Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-06-23
PART II.
Chanter I.

! A boy was singing 'AS pants the
heart for cooling streams and the eX-
quisite voice scared, as it We're, to the
very gates of heaven, then sank down
and down like silver into the depths of
a clear well-sank into the very souls
of some of those who heard him, and
by some curious association of ideas,
caused Mr.. Eyre to start violently and
lean forward to gaze at the singer
| Why, this was the very boy whose
voice had so enchanted Mrs. Eyre one
hot May morning that she had com
pared it to cool rills of running waters
that refreshed body and soul as they
fell; and Mr.. Eyre, for wonder, had
accompanied her to church, had laugh
ed, saying she only found the voice
uncommon because in looks the boy
happened to be Il cherub.
And there stood the boy, cherubic.
Sweet-voiced, singing the very same
words, and looking as if he had never
done anything but sing ever since:
and yet it was impossible that he should
be the same. This must be a younger
brother. :. With sudden gesture Mr..
Eyre brushed his hands across his eyes,
then looked around him. much as
Rip Van Wrinkle may have done when
when he awakened from his long
dream.
The boys and girls had grown into
youths and maidens, the middle-aged
folks had grown old, and many of the
old men and women were missing from
their places: the very clergyman had
grown white-headed. and the clerk and
sexton become bowed with rheumatism
and age.
His glance came back to rest on the
occupants of lbs own pew. and again
he started. for it seemed to him that
his wife stood before him-this was not
the child who had drawn him hither
each Sunday morning; but his lost
Madcap. just rs she had looked in the
early days Of her marriage, no whit
older. or sadder, or less lovely than
the girl at whom Mr.. Eyre now gazed
so fntently.
The tall handsome lad beside her was
Doune, the living image of what his
father had been at twenty. and just
then so deep in thought that his pray
erbook had unnoticed, slipped from bis
hand; but it was on the fourth occu-
pant Of the pew that Mr. EyreS gaze
dwelled longest, a frown slowly gather
ing upon his brow.
The young man who had caused it
to gather would scarcely have needed
one of Jove's thunderbolts just then.
for his ardent, eager eyes We're fxe'i
upon Madcap. who seemed unconscious
Of his presence and intent only on her
deyotionS.
Their was too much Of the lover in
that look. thought Mr.. Eyre. experienc-
ing that odd sense of repulsion which
most fathers know when the lover
comes to WOO the young and delicate
daughter. Perhaps some jealousy is at
its root. Perhaps the fathers instinct
has its origin in something nobler, and
he trembles for the future of the ten
derly-nurtured creature whose truest
safety is by his side.
IN have no boy and girl love-making
here" thought Mr.. Eyre, looking keen
ly at Madcap, who caught the glance
and half smiled. I'm first with her
yet" was the continuation of his
thoughts, as, folding his arm and with
a gaze that went past her through the
open door, he sat himself to think of
how it was that these twelve years
had passed so swiftly that he had taken
no count of them till to-day.