Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-07
ALPENA WEEKLY ARGUS.
MISCELLAN EOUS.
AFTER A TIME.

AFTER A TIME.
Pearl Walton sank her dimpled
chin in both hands and gazed medita-
lively at the dim, distance hills, that
rose tier on tier beyond the winding
river, which cleaned like thread
of silver through the green valley be-
meath her.
A soft, blue sky was overhead, and
sweet bird songs thrilled through the
summer air.
Lovely in her early womanhood,
with eyes as blue as the soft sky, and
silken brown hair about her fresh,
girlish face, she harmonized with the
beauties of nature.
No human being was near her re-
treat to admire or annoy her. In fact,
it was such laboriOus task to reach
1t that but few tried the feat Il second
time, and its solitude made the place
a desirable refuge in time of perplex-
ity and trouble.
Here, on the very top of Mount
Solomon" perched upon her own par
ticular rock, flushed and breathless
with violent exercise of climbing the
ascent, she sat pow, looking her first
real trouble in the face, and trying to
read what the future had in store for
her.
Allen Rider had been her lover in
the happy summer but two years ago,
There is a language of the eye, and
his brown and tender ones, had reveal
ed the secret which his lips had care
fully guarded. Then he went away,
but his last words had been:
"When / have won riches enough,
shall return to claim a priceless
pearl. Happy shall | be if the treas
ure is not already won by some more
fortunate mortal"
That was all, but, for two long years,
the girl had remembered the words,
and waited, cheered by bright hope
of his coming.
Now the end had come, weary re-
ward for her fidelity.
The good steamer Columbia had
been lost at sea, and Allen Riders
name was among the list of the miss
ing-truly the end had come 10 her,
and she gazed at the distant hills with
pitiful longing in her dim eyes, as
she wondered why this beautiful world
should give all its shadows to some
lives--its sunshine to others.
"Ah me! Seventeen is very young
to begin to question the worlds de-
crees."
pearl, Pearl Where are you "
shouted fresh, boyish voice, and she
shrank back into the leafy screen,
with an impatient frown. Even here
she was not free from intrusion.
"Aha, you needn't hide away, sis, |
saw YOU" and her brother Jack reach
ed the rock, painting and breathless
with climbing. "You can't hide from
me while you wear that abominable
scarlet apron. But here's letter for
you. I've just found it in an old coat
that | wore the summer that Allen
Rider was here.
"He gave it to me to give to you
the night before ho went away.
forgot it pom my soul | did, sis I'd
never have found it if hadn't want.
ed some of the patent fly hooks l used
then--you know l haven't been fishing
since then. l hope it amt anything
important"
"Very likely mott cannot matter
now," said Pearl, carelessly, as she
took the letter, and slipped it into hei
pocket with a sudden paling of hel
rosy cheek, and faint trembling of her
pretty lips.
"Humph | wouldn't have climb
ed up here to give it to you, if I'D
known it wasn't of any account, and
you'd be so grumpy about it," grum,
bled Jack. "I've lost just so much
time. Good-by, sis, I'll bring you O
mess of trout for breakfast, if you'll
forgive me. ,orgot it, honor bright
| did,
81 forgive you, Jack" she said
with an attempt to smile, and then he
was gone.
She watched him rush down the
hill in his usual headlong, boyish fash
ion, before she slowly drew the precious
letter from her pocket, read the ad
dress with moist eyes, laid it ,
moment against her lips, then opened
it as one opens the coffin-lid which
covers a loved face, and read the
words traced by hand now poweres'
and still.
1t was simple, manly declaration
of love, asking her to wait until hi
could win fortune sufficient to enable