Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-10-07

Are we going to walk all the wayT'
asked Kathleen.
Not all the way darling, We can
~ by raa Bu, f We hnd The journey
would cost us too much we might
walk part of the way
Il will wax as far as you like; /
am not afraid said Kathleen.
Their scheme prospered, In the
dewy morning they climbed the crumb-
ling orchard-wau, where there was
plenty Of foothold on the broken bricks,
AMI ran across the wet grass 10 the
edge Of the river, following which they
came to the high-road They avoided
Brlges, the city Of church towers, and
steep roofs, and many bridges, and
made for the road t. Courtrai. Their
first days journey of fifteen niles was
over a dusty road-ong, dreary. mo
notonUS-a long ana weary walk; hut
they rested or the way at a cottage,
where they enjoyed a meal Of bread
and fruit which cost the,a only a few
pence. Not for years had they SO
relished my feast as they enjoyed
this dinner of black bread and black
cherries, which they ate in 4 little
arbor covered with a hop-vinc, In a
corner Of the cottage garden. They
were three days on the road to Court
raj. sleeping in humble cottages. and
living on the humblest fare. At the
rauway-Station ut Courtrm Rose found
that the price Of railway tickets to
Paris, even the cheapest they could
buy, would make a great hole in their
little fortune; SO she and Kathleen de
cided that they would walk all the way.
1t was Il long journey, but not SO long
as that of the Scotch girl whom Rose
had read about in Sir Walter SCOTS
story.
Il should like to walk" said Kath-
leen, Il have been so happy today
no lessons, no one to scold us. The
sky, and the flowers, ana the fields
al to ourselves
Rose found "a decent lodging for the
night in a weaver's cottage, and they
started next morning on the road TO
Paris, Kathleen ms merry as a lark,
Rose happy. but with a grave sense
of responsibility.
They were weeks upon the road, in
the balmy summer weather, walking
and walking, ON and on, under a cloud
Hess blue sky; for the heavens favored
them, and the peerless july weather
LASTED all through their Journey, save
ON one day when they were caught
in Il thunderstorm, and had TO take
refuge in a deserted stable, where
they sat crouched together in a dark
corner, while the thunder rolled over
the broken thatch, and the lightning
sent lances Of fire zigzagging across
the dusky gloom.
They We're often very tired; they
were often half choked and half blind
ed by the chalky dust of the long
level roads; but they were happy; fol
they were together, and they were
free. 1t was the first real holiday
they had known since they had entered
at the convent gate. No lessons, no
burdens Of any kind. Every day they
kne-t In the cool shade of some strange
church to pray. They heard the mass
sung by strange priests before the vii.
llGe affairs, IleA lOulu liitHuN Ut llb
cottages where they lodged. The wo-
men all admired Kathlecn's golden
hair and blue eyes, aud s%ympathized
with the sisters when told that they
were orphans beginning the word to
gether. No one oy%erchaTgcd or robbed
them. They were treated generously
Everywhere. Their very ~defenccless-
lnCss was their shield and h%relstplate.
And thus through toll, that had none
of the bitterness Of toll, they slowly
approached the great city. which to
their young im~aginations was like a
fairy city. They did not quite believe
that the streets were paved with 90 d.,
but they fancicd life would be very
easy there, aud that their hearts
would be always light enough to enjoy
the sparkle of the fountains. the glory
of the broad strong river, the perfume
Of flowers, the beautiful churches and
beautiful thcaters, and. shining lamp-it
~boulevards, about which their school
fellows had told them so much