Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-05

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 I had ever heard, but although she was so gentle and sweet she quite knocked all the conceit out of me, and could only stare at her and humble: No, no. You must not talk of dying
 "When she revived a 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 a sip of water or tea, and when she came around little a mouthful of damper. It was a poor fare for an invalid, and one, too, who had evidently been daintily nurtured, and expected nothing but what it would kill her outright. She rallied, however, and got up at last, and crept to the door, and the fresh air helped to strengthen her, and, as was natural for so young creature, the heavy cloud of grief that had overshadowed her frightened 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 found her.
 "As 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.
 'I could make out nothing clearly about Katie-for that she told me was her name e. 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 sec for myself that she was the bonniest bit lassie that ever gladdened mans heart Her eyes were bright and blue, like the dewy bluebells I used to gather when was a laddie on the Godscroft rigs. Her hair had the color and glint 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 I had to show her how the simplest things were done, but she was | quick at the uptal1e 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.
 1.-The long and the short of it was that I began to like her too we'll for my own peace. The only happy moments in my life were spent ill 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 1 thought it over. What was that I should think of winning her love? had nothing to offer her but the true affection of fond, loving heart, could not even tell her how well liked her. 1 trembled before her like an aspen leaf and could scarcely get out a word if it were to save my life. That was a rough time OH me, mates. l was so wretched that I got 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 l was tired of her presence there, and one evcuilg-how well remember it-she was standing full in the blaze of the firelight, 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 I feel quite strong If you will put mo on the right road taniorrow, will go away with Bill and never trouble you any more.
 "'Where?' almost shouted, clutch ing Bills collar as I spoke.
 'To the city. It was there my fla ther was going.
 Have you any friends there?'
 "'No. I have no friends anywhere, but have learned to work. shall find work there, hope.
 "'Stay with me, Katie,' I 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 i'll words, but she stole her little soft hand into mine How happy was could scarce ly believe i'll my own good fortune, for 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 mol easily come by out in the Australian
 bush. We went down to the station where the parson chanced to be making his rounds, and were married. The very
 loneliness of our life made our happi ness deeper, think. We were like Adam and Eve in paradise. I never saw tht sun shine so brightly as it did tha
 spring or the grass look so fresh anC
 green, and my bonnie bit lassie was al
 pleased as @ queen and as blithe as {
 mavis. If I were to speak forever,
 could never tell you of all the true anC
 tender feeling of lad and his lass whC
 love each other as we did. Earth wa like heaven to us, and that lonely littl,
 hut an Eden. Woe is me! We were driv
 en too soon from its shelter. "She was as merry as a linnet, as
 said before, and her eyes glanced ik'
 diamonds, and her cheek bloomed ik the red, red rose, but for all that tn canker was at the root of my bonnie flower. She complained of no pain, anC she seemed to grow bonnier every day Yet she grew weaker also, and she kney
 it herself, but struggled sore not to SO . it.
 "'When cannot stay any longer witt you, John, she said, promise to bur, me beside my father.
 "For had gone out to the bush an' looked for the murdered man and foun, 3 1 him lying where she had covered hin