The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-31
UNDER A CLOUD.

l am Agnes Grey; or at least that wa
my name when one bright summer day
the sky as blue as though there neve
could be another cloud in it, l came HON
across the fields from Nellie Hobart
wedding. Very sweet she looked in he
bridal dress, and very fond the gentle
man to whom she had given her hant
seemed to be of her. The church wa
decked with flowers, and not one G
those whosat there but wished the prett,
young creature well; and as she steIpet
out from the shadow Of the painted
windows into the clear, golden, out O
door light | thought of the old rhyme
Happy is the bride
Whom the sun shines on.
And thought that she looked like one O.
those fair saints the old masters were S,
fond of painting, blue eyed and blond
and with mouths like those of smiling
babies.
thought of something else, also, as
suppose every girl who had been to thai
wedding did, could one but know the
truth. | wondered whether it would
ever be my turn to stand where Nellie
stood that day, and what manner Of man
my bridegroom would be; for had never
yet seen any one | could fancy giving
myself to, almost body and soul, as q
wife must. l was making picture OF
him for myself, like a goose, when my
foot caught in the grass, where some
boys had tied it, and down | fell, twist
ing my ankle and hurting my head, SC
that for awhile | knew nothing.
At last l felt some one lift me off the
ground, and opened my eyes to see that
it was a great, swarthy, black eyed girl
of seventeen or so-a girl with careless
look about her dress which was not lady
like. But she had the voice and manner
of lady, and she asked me very kindly
if were much hurt; and, seeing that !
was, picked me up in her strong arms
and carried me through garden gate
and into little parlor, where she laid
me on a sofa and bathed my head with
rose water and told me to keep up my
courage, for Gideon has gone for doc
tor"
That name told me where | was
was under a roof that | had never
thought would shelter me, no matter
what would come to pass. would have
risen and gone away if | could have
stirred from the odd old sofa. For this
was Gideon Lees old homestead, and
here dwelt the children of the man who,
sixteen years before, had been hung for
the murder of my Uncle Mathew.
l was but a baby when it all happened,
but l could remember how the whole
village was astir in search of the miss
ing man, and how a body was found at
last in the heart of Alcott's woods, and
how the facts that there had been a
quarrel between Gideon Lee and Uncle
Mathew, and that Gideon Lee owed the
latter money, and how they were last
seen together quarreling in Gideon's
garden, where a bloody handkerchief,
marked IN. g." was found soon after,
and brought Gideon to the gallows.
Perhaps hearing the story afterward
from my grandfather made me fancy l
remembered it, but at all events the
name | had learned to hate was that of
Gideon Lee. And now il was the child
born on the day Of her mothers death
the very day on which the father met
his awful fate-who lifted me from the
ground, dusky Madge Lee, who had
never found a playmate nor a friend in
the town because of the ban upon her
fathers name, and Gideon, the son, who
had been old enough TO understand it
ali at the time, who came in. with old
DR.. HUMPHREYS soon after.
They were not poor people. The house
was substantial one, and there were
more books and pictures and tokens of
refinement within than country homes
generally boast of. But even the farm
hands spoke contemptuously of the "son
of the man who was hung, and the serv-
ants who were hired by Madge Lee
were not natives Of the place.
And here was |, Mathew Crews own
niece, lying under the roof, and likely to
be there for some time, for the doctor
forbade my removal
Il must go home-I must 90 away
from this house" l said, an-r;ly and
feNerishly.
And Madge Lee looking down on me
as an Indian princess might, with her
dark eyes aglow, said, in bitter voice.
Never fear, Miss Grey, Wen not muir
der you!" and somehow abashed ME
naughty as was.
Grandpa was away from home. or I |
thinkeven Il risk Of my life would not
have kept h N from taking me home.
and grew III and deIirious, and Madge |
Lee nurSed me as sister might, and
Gideon was kinder than a brother He |
read TO me; he brought ne cooling drinks
made Of fruits a. 5er some Oriental rec /
ipes which he possessed; he found sweet /
flowers dripping with dew in the woods.
and be sang, as / never heard any one !
sing before, those Scottish ballads that
are lovelier than any other music ever
written, TO my mind, and it ended In
my loving them.
So when / was well enough TO 20 away
| took Madge's hand in mine and said,
How shall ever thank you for your
tender care of meg'