to 60 there but on Sundays. 1t
CHANGED, however, that the parsonage fell
into disrepair and had to be dismantled, and
the parson and his daughter took lodgings
for O month or so, On very much reduced
terms, at Willis inn. Now, what with the
inn and the mill Ind the old millcr's savings,
our friend was q nan OF substance, and be-
sides that, he had a name for good temper
and shrewdness, which make q capital por-
ton in marriage, and so it was currently gos-
siped among their i'll wishers that the parson
and his daughter had not chosen their tenn.
porary lodgings with their eyes shut. Will
was about the last man In the world tn bi
cajoled OF frightened into marriage. You
had only to look into his eyes, limpid and
still like pools Of water, and yet with a sort
Of clear light that seemed to come from with
in, and you would understand at once that
here was one who knew his own mind and
would stand to it immovably. Marjory her.
self was no weakling by her looks, with
strong, steady eyes and q resolute and quiet
bearing. 1t might DO a question whether sho
was not Wills match in steadfastness, after
all, or which of them would rule the roast in
marriage. But Marjory had never given it
q thought, and accompanied her father with
the most mistaken innocence and %unconcern.
The season was still SO early that Willis
customers were few and far between; hut the
lilacs were already Towering, and the weather
was so mild that the party took dinner under
the trellis, with the noise of the river in
their ears and the woods ringing about them
with the songs of birds. Will soon began to
take q particular pleasure in those dinners.
The parson was rather a dull companion,
with . habit Of doing at table; but nothing
rude or cruel ever fell from his lips. And as
for tho parsons daughter, she suited her sur
roundings with the best grace imaginable;
and whatever she said seemed so pat and
pretty that Will conceived a great idea Of her
talents. He could see her face, as she leaned
forward. against O background of rising pine
woods; her eyes shone peaceably; the light
lay around her hair like a kerchief; some
thing that was hardly q smile rippled her
pale cheeks, and Will could not contain him
self from gazing Oh her in an agreeable dis
may. She looked, even in her quietest mo-
ments, so complete in herself, and so quick
with life down to her finger tips and the very
skirts OF her dress, that the remainder Of
created things became no more than q blot
BY comparison; and il Will glanced away
from her to her surroundings, tho trees
looked tuanimAte and senseless, the clouds
hung in heaven like dead things, and even
the mountain tops were discnohnnted. The
whole valley could not compare in looks with
this one girl.
Will was always ohservant In thesociety of
his fellow cestures, but his observation be-
came almost painfully eager. in tbs case of
Marjory. He listened to all she uttered and
read her eyes ut the same time for the un-
spoken commentary. Many kind, simple and
sincere speeches found an echo In his heart.
He became conscious Of a soul beautifully
poised upon itself, nothing doubling, nothing
desiring, clothed in peace. 1t was not posi-
bic to separate her thoughts from her appear
ance. The turn Of her wrist, the still sound
of her voice, the light in her eyes, tho lines
of her body fell in tune with her grave and
gentle words like the accompaniment that
sustains and harmonizes tho voice Of the
ginger. Her influence was one thing, not to
be divided or discussed, only to DO felt with
gratitude and Joy. To Will her presence re-
called something Of his childhood, and the
thought OF her took its place in his mind be-
sid that Of dawn, of running water and Of
the earliest violets and lilacs. Il is the
property of things seen for the first time, or
for the first time after long, like the flowers
In spring, to reawaken in us the sharp edge
Of sense and that impression Of mystic
strangeness which otherwise passes out Of life
with the coming Of years; but tie sight OF q
loved face is what renews q mans character
'-om tho fountain upwards.
One day after dinner Will took q stroll
among the frs; a grave beatitude possessed
him from top to toe, and he kept smiling to
himself and the lanscape as be went. The
river ran between the stepping stones with q
pretty wtmple; q bird sang loudly in tho
wood; the hiltops looked immeasurably
high, and as he glanced atthem from time to
with q benefcent but awful curiosity. His
looked the plain; and there be sat down upon
q stona, and fell into deep and pleasant
thought. The plain lay abroad with its
cities and silver river; everything was
asleep, except a great eddy Of birds which
kept rising and falling and going round and
round in the blue air. He repeated Marjory's
name aloud, and the sound Of it gratiSed his
ear, He shut his eyes, and hsr image spranE