The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1892-10-12
CHAPTER XIV.
THE CHILD AT THE BROoKSIDE.

Ehb SItll1D M lhG bhOOhSlDEs
"Thou wilt love her dearly" repeated
Hester Prynne, as she and the minister
sat watching little Pearl "Dost thou
not think her beautiful? And see with
what natural skill she has made those
simple flowers adorn her? Had she
gathered pearls and diamonds and rubies
in the wood they could not have become
her better. She is splendid childl But
l know whose brow she hast"
"Dost thou know, Hester" said Ar
thur Dimmesdale with an unquiet smile,
"that this dear child, tripping about al
ways at thy side, hath caused me many
an alarm? Methought-Oh, Hester, what
thought is that, and how terrible to
dread it!-that my own features were
partly repeated in her face, and so strik.
ingly that the world might see them!
But she is mostly timer
mo, mol Not mostlyr" answered the
mother, with tender smile. "A little
longer and thou needest not to be afraid
to trace whose child she is. But how
strangely beautiful she looks, with those
wild flowers in her hair! It is as if one
of the fairies, whom we left in our dear
old England, had decked her out to
meet u.s."
1t was with feeling which neither of
them had ever before experienced that
they sat and watched PEARLS slow nd
vance. In her was visible the tie that
united them. She had been offered to
the world these seven years past as the
living hieroglyphic, in which was re-
vealed the secret they 30 darkly sought
to hide-all written in this symbol-all
plainly manifest-had there been a
prophet or magician skilled to read the
character Of flannel And Pearl was the
oneness Of their being. Be the foregone
evil what 1t might, how could they
doubt that their earthly lives and future
destinies were conjoined, when they be-
held at once the material union and the
spiritual idea In whom they met and
were to dwell Immortality together
Thoughts like these-and perhaps other
thoughts, which they did not acknowl.
edge or defne-threw an awe about the
child as she came onward.
LET her see nothing strange-no pas
sion nor eagerness-in thy way Of &C
costing her," whispered Hester sour
Pearl is ftful and fantastic little elf
sometimes. Especially. she Is seldom
tolerant of emotion, when she does not
fully comprehend the why and where
fore. But the child hath strong affec-
tionsl She loves me and will love theer
"Thou canst not think" said the min
lister, glancing aside at Hester Prynne,
show my heart breads this interview
and yearns for It'll But in truth, as al.
ready told thee, children are not readily
won to be familiar with me. They will
not climb my knee, nor prattle in my
ear, nor answer TO my smile: but stand
apart and eye me strangely. Even lit.
tie babes, when take them in my arms
weep bitterly. Yet Pearl twice in her
little lifetime hath been kind to mo!
The first time-thou knowest it we'll!
The last was when thou ledst her with
thee to the house Of yonder stern old
governor"
Sand thou didst plead 80 bravely in
her behalf and miner answered the
mother. ~ remember 1t. and so shall
little Pearl. Fear nothingi She may
be strange and shy at first. but will soon
learn 10 love theef"
BY this time Pearl had reached the
margin of the brook, and stood ON the
farther side, gazing silently at Hester
and the clergyman, who still sat to
gether on the messy tree trunk. waiting
to receive her. Just where she had
paused the brook CHANGED TO form a
pool, 80 smooth and quiet that It re-
fiected perfect image OF her little fig
ure, with all the brilliant picturesque
ness OF her beauty, In its adornment OF
flowers and wreathed foliage. but more
refined and spiritualized than the real.
ity.
This image, SO nearly identical with
the living Pearl. seemed to communicate
somewhat Of its own shadowy and In.