Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-04

talK 10 young lady you've Just met, but
she was such study as she looked Just
then. l wonder if can get her to give
! me that expression again. This evening
l am to go back; can't do anything
then, of course, but I hope she will be
willing to begin tomorrow"
When Althea ran to her room, the first
thing she did was to fling herself down on
the old hair-covered sofa by the window,
where she lay quite still. By-and-by,
when the breeze had cooled her cheeks
and the surging sound in her ears had died
away she asked herself: "What was it
he called me?' She repeated the words
softly several times and then rose and
went to the glass. He praised my ewes,
my lips, my throat" She let down the
long brown tresses, which fell over her
bosom. He said it was the most beauti-
| full hair he ever saw" Then she bent for
ward until her lips almost touched the
image in the glass, and gazed into her own
shining eyes. "Can you ever be unhappy
again. she whispered.
creek in blaze of red, barred by strata of
gold and violet, ending above in little
bands of pearl and palest green, as Ralph
mounted the rise just before Judge Ram
| says place. He turned in the saddle and
looked until the ball of fire dipped below
the horizon and the green and pearl
changed to indigo.
1t is even more beautiful than that in
Italy," he murmured. He walked his
horse along before the stone wall which
bounded the Judges grounds, when, hear
ing slight sound, he glanced up and saw
Althea looking at him over the wall.
There are some people in the house."
she said, sand came out here to see you"
"That is BETTER" replied Ralph. 81
will ride up to the gate. Will you
Gomez"
"No," she said, a tie your horse to this
overhanging branch and come right over
the wall"
She laughed as Ralph sprang to the turf
| at her feet. Then she lead the way to a
rustic seat beneath the spreading branches
of group of elms. They sat in silence
| for few moments. she looking at him
with serene and happy eyes.
You do not look at all offended now"
he said 81 am sure you have decided to
say yes"
81 have not said So" And she laughed
again softly.
But you will let me come tomorrow ?''
81 am not thinking of tomorrow" she
made answer, 81 am thinking only of now
tonight"
"Tell me" she added, "when did you
when did you first think of me?"
| "Only this morning, and 1 came here
almost Immediately"
That is strange" she unused, "that is
more like us, but you are different from
the people here"
If my picture is not success it will
not be because | haven't given my whole
heart to it."
Althea made no reply to this speech
she did not seem to have heard it-her
eyes were cast down in meditation. " You
| are sure you are not in love with Bessie
Pollard still ?" she asked.
In love with Bessie why certainly
not"
"Not the least little bit ?"
"Not the least in the world" said Ralph.
Why did everybody seem to imagine lately
| he must fall in love with Bessie Pollard?
Ralph was thinking Althea was certainly
the strangest girl he ever saw, when sud-
| denly two soft hands stole into his.
| My Lover" she said in thrilling
whisper.
Her head bent forward, the shadows had
deepened, until among the trees it was al
most dark, but Ralph could see her lumi-
nous eyes and tender lips as she bent
toward him.
My Eover," she repeated.
Her head was almost on his shoulder,
the magnetism of her presence drew him
| 10 ID r l.
significance of his act he stopped and
kissed her mouth.
1t was a strange, new happiness that
Ralph felt as he held her in his arms
The first shock of surprise was imme-
diately followed by the revelation break
ing in upon him that he had himself, all
unwittingly, invited the confession of the
love which filled her heart He saw his
dreams of life consecrated to art vanishing
like morning mists in the summer atmos-
phere of this newborn love, but the tu-
multuous throbbing in his breast left no
room for sorrow or regret.
MY beloved" he whispered, and the
stars looked down upon the unfolding TO-
mance-the same romance they had be-
held for ages, and he will behold in ages
to come-the eternal drama of Love.
The next morning Ralph walked into
the Office, where his father was busy re-
pairing his saddle-bags for visit in the
country.
"Father, / have something to tell you
l have arrived at decision"
"About what, Ralph?"
II have given up the thought of be-
coming an artist. shall not leave Will
low creek now. | will stay here and GO
on studying medicine as you wish. am
engaged to be married, father
God bless my soul congratulate you
my boy" saidsthe Doctor, firmly grasping
his hand. "Who is it, Bessie ?"
"No, not Bessie, Althea Ramsay"
"Althea Ramsay the Judges niece
Why, you sly fellow, didn't even know
you knew her!"
Ralph was silent. He turned and
looked out of the open window to the east
ward, across the valley where the yellow
grain was waving far beyod the low
wooded hills bathed in the morning light
and saw in imagination the blue waters Of
the Mediterranean, the orange groves Of
Sorrento, and all the glories of the Vesu-
Wan bay. Between him and the beautiful
vision there came the face of dark-eyed
girl-her words of last night sounding
again in his ears "You will never leave
me, my lover-promise never to leave me-
The Doctor was cycling him keenly
look here Ralph, this doesn't seem like
you; have you gone and done anything
rash, simply to bind yourself to resolu
ton you dared not trust yourself to keep
to please me, Ralph ?"
"No, father; have thought only of my
own happiness, mine-and another's."
i "Well, if that's the case, Pm heartily
glad of it." said the Doctor. "Pll stop at
the Judges as l come back and see if
can have look at my daughter-in-law
that is to be-"
| 10 McGregor stood in the doorway Of
his store one spring morning, looking uI
the street towards the little brick church
into which all Willow Creek was pour
ing.
'Aint you goin' to the weddin', Jo?'
called Hi Stockman, the grocer, from his
place next door.
"No," said 10, " / let the two boys go
they're friends of Raiph's you know, and
Pm tendin' the store. 1t was the black
eyes of that Ramsay girl that settled al
Ralph's high notions" continued 10, cit:
wonderful what this fallin' in love will dc
anyhow. Mebbe though, as folks say, Hi
it's best it happened so. Like as not i
he'd gone over to Europe-but look, they're