Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-08-07

esso SAiO w as, ~ w ao easy w COO til1o o1lC
had been bonnie lassie, and her voice
was so soft and sweet that it was like
song from paradise. You must not
speak Of dying said, you that have
all your life before you and can scarcely
tell yet how pleasant a thing it is to
live.
81 have no desire to live longer, she
said. I have nothing to live for. now
that my father is gone, and she closed
her eyes and shuddered
"She spoke with a pretty accent, and
her voice sounded in my lonely ears like
the sweetest music 1 had ever heard,
but although she was SO gentle and
sweet she quite knocked all the conceit
out Of HE, and could only stare at her
and humble: No, 10. You must not
talk Of dying
"When she revived little, carried
her down to the place where had left
my horse, and by his aid had got her
home to my hut, where she lay for
many days more dead than alive. She
wanted nothing but sip Of water or
tea, and when she came around q little
mouthful of damper 1t was a poor fare
for an invalid, and one, too, who had
evidently been daintily nurtured, and I
expected nothing but what it would kill
her outright. She rallied, however, and
got up a. last, and crept to the door,
and the fresh air helped to strengthen
her, and, as was natural for SO young a
creature, the heavy cloud of grief that
had overshadowed her ightened lit
tie, and she began to sing softly to her
self in a sorrowful, heartbroken way
that saddened me to hear, but was bet
ter for herself maybe than the silent de-
spair in which she had been since the
day I found her.
GAS for Bill here, he had got better
long before she was able to move about,
and although he always took charge of
her he showed great affection for me
and liked nothing better than to follow
me about.
81 could make out nothing clearly
about Katie-for that she told me was
her name - except that she was the
daughter of poor gentleman that her
mother was dead, and that she and her
father had always been all in all to each
other. He had made money at the dig
gings, but that was gone. She was all
that was left, and could see for myself
that she was the bonniest bit lassie that
ever gladdened mans heart. Her eyes
were bright and blue, like the dewy
bluebells used to gather when was
laddie on the Godscroft rigs. Her hair
had the color and CLINT of FURNISHED
gold, and her cheeks began to show the
loveliest color, like that Of the sweet,
fresh wild rose.
''I think I see her as if it were but
yesterday, shaking back the curling hair
from her brow and lifting her bonny bit
face to mine and asking how she was to
do this and what she was to make of
that, for she had never been used to
work, and 1 had to show her how the
simplest things were done, but she was
quick at the uptake and never needed to
be told thing twice, and liked her to
ask my advice, for when she did so her
eyes would shine like gems and her face
would flush up almost as if she liked
me, but that, told myself, was impos-
sible.
"The long and the short of it was
thatI began to like her too we'll for nay,
own peace. The only happy moments
in my life were spent in watching her
or listening with the keenest delight to
every word she uttered.
''She told me often about the books
she had read, and she spoke sometimes
of the life she had led-a life altogether
unlike mine. My heart sank within me
when I thought it over. What was I
that should think of winning her love!
had nothing to offer her but the true
affection of fond, loving heart. I
could not even tell her how we'll liked
her. trembled before her like an aspen
leaf and could scarcely get out word
if it were to save my life. That was Il
rough time on me, mates. l was SO
wretched that Igot sour and gruff and
spoke sharply to the very creature
could have fallen down and worshiped.
So from less to more she got to think
that was tired of her presence there,
and one evening-how we'll I remember
it--she was standing full in the blaze
of the freight, her figure erect, her
hands loosely clasped before her, her
bonny blue eyes fixed wistfully on mine.
"'I must have been great trouble
to you,' she said quietly, and you have
been very good to me. But now feel
quite strong. If you will put me Oh the
right road tomorrow, I will go away
with Bill and never trouble you any
more.
"'Where?' I almost shouted, clutch
ing Bills collar as spoke.
''To the city. 1t was there my IA
ther was going
"'Have you any friends there?'
"'No. have no friends anywhere,
but have learned to work. shall find
work there, I hope
"'Stay with me. Katie, cried in
utter despair. I have not much to offer
you, but I love you. You must have
seen how love you.
''She did not answer me in words,
but she stole her little soft hand into
mine How happy was! could scarce
ly believe in my own good fortune, for 1
had never dared to hope that it was pos
sible that she could like me.
'There was nothing to be gained by
waiting. Handsome trousseaus are not
easily come by out in the Australian
bush. We went down to the station,
where the parson CHANGED to be making
his rounds, and were married. The very
loneliness of our life made our happi
ness deeper, think Wew were like Adam
and Eve in paradise. I never saw the
sun shine SO brightly as it did that
spring or the grass look so fresh and
green, and my bonnie bit lassie was as
pleased as queen and as blithe as
mavis. If I were to speak forever,
could never tell you Of all the true and
tender feeling of a lad and his lass who
love each other las we did. Earth was
like heaven to us, and that lonely little
hut an Eden Woeis me! We were driv-
en- too soon from its shelter x
"She was as merry as a linnet, as I
said before, and her eyes glanced like
diamonds. and her cheek bloomed like
the red, red rose, but for all that the
canker was at the root of@hy bonnie
flower. She complained of no ospain, and
she seemed to grow BONNER every day.