Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-14

from me, pressed 1t 10 ner ups and heart,
and covered it with passionate kisses.
''The tears were in my own eyes as I
rose to go, thinking that she might like
to be alone in order to read her letter.
You do not want mother now, Turia?'
I said lightly. I was going to ask you
to come tomorrow to help Errena and
Eve with the spring cleaning of the
house; but [ find you are too Ill. You
must come and see me when you are
better. Goodbye, Turial I think you
will soon be well now
"She turned a beaning face towards
me, saying in a cheerful tone
I" 4 come tomorrow, mother, TO work!
Turia plenty strong now. Rawidfs let
ter very good medicine. And, mother,
Turia always love you. You very good
you bring me my Rawidi's letter. and,
taking my hand, she pressed it gratefully
to her bosom, as was her custom when
greatly moved.
81 thought I would try her faith in her
lover, and said
forgotten you? You have not read his
letter; perhaps he writes to tell you that
he does not love you now
"She smiled q happy smile and an
swered-
"FYou plenty laugh at poor Turia.
Turia see letter, then she know-know
here'-touching her bosom-'thatR awidi
always love Turia. And she added
firmly, me not marry PAUL. Me run
away with RawidiP
'With a somewhat heavy heart I left
her and went outside the hut, for well I
knew the harshness and sternness of her
fathers character-that he would rather
see his child dead than married to a
slave. Not a few nisgivings as to the
wisdom of my part in the affair troubled
me. However, it was too late for re-
grets now, and my sympathies were
most warmly enlisted by the lovers.
''The scene that met my eyes outside
was rather amusing. Turia's father was
standing within the fence, holding the
end of long thick string of fax in his
hand; the other end, passed through the
fence, was fastened most clumsily to my
horses head-gear. I could not quite de-
eide which was the more frightened of
the two, the horse or the man. Jack did
not like the smell of fish, of which the
old man was redolent; but | thought
there was spice of mischief in the move
ments of the horse, which kept plunging
and kicking.
''The old chief looked much relieved
when / came forward and took the string
| from his hand. What made the discom-
future greater was the fact that his wife,
squatting by the wall of the aUbGre, with
a short black clay pipe between her lips,
! had been a spectator OF the scene. The
| old man was not an indulgent husband,
and his wife seemed to enjoy seeing him
| worsted for once.
'With no little trouble l unfastened
the string from Jacks bride, and, after
patting and soothing him, mounted, and
! then called to the old man to speak to me.
| "He came rather reluctantly, thought
| "'HOpiana, why do you want to make
your child marry Paul? 1 asked. He is
| not a good man, and he is too old for
that little girl; and, more than all, she
! does not love him. Don't try to make
! her unhappy
''He looked at me narrowly for mo-
ment, then muttered-
Sue shall marry Paul. IF she won't
marry Paul, I'll kill her? The latter
part of the sentence was Kissed through
J his teeth.
II thought of the happy little girl with
! in, and, seeing that l could do no good
| by talking, rode home. wishing more
than ever for my husband return.
1.-The next day Turia appeared, looking
bright and happy, in a gay cotton skirt
and blouse, with large blue beads in her
! long curling hair and round her pretty
brown throat She went singing about
her work, with a laugh and jest for al
who approached her. When the work
was finished, she came to the door of my
little work-room to tell me that she was
! going. l called her in, and told her what
her father had said to me on the day be.
fore. I begged her to Try and forget hel
/ oh ho,. 70
/ No good will come to you if YOU dis
obey him. Do try, Turia-theres a good
/ girl-to carry out his wishesr
''She smiled, and looked thoughtfully
out of the window, then turned to me.
saying gently but firmly
"'No good come to me, mother, if ]
marry Paul. I not do it love Rawid
too much. By-and-by I run away with
! Rawidi. Mother, you not angry with
! poor Turia? she added suddenly, looking
! at me with such appealing eyes that ]
J felt compelled to say
emo, no, Turia am not angrv-only
alarmed for you. Go now, child-it Is
\ getting late, and you have far to walk
'She turned towards the door, but lin
/ gered on the threshold to say
! "'NeXt Thursday [ meet Rawidi.
! Goodbye, good mother!' And, closing
/ the door softly behind her, she hurried
! away.
1.-The Maories have a most unaccount
! able fear of walking alone in the dark
! The knowledge of this, as much as any,
thing else, proved to me how truly Raw.
idi loved Turia, when, for the sake Of
being near her, he would wander about
| at night to seek his food.
''Well, dear, must get on with my
: story. or you will be tired before / have
/ finished.
cit was about a week after this wher
l saw Turia again. She came late one
! afternoon into the kitchen, where [ was
! experimenting the preparation of some
dainty dish, for | was expecting your IN.
Gle back that evening, and wished to
have something that he could enjoy ready
for his supper. Turia came up to 1ne
and put her hand upon my shoulder. /
noticed at once a subdued kind of ex.
! element in her manner, and the shapely
little hand on my shoulder was trem-
bling violently.
Mother she said, with the tears ris.
ing in her large brown eyes, 'Turia going
tomorrow. She come now to say good
bye. Oh, mother, won't you ask the
Father of the bright spirits to take care
of Turia? she added, pleadingly.
81 took her hand in my own, and nv
eyes filed with tears as looked at her.
"'Haaven bless you, my poor little
girl; but am troubled on your account
What if your tribe find you?
"'Oh, they not find us!' she answered
brightly. 'Rawidi take care, and we go
long way off. Perhaps in long years nv
father take us back. But Unjust go now,
mother'-looking uneasily out of the
window at the fading hght-'they miss