Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-11-07
but you ought to cheer up for the sake Of
v0ur friends


but you ought to cheer up for the sake Of
your friends
"Friends," she repeated, with ghost OF
| a smile lingering around rperfect mouth
81 have such an array! Patty and you"
| Then she paused, and far-away look came
into her eyes and a faint color tinged her
cheek. She was thinking of Allan, l be.
| lieved, but / kept judiciously quiet We
should get around to that by and by, if /
| did not fail, by easy, pleasant stages.
After a moment she looked up with such
| a wistful, ycarning look IN the dark eyes,
but she did not say "Alann No, she said !:
"Of course l have Peggy and Ancil, who
are good and true in their way but they
are-only Peggy and Ancil, after all; not
| companions"
MIRIAM" | said, rather authoritatively
for me, ''you are not speaking of whom you
are thinking at all, nor have you even men
toned the ones name whom you desire
gerv much to see. Why not be candid with
me, dearl have done all in my power to
render you happy"
A wild, frightened look flashed over her
features, and l was afraid | had said too
much. "Never mind,n added, apologetc-
ally, II only had a fancy"
She shot questioning glance at me, and
a faint flush again Overspread her counte-
nance. Then in swift transition she was
again in tears. II had friend,n she be-
gan, as il oonfessinga fault, zone whom
| think a great deal of, but have lost all
trace of him, and | do not know now where
he is" The tears dropped down UNDECIDED
now, and she was crying like child. II
should write 10 him, but have lost the ad-
dress did have" she added. after the first
paroxysm of grief had subsidized
"Would you like letter from him, Miri-
ana" / asked, with great JOY Juggling at
my heart-strings. | felt like Tennyson's
hero, so "Close on to the promised good"
only the "good' belonged TO some one else
"Oh yes" she answered, hopeful light
beaming through the tears and illumining
her wan face
"Well, Miriam, lrepled, swat until you
are cain again, and I will give you one
which he sent by me"
"Ohl Father in Heavenl Can 1t be truel"
she exclaimed, joyfully. II was the very
first timo ever saw happiness so completely
outlined on her usually sad face. l had
seen lock similar once long ago when we
were wandering among the hills and rest
ing beneath the shade of a tree while we
gazcd occanward; but this was really hap
Ply anticipation.
Il presume you have reference to Allan
PcrcivalW she questioned, a rosy flush
sweeping up from cheek to brow.
yes" answered, smiling. II met him
in England, and he seemed very much
pleased to hear that you were at my home
in Rhode Island, and he gave me a letter,
saying: Give it 10 her with your own
hands. know you will be very happy
with him, Miriam, he is so noble and good. ;"
! said tins last at venture, but not
amiss, for her sweet face was almost trans
figured with the joy that shone from the
windows of her happy SOUL "Now, when
you arc calmer," l added, II will give you
the letter.
The flush has gone from her face, and she
Is sitting over there in the fitful sunshine
calm as a summers morning, outwardly at
least. 81 am calm,n she says, presently,
looking away outover the frosty landscape,
but there is a little, happy tremor in her
voice, and know the love-light is in her
eyes.
take the portrait from her lap and go off
upstairs. | hear her sigh as shut the
stalrway-door behind me, and my heart
throbs for the denouement
Down in the bottom of my trunk, where
placed it weeks ago, find the letter which
1 was to deliver with my own hands,"
"Allan," | say, happily, ''the darkest hour
is just before dawn, you know" and
go down, stairs light of foot and light of
heart. Why shouldn't /, when / was the
medium of so much life happiness, and
had so Ionged to bring it about, tool 1t
seems to me that as pass down the shad-
owy staircase that the face of my dear,
dead FRIEND Lady Perciva, smiles out Of
the semi-darkness, and l fancy l hear a
sweet, soft voice, long since hushed in
death, say Blessings on your devoted
head, my friend, for taking such good care
of my dear daughter; for proving to be
such a tireless watch and ward over her
best interests
Miriam looks up as enter the room with
a bright smile, and can not help uttering
the words which come involuntarily to my
lips: "Why is this Miriam; always so
sad, so sad9' She doesn't reply, only
reaches an eager hand for the letter which
| moment later lay on her white palm.
turn away as the taper fingers break the
seal. Somehow it comes to me that the
inclosed is sacredly hers; that !, even /,
have no right to intrude on it's perusal.
take up my crocheting and, stirring up the
Goals anew in the CRATE, seat myself at the
opposite window on my fancy work intent.
The wind sweeps down from the hills and
whirls the snow into miniature mountains
and valleys out there in the front lawn,
where last summer she stood so wrought
up with sorrowful vengeance among the
lilies. Would she ever have such a sad
countenance again as on that daya ! did
not know. Would she ever almost hiss
hnF arlxy h fhafc CHI
hated her home-her Heatherleigh homel
Most likely, if should be foolish enough
to breach the subject again. Butt will not;
have more sense now.
A rustic of paper and sigh, and / look
up to see Miriam bury her face in the letter
written on Allan Percivals knee in Heath
erleIgh Park. can not tell whether she is
happy now or not, but l watch her furtively
and pretend that do not care TO be enlight-
ened in the matter.
The better way to find out some secrets
is to dissemble and play perfect indifference
to the import, and. according to the natural
perversty of things, they will unfold them
selves before your disinterested vision.
Some persons are like oysters; undertake
TO be familiar with their affairs and they
shut up, shell-like, and you are left vic
tim to your own over-inquisitiveness
l fancy Miriam Pcrcival Fairfax is one of
these, and so work away with needle and
gray and black zephyr as if | made my liv
ing by my endeavors in this line. and glance
up about every tenth stitch over my glasses
to note any change in the occupant of the
deep, easy chair.
| hear another rustic of the letter and
look up TO find her doubling it over her
finger and looking at me with such re-
lieved, sweet expression that again let the
words slip from my tongue that rise: Love
is Transforming you, Miriam, from a sad
faced, revengeful Percival to a bright,
beautiful woman"
'Hushv' she said, with a smile. would
you not like to read AIlan's letter. There is
nothing in it that you need not know, and
since You have been so faithful and thought
full and true, why, it is your due-only your
due"
She offers me the missive. | take my
chair and 60 over and sit down beside her,
and she lays the open letter in my lap
adjust my glasses better, lay aside my GRO
cheting and read as Allan Percival has
written:
miriam, my love, the unexpected meet.
ing with @ friend OF yours in the park az Heath.
erleigh gives me an opportunity Of sending ysu
letter The great burden OF my life is. dear
one. whether you love me, as desire with my
whole soul. or not. remember OF giving you
my address when l visited you 81 the Rest,
but you have not written to me as yet The
| love born the dark days OF thread NJ the val
ley OF death Is not 10 be put aside easily, and
/ must beg Of you, dearest, TO say il you have
changed your mind, or Il you have by our long