The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-09-16
DAWN.

AA>A IN AASA AAAuN~ SAoSS "AN ~" ~
wonder. Her mind wandered at times
during those last hours; and her hus-
band noticed how often she spoke of
her favorite flowers, the white hya-
cinths. When she died, he took some
of them from the garden, and planted
them on her grave.
He said very little of his sorrow; he
spoke only of his loss; but the best part
of him died with her-he half-buried
himself in her grave. He made no
promise; but he knew that no II
would eyer take her place in his heart
and home. His life appeared like some
thing to be borne, because there was
the hope of meeting her at the end
of it.
Long years before Francis Vane went
to live at the pretty cottage outside
Dunwold, it had received the name OF
| Sweetbriers, from the simple fact that
the whole garden was surrounded by
a splendid hedge of sweetbricr, and
the air for a great distance around
was perfumed by it. Francis Nane
made up his mind to spend the remain
der of his life at the cottage. From
the window of his study he could see
one of the lime trees, under the shade
of which his wife slept her last long
| sleep. He devoted himself to his books
and, when his child grew older, to her.
| With his wife, he had lost the half OF
his income; but, with the aid Of his pen,
he had sufficient to live upon, with
great care and economy, though nothing
to spare or waste. He kept n maid
servant, and gave up visiting, as well
as receiving visitors.
TY~+s1 TTr1,as-%l 0ryoc cIoCon WOO re old
he taught her himself, and it was a
most peculiar education. Had she been
a boy, it might have fitted her for the
world; a. it was, it simply made her
impractical in every way.
He was a visionary himself; he had
superb theories and beautiful dreams,
but he had not the least knowledge Of
human nature. He believed in tho
power of. love, the consistency Of men,
the honor of women, the earnestness
of life in general; he had no knowledge
of the light loves, the feeting friend
ships, the want of care, thought, or in
terest that distinguish the children of
this generation-he was a wise, simple,
kindly scholar, who feared heaven, hon.
ored the sovereign, and believed in the
power of knowledge. Admirable, es-
timable, worthy of all respect and es-
TEEN, he was nevertheless not the
teacher to train an imaginative, i'm
questionable child.
For some years he made no differ
ence in his mode of life; the child was
tended by the faithful servant who
had watched her mother die-Miriam
Claye. And to Miriam the girl was
dearer than the light of her eyes. She
had a large old-fashioned DON to play
in. She had a household of dolls, a
library of children's books, a number
of toys, and she lived in dreamland.
Francis Vane began to teach his
daughter Latin when she was old
enough to learn it. He provided her
with the best authors, with old-world
poets. 1t was a curious education; but |
1t was the only n that he knew how |
to give her.
His love for her was as dreamy as
MS life; he was seldom alive to any
practical needs. He never gave a
thought to dress or anything Of that
kind. He ordered books, music, draw
lngs; he would talk to her at times
Tor an hour with calm, mild wisdom.
he loved her with a great love-but he
was most unified to train a child.
He seemed to wake up from a dream
lei Hyacinth was sixteen; his child
was gone, and in her place stood a tall, |
beautiful girl, who looked at him with
her mothers eyes, and seemed to ask
what was her position in this world. |
and what she had to do.
Francis Vane thought long and SOL
EMMY about what he was to do with
his beautiful daughter.
Siytaan haarfifr1 oS a poot'c droar |
accomplished. better educated than half
the girls in England, graceful, and i'm
aginative, with a face like a flower,
life was full of fairest, sweetest prom
Use to Hyacinth Vane. It was an un-
read book. every page of which seemed
to her full of poetry and unknown de-
light. Her world was a very small one;
it consisted OF the little household at /
Sweetbriers. She had no companions,
no play fellows. Francis Vane would
not let her play with village children,
and she had no opportunity of knowing
any other.
She was healthy and strong. She
loved the fresh air, the early morn
ing breeze; she had the natural high
spirits and vivacity Of a young girl;
she was charming in every re9oect.
The rector's wife, Mrs. Morley, meet
ing her one day, was struck with her
wonderful beauty. She stopped to
speak to her, and invited her to the
vicarage.
Up till that time Hyacinth had held
no w~ell-defined position in society. She
had always been considered far above
the people in the village. However
small her fathers income was, still he
was a gentleman of independent means.
But the county people had not recog-
nized him. He cared nothing himself
for visitors or visiting. This invita-
ton from Mrs. Morley, however,
opened his eyes to the fact that he must
think for his daughter as he had not
| thought for himself.
Hyacinth was almost dazed with de-
light. To visit the vicarage, with Its
charming mistress, the lovely children,
the wellselected guests always to be
found there, was q prospect SO full OF
unbounded delight that she could hard
" hope it might be realized.
CHAPTER II.
Hvacinth Vane presented herself be-
fore the surprised eyes Of her father,
one June afternoon, looking SO beautiful
in her festive attire that he was be-
trayed into an imprudent speech.
.Why, Hyacinth, my dear" he cried.
nYou are a beautiful Woman!"
For hours afterward the sound OF her
happy laughter rang in his ears.
"A woman, papag she answered.
...No, i am only a child
He looked distressed and perplexed
a.How old are your he asked; and
she answered:
So am sixteen, papa.
sixteen he said, musingly AWhy,
it seems to me but yesterday that
saw you lying in your mothers arms.