Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-06-19


Then, with the liberty close friend may
take l drew toward me a portfolio, full,
presumed, OF sketches of surrounding scenery.
To my surprise Carriston jumped up hastily
and snatched it from me- "They are too bad
to look a." he said AS l struggled to re-
gain possession, sundry strings broke, and, 10
and behold! the floor was Uttered, not with
deneations of rock, lake, and torrent but
with images of the young girl had seen
few minutes before. Full face, profile, three
quarter face, five, even seven-eighth face, all
were tE0e-each study perfectly executed
by CarriStons clever pencil. l threw myself
into chair and laughed aloud, whilst the
young man, b,lShing and dscomforted,
quickly huddlcd the portraits between the
covers, just as a genuine Scotch laSsie bore in
the plentiful and, TO me, very welcome break
fast.
Carrston did favor me with his company
during the whole of that day, but in spite OF
my having come 10 Scotland to enjoy his So
cety, that day, from easly-guesSed reasons,
was the only one in which had undisputed
possession of my friend.
Of course | bantered him great deal on
the portfolio episode He took it in good
part, attempting little or no defense. Indeed,
before night he had told me with all n boys
fervor how he had loved Madeline Rowan at
first sight how in the short space of time
which had elapsed since that meeting he had
wooed her and won her; how good and beau
tiful she was; how he woIShiped her; how
happy he felt; how, when 1 went south, he
should accompany me, and, after making all
necessary arrangements, return at once and
bear his bride away.
could only listen TO him. and congratulate
him. IL was not my place to act the elder
and advise him either for or against the mar
rage. Carriston had only himself to please,
and if he made a rash step only himself to
blame for the consequences. And why
should / have dissuaded?-l, who in two
days enved the boys good fortune.
| saw great deal OF Madeline Rowan.
How strange and Out-of-place her name and
face seemed amid our surroundings. If at
first somewhat shy and retiring, she soon, if
only for Carriston'S sake, consented to look
upon me as a friend, and talked TO me freely
and unreservedly. Then l found that her
nature was as sweet as her face. Such con-
| quest did she make OF me that, save for one
chimercal reason, | should have felt quite
certain that CalTiston had chosen well, and
would be happy in wedding the girl Of his
choice, needless of her humble position in the
world. and absence of fitting wealth. When
once his wife, i felt sure that If he cared for
! her to win social success, her looks and bear
! ing would insure il, and from the great inn
! prOvement which, as i have already said,
noticed in his health and spirits, | believed
that his marriage would make his life longer,
| happier, and better.
Now for my objection, which seems almost
a laughabe one. objected Oh the score of
the extraordinary resemblance which, so far
rs a man may resemble a woman, existed be-
| tweeI Charles Carriston and Madeline Row.
an. The more saw them together, the more
| j was struck by IL. stranger might well
| have taken them for twin brother and sister.
| The same delicate features, drawn in the
same lines; the same soft dark, dreamy eyes;
even the same shaped heads. Comparing the
two it needed no phrenologst or physiogno-
mist TO tell you that where one excelled the
other eXcelled; where one failed, the other
was wanting. Now could / have selected a
wife for my friend | would have chosen one
with habits and constitution entirely different
from his own. She should have been
bright bustling woman, with lots of energy
and common sense-one who would have
ratified him about and kept him going-not a
lovely, dark-eyed, dreamy girl, who could for
hours at stretch make herself supremacy
happy il only sitting at her lovers feet and
speaking no word Yet they were hand
some couple, and never have | seen two peo-
pie so utterly devoted TO each other as those
two seemed to be during those autumn days
which L spent with them.
soon had a clear proof of the closeness of
their mental resemblance. One evening,
Cariston, Madeline, and were sitting out
of doors, watching the gray mist deepening
IN the valley at our feet Two of the party
were, Of course, hand in hand, the third seat
ed at a discreet distance-not so far away as
10 preclude conversation, but far enough off
TO be able to pretend that he saw and heard
only what was intended for his eyes and
ears.
How certain topics, which would have
avoided discussing with Cariston, were
started hardly remember. Probably some
strange tale had been passed down from
wilder and even more solitary regions than
ours-sOme ridiculous tale of Highland super
stition, no doubt embellished and augmented
by each one who repeated it to his fellows.
From her awed talk soon found that Made
line Rowan, perhaps by reason of the Scotch
blood in her veins, was as firm a believer in
things visionary and beyond nature as ever
Charles Carriston in his silliest moments
|
talk, and the next day, finding the girl for q
few minutes alone told her plainly that sub
jccts of this kind should be kept rs far as
possible from her future husbands thoughts.
She promised obedience, with dreamy eyes
which looked as far away and full of visions
as Carriston's.
''By the bye" / said, ''las he ever spoken
10 you about seeing strange things"
ayes. he has hintpd at IN -
"And you believe hmg'
"Of course l do--he told me So
This was unanswerable. "a pretty pair
they will make" | muttered, as Madeline
slipped from me to welcome her lover, who
was approaching. "They will see ghosts in
every corner, and COLLINS behind every cur
tain"
Nevertheless, the young people had no
doubts about their coming bliss. Everything
was going smoothly and pleasantly for them.
Carriston had at once spoken TO Madeline's
aunt, and obtained the old Scotchwoman's
ready consent to their union. | was rather
vexed at his still keeping to his absurd whim,
| and concealing his true name He said he