Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-15
more turned restlessly as if to move away

woman who had just entered with some
water, as she caught the fretful murmur.
but not the words.
Nothing, was the answer, and the
proud man moved his face SO it was
hidden; even in the hour Of death, an
Astange could not brook the thought of
pity from q menia'.
But . ,it;a the woman had eone' he
If only could die free from the
thought, would not be sorry to go; but
it haunts met haunts mel"
Five minutes had not passed ere he be-
gan again:
If there were any way of undoing it.;
but, no. cannot unmake what made.
have repented too late"
Silence reigned for . moment, saving
for the sounds Of the bird sing ng over
the flowers in the garden. over which
this b sdroom's window opened.
AS the dying man gazed wistfully out
on the beauties of nature. tall form,
clad In white. presently moved among
them, and hatless head, crowned by
red-eold braids, glistened among them.
Olga, muttered the pallid lips.
Olga, called thin, hoarse voice from
below, rs another woman appeared on the
path beside her; a thin. insign ficant
creature, with drab- hued hair and an
ugly face. and a cross, unpleasant express
sion; Olga. do for gracious sake, put on
hat; you will be hideously tanned"
1T does not matter" returned a sweet
voice. mo one will look at me-"
Well, you are almost riQht about that, I"
said Belle, spitefully. 1T really seems
remarkable to me. Olga, that you are
treated by all the men so colby. 1 have
never known You to be in love. and you
are nineteen years old. 1t is very
strange"
Very strange. repeated Olga. and her
eyes took dreary, dissatisfied look; for
she was thinking of face, u blonde,
handsome mans face, that, two years be-
fore. had looked down at her in the
moonlight from the little rotunda half
hidden, ut present, beneath mass of red
and yellow roses and glossy ivy leaves;
she Was wondering why the memory of
that face, Of thoss searching, wistful
eyes, of the promise spoken by those full
lips, had caused all other men to lie dis
tasteful to her.
A slight tint of red stole up in her
cheeks as she remembered how anxiously
she had waited for Kenneth'sc oming the
next day; and her long, dark lashes yelled
her eyes as she recalled the little bouquet
of lilies of the valley" hidden deep in
her s'sbon box, near which note of
apo 0gy, regret and farewell was living.
Why had she kept those withered flow
ers! Other men had given her elegant
bouquets, and she had thrown them
away.
Why had she kept that short billet?
She had burned long love letters since.
The human heart is a strange puzzle.
Yes," said Belle, emphatically, "you
are an odd girl, Olga. Before I was
your age had been in love half a dozen
times. am afraid You are going to be
an old maid
.! nm not. said Olga, "for any woman
with money en- buy husband, you
know, no mat, or how old and ugly she is,
l shall devote myself to art till 1 am
about thirty-ive, then I'll marry some
fortune hunter and be miserable; that is
the style"
You are very foolish GIRL" said
Belle. If you would devote little more
time to society and little less to your
modelling and deep studies, ould have
some patience with you. AS it is, you
remind me of that horrid Allen family,
who are always talking about Egyptian
art and Roman literature, and laugh and
SCI. seem happy when they have not a cent in
True philosophers" replied Olga.
They enjoy what they have"
Il should think they did. Why. Olga.
they actually spent seven dol ars for
have not had tea-kettle in their house
for year. They boil their tea in a
saucepan, and drink it out of cracked
cups. and are just as happy as if they had
a million of dollars.
They are wise. said Olga; then she
novel away from her sister and COM
menced picking some flowers, but she
was followed by her tormentor.
DO you mean to tell me that people do
riOhf IN IN hat ;,,l
manner?" questioned Belle, aghast.
Yes" said Olga, shortly. ~They make
it their object in life to be happy, and oil
a person needs is an object in life and
they will be happy. Every one wants
some aim, some goal, for which to st. or,
then he is contented."
Lying in the room above, the dying
man heard her words, and strange look
came into his eyes. He turned restlessly.
her?" he questioned. "Remorse need no
longer gnaw at my heart-strings and
trouble my dying hour if she will promise
to save me from sin. Yet, she is only
young, delicate girl: can I impose my
ne elected duty on her!"
He sighed SO heavily and turned SO
1estlessiy, woman, previously hidden
by the bed-board, arose and approached;
before she could speak, he said:
Nurse, send Miss Olga to me, and leave
us alone together"
The woman paused to administer q
stimulant 10 him, then noiselessly passed
into the hall, to reappear in a moment,
evidently thinking her patient too i'll to
be left alone for even that brief space
of time; but those who have nursed one
know the sudden end of consump-
tive, and this woman understood per-
fectly her patient might die at any mo-
ment.
She waited by him till Olga appeared,
then left the father and daughter alone.
A solemn look had crept up in the girls
eyes when she received her fathers mes
sage; it remained there as she approached
his bedside. Death seemed SO horrible
to her, she never thought the time would
come when she would court it. Her dice
trembled q little, as she said:
Papa, have brought you some fiow-
ers. See! the day-l lilies are out, for the
first"
He smiled lovingly on her as she seated
h0roalf in tho Aaav-Chair hv tho bod on1