The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-14
The adeha 1au Eagc dUedmesdag Hurnns gune H. 1888

| homework; and how, when she reached
| the house, an indescribable something
| about the place frightened her.
$50 1 made up my bundle again"
| said Erica. coloring scarlet at the bare
one was looking. And 1 walked and
walked, and begged my way and slept
| in barns of nights, until l reached this
| part of the country. And l mean to
work until / have saved up a little
money to go back to find Rolf
There was no doubt but that Erica
Bjornsen spoke the truth; and Miss Bar
bara Bickford. no mean judge of hui
man ma ture, believed her thoroughly.
| "Hush!'' said Miss Barbra, suddenly,
as Erica pushed away her bowl of bread
| and milk, ''there's the colonsl's stick on
the floor; that's the way he calls! Run,
child, run!"
SIS he your master?" asked Erica,
starting up.
NO" said Miss Barbara, "he's my
brother: but we always call him the
colonel.'"
So Erica Bjornsen sat day by day to
have her coronal of dead-gold hair and
blue fower-like eyes painted in the
quaint dress of Dickens Little Nell,
and Miss Bickford was never tired OF
lauding the neatness and trim, house
keeper-ike ways of the young Swede.
81 declare" said Miss Barbara, she's
q real comfort to me!'
s'Let me see," said the colonel, who
was by this time sufficiently recovered
of his sprained ankle to get all around
the house, and even venture out as far
as the dooryard gate, chow long have
you had her?'
''Well-I amt certain-about three
months, should think"
"How long would you like to keep
herr"
"Always!" briskly responded Miss
Barbara.
The colonel smiled grimly behind the
red mustache.
"Well," said he, 81 mean to give you
the chance. I shall ask her tomorrow
to be my wife"
"Whdtn' cried Miss Bickford.
doesn't it suit your said the colonel.
"Anything suits me that suits you,
colonel" responded Miss Barbara,
hastily. For the colonel was well-to-
do and whimsical, and Miss Barbara
had always entertained proper defer
ence to all his opinions. "She's a pretty
girl, and I believe good one.'
Though Miss Barbara's opinion was
not of much weight in this instance;
for if the colonel had announced his in
tention Of marrying the broomstick,
Miss Barbara would have observed that
it had fine straight figure, and would
probably make itself useful about the
house.
When the colonel signifed his sover-
eign will and pleasure to Erica, how
stacles She dropped pretty little
courtesy, and thanke hun in the sweet
est way conceivable.
''You are all kind to the poor ex-
lie" said she. ''but am not free, Mr.
Colonel. was betrothed in our own
land to Rolf. 1 must go and seek
him"
You had better think twice of it,
said the colonel, gravely.
81 must go and seek Rolf, repeated
the Swedish maiden.
And she packed her little bundle
again, kissed the outside of the colo
ners studio door, cried in NJ ISIS Barba-
ra's arms, and went away into the
golden haze of an October evening.
How lone and strange the house
seemed with out her. How the echoes
reso unded through the empty room, as
if seeking in vain for Erica elastic step
and the monotonous little Swedish
chants that Erica used to sing at her
work. AS for the colonel, he strobe up
and down w 18th bent brows.
81 can't stand this" said the colonel,
at last. Il shall burn my Little Nell'
and go to Kamtchatka!''
But the third evening Erica Bjornsen
came back, looking very pale and tired.
''Will you take me baclh?" said she.
VISIT ully. will you keep me here? 1
Il went to the pastor of our little
church in New York He showed me
where Rolf lived. / saw Rolls wife at
the window, and Rolls child in her
arms. Rolf had forgotten me! And
now will put r off out of my hearth
Erica" The colonel advanced with
a half-doubtful look and voice, while a
great trembling shook him all over like
a leaf
Yes" said Erica, putting both hands
into his, while great tear or two
coursed down her checks. Forever!
You love me! You would never forsake
even kitten that you had loved once!"
God do so unto me and even more"
sole-anly spoke the rugged, middle
aged man, IF be not true to you all
my life long, little Erica!'
That was all. They were married
quietly. and Erica makes a good and
loving wife to the colonel, who cher
ishes her with q deep tenderness that
never flags or fails, She is happy, and
Miss Barbara is happy, and so, no
doubt, is also Rolf, the recreant.
For recreants do not always get their
deserts in this sublunary sphere.-Amy
Randolph, in n. Y. Ldgeer.
How She Reasons.
YES" said the pretty typewriter