Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-05-11
What .re said Is Of no account here.

There was evil in front of us and
much aching of hearts and suffering.
But the throstle sang in the sycamore
tree, and the swallows curved and
twittered all about us, and in the rich
amber light we could see all was fair and
good. Then our eyes would meet and we
thought not of evil, Doris and /. We
spoke little, our hearts being very full
and words mere idleness. Doris looked
out again to the west, leaning her head
against me and taking my hand as il
twined over her shoulder.
We were in the orchard by the old
green wicket, where month ago, be-
fore the blossoms had burst their bulbs,
she had allowed me to tell her an old
tale and had said one word of her own
to give it finish. And as the throstle
sang his love song and the sun sank to
his bed behind the hills I thought Of
then and now, and my head lowered and
l kissed her forehead gently. Then Doris
sighed as if spell was broken, for had
come to tell of my windfall-that was
no longer a poor man-that, instead Of
waiting for years, we might begin our
married life on my return from Canada
in three months or SO, and the sudden
happiness of the thing had wrapped us
around and silenced US both.
Now that the first flush of it was over
we remembered the feeting minutes and
fell to talking. What we said is of no
account here, but so little did we dream
of harm or accident of nature to cross
our happiness that not once did we men
ton him. though we knew he was COM
ing next day to stay perhaps for some
weeks, as sick people do?
Then we said goodby, and l opened
the wicket gate to pass through, but see
ing the wet in her eyes fingered awhile
longer until she was smiling again, when
l let her go. But l looked back again
every dozen yards or so, and when got
across the second meadow and stood by
the stile before vaulting into the high
road could still see the straight white
figure among the green and the waving
handkerchief. So l asked God to keep
her and went my way with the rose she
had given me. Walking home in the
pink twilight, the heaviness at leaving
her wore off as looked into the future
and saw what was there, or rather what
/ pictured in it, for when love is the
warp and fortune the woof what will
not the shuttle of fancy do?
Yesterday things had been so differ
ept. Of all my airy castles there seemed
hardly one left, and | had built a good
few. Before knew Doris such inagin-
ings had never troubled me, but when
had met her at Winchcomb flower show
love had touched me with its wand, and
all of a sudden the dead wall of my life,
like that in Chaucer's "Romaunt"- |
had to read a thing or two in the long win
ter nights before the old place had been
hammered into other hands-seemed all
alive with pictures. Everything was lit
up, the world seemed new place, and
life had sweeter meanings after had
looked into Doris eyes and she into mine
And when after many months plucked
up courage to ask her heart how it was
and she told me, the future widened ont
in such fashion that the sight of it
nearly made me light headed.
Had known how things were Ishould
have held my tongue through shame
and hopelessness. But my father never
gave sign that ruin was near upon
him; that my comfortable heritage, as |
deemed it, was mortgaged to the last
rood. The crash came, and then the
sale, and then life in little cottage with
broken down father and changed look
out, which perhaps made me overmoody,
for sometimes despaired of ever DOS
sessing Doris or of being able under
many years to support her in way fit
ting to her up bringing. Everything
would be broken off, and it would all be
a dead wall again.
It was in some such hu1nor that the
notary's letter found me that morning.
I had seldom heard of Uncle Ben and
had never seen him. He had in early
manhood deeply wronged my father in
some way, and his name was rarely
mentioned. handed the letter to father,
and he was dumb like myself, his face
working strangely between anger and
something softer. Then he put it down
and said: Conscience money, lad, every
penny on it; but it's saved yer from my
folly, SO TEX it, an thank God for teachin
Ben repentance an me forgiveness
easy lesson when brother Well,
we'll, let it lie. Poor Benz
No wonder. then. that I sew visions
WON EN-