Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-11-21

MISCELLANEOUS.


Looking out from the piazza, yo'
could let your eye range down
green slope, with the silvery bound
ry of noisy brook glittering in tn
moonlight, and beyond that grow
of trees, nodding and whispering
over deep, shadowy paths; to the
right an old mill with wheel tina
was a study for a painter, and to thu
left, long, sweeping lines of meadow
cornfield, and farms. On the piazza
their boots elevated to the level Of
the railing, their chairs tilted back
against the posts, their mouths act
lively putting two very fragrant
cigars, sat Frank Hays and Rodney
Edmonds, men just starting out on
life's broad battlefield, and linger-
ing out their best days of boyhood
together. School-mates, college
chums, fast friends from childhood,
they spent these days, when youth
was melting into manhood, in boat
ing, fishing, driving, riding, chat
ting, and smoking. 1t was Rodney's
first visit to Cliff Warrior, and he
was enjoying the free country life,
home pleasures, and social inter-
course as only an orphan boy,
brought up in the city, can do.
"A lawyer" said Frank, after a
long silence. swell" he musingly
added, "that will do, but not for me.
You were always the bookworm,
Rodney"
ut scarcely amounts to a choice"
said his companion; "the family in
a direct line have been lawyers,
judges now and then, for genera
tions back, and my guardian had
me educated to commence law, from
a boy, as a matter of course. You
can bring me your first suit, old
boy"
"Merchants do considerable of
that sort of fighting, / believe"
Another long silence; then Rod
ney said:
when is the wedding, FrankP"
"Oh not very soon. Unjust make
my way, first. / have not your
fortune to start with, you know"
"She is very charming; but it
puzzles me how you could ever 60
abroad to seek a wife, Frank, with
such sweet bird singing in the
home nest"
"You mean Susy. Susy is my
very dear sister, but Meta"
Eyes, | know. I've heard it all
fifty times. You promised to tell
me Susy's story"
"There is very little to tell. My
uncle Ray, as you know, is sea
captain. One of his voyages,
eighteen years ago, took him to the
coast of Africa. Coming home,
when they were some five days out,
they found the remains of a wreck,
and, dashed to a floating spar, Susy.
My uncle, being a bachelor, brought
the baby to his sister, my mother,
who, having no child but your
humble servant, adopted Susy. |
think that to both my parents she
is as dear as their own child, and
we'll she deservesit. She is as gen.
tie and winning as she is fair and
graceful, full of talent and ANNA
ton, yet the most domestic, home
loving little darling. She is house
keeper and child in one, with her
neat little figure and golden curls.
In short"
SIN Short" said a merry voice at
the window, "the most delightful
person in the world to recommend
to friend to marry. Pray, who is
your paragon, Frank? Not Meta,
for her hair is as black as midnight
without moon"
Here something in Franks merry
eyes and his companions confusion,
enlightened Miss Susy as to the
paragon in question, and the GRIM
son flush on her cheek depended
under her adopted brothers eye.
Too well-bred to betray her con-
seriousness, she turned the subject,
and soon had both "boys," as her
mother called them, chatting easily
on the thousand incidents that made
up college life.
1t was not until later, that Rod
ney, having retired, was sitting at
his window over the porch, that
Miss Susy gave ventto her feelings.
Frank had left his room to find a
novel, and Susy was on the porch
still, when she saw him enter the
parlor.
"Come here!" said the little maid
en-, drawing her tiny figure to it's
full height, land answer for your
SINS"
Her tone of laughing Indignation
had nothing very terrific in it, so
Frank came.
"What sin in particular, Susy?"
But Susy was very quiet again,
and by the moonlight he saw agrave,
sad shadow on her face.
"Are you tired of me?" she said,
trying to resume her tone of banter,
"that you are trying to get me a
new place by good reference, Or
Oh, Frank! how could you?" and
she fairly broke down in passion
ate fit of sobbing.
He was in love himself, and he
gave the affection of fond brother
TO Susy. What wonder then that
he read her heart in the change of
face and tone, and his plying ten
lerness was all reused!
"Susyl Susy, l never dreamed
IF this"
And the listener above softly |