Smyrna times., 1895-10-09
EVANGELINE.
BY H. RATCLIFFE.

lCoCA NENAs uuOUSlt uSlNb CulIu, OIL
whom their efforts to win more than a
passing glance was entirely lost. They
could neither coax nor fiatter her into
familiarity, and when one after another
withdrew and ignored her, she seemed
well pleased.
Mrs. Allen often wandered, as she
watched her neice taking solitary
strOlls among the daisies in the
meadows, or perhaps stretched upon a
grassy knoll, with her dimple chin
resting upon her arms, and far away
look in her soft brown eyes, what
could have made her sisters child so
unlike her own rosy rOmps, who were
perhaps even then making the air
clamOrous with their merry shouts as
they hurryed from one piece of mis-
chief to another.
a few months before the arrival of
Myrtle in Stony Brook, her parents
had become the victim of fatal rail-
road accident. Whether this sudden
bereavement had transformed her
neice into the ljptlc recluse she now ap-
peared, or whether these traits were
her blrthwright, Mrs. Allen did not
know; but certain it was that every at
tempt, whether made by companions
of her own age or their elders, had ut.
terly failed to draw from her any dem
Onstrations Of interest in the persons or
things around her.
But though Myrtle courted the at
tentiOn of none, her sweet face, with its
lustrOus, dreamy eyes, was far too
beautiful TO escape observation: and
there were few persons in the little
hamlet who did not feel strangely
drawn toward this thoughtful child.
Good old DR. Wheaton called her
Little Evaugeline," and the name
eventually gained supremacy over her
rigLtful one, and she was known by t
throughout Stony Brook.
One night when Mrs. Allen was
about to retire it was much later than
usual-she thought she heard IA low
sob as she passed the door of the chill
dren's room, and. softly retracing her
steps, she paused to listen. For mo-
ment all was still; then wall of
anguish broke the stiffness, and a
voice murmured, with a pas.
pathos that smote the heart of
the listener:
oh, mamma, mammal Oh, papa
Why don't you come and take me? [
am 50 lonely-'O lonely! | want to 90
with you !"
All the pent.up longing of that
childish soul was expressed in the pitt.
full wall that Mrs. Allen never forgot.
She saw ii all now. Myrtle had hidden
her bitter grief in her own breast, as a
thing too sacred to share with any one.
For whole year she had jealousy
cherished the memory of her dead par
ents' love, aud had closed heart to anv
other affection.
After that Mrs. Allen redoubIed her
efforts TO win the child's confidence,
but in vain She became even more
reserved than before, if that were pos
sible, aud was 50 thin and pale that she
seemed the mere shadow of herself.
The little orphans heart was slowly
Stony Brook, from which the village
had derived its name, was a turbulent,
narrow stream that danced noisly over
Is rocky bed. and finally emptied into
a beautiful lake ten miles sOut of the
village All along its banks were
picturesque ponds, whose waters had
been damned up aud held in check by
he owners of saw mills and factories.
)ne of these ponds lay directly at the
DOT of the sunny hillside on which |
TODD the Allen farm house, and here
Myrtle spent much of her time, |
ireamily skipping pebbles over the |
moOth water, or idly rocking in the |
title skiff that Law at its moorings
lear by.
One afternoon in the early fall, after
! week of rainy weather, the sun shone |
'ut clear and bright, and MYRTLE |
lonned her bonnet and started for her |
avorite retreat. An hour later, Mrs. |
Allen was almost unable to believe her |
yes when she looked out an saw the |
,ood old doctor drive his venerable
lOrse into the lane. In a moment
more the painting animal was nearly
brown from his feet as his driver
pulled him up before the house and
prang out of the team.
Where are the children ?" he gasped
Without noticing Mrs. Aliens greeting.
In the barn, at play" she an
wered.
"Oh, all right" calculated her visitor
Irawing a breath of relief. robin
on's dam is giving out, and they ex-
'ect it TO so every minute. There is
10 danger of the houses, but thought
any Of the children should happen to
Jet caught in the boat, they would be
arried over the dam before anv one
ould get to them. You see, Evange-
ine"-
"Evangelinel" cried his listener
rowing pale. 81 don't know where
he is. She went out an hour ago,
With her doll in her arms, and haven't
cen her since"
Just then an Ominous roar came over
be hills. The doctor waited to hear
10 more. Bounding over the wall, he
an through the orchard and down the
MI, forgetful of everything save the
ace OF little Evangeline, which seemed
yer just before him.
The roar of the water could now be
card by the villagers, who were rush.
lg from their dwellings in all
irectiOns. On, on came the boiling
orient, with force no power of man
ould stay.
The doctor reached the foot of the
ill, breathlessly and nearly exhausted
My to 6nd that the water had alread
ut off his advance. He was obliged to
etreat hastily or be carried away by
be food.
Praying that the child might vet be
lfe, he fastened to join the crowd of
xeited people who had congregated on
neighbOring hill, from which point of
atety they We're watching the noun.
lin of water as it spread over the
road valley beyond. Suddenly an
gonized cry broke from the throats of
hundred spectators, as with one &C.
ord they turned to gaze upon a tiny
Oat bounding like an empty egg shell
yer the muddy stream and rapidly
caring the lower dam. In the boat :
oOd little Evangeline. On her face ,
as strange, rapt expression, and her 1
rms were extended, as If to brace !
'meone she saw In the distance. {
for her, death had no ter
Drs. :
A young man, whom the sight of !
lat sweet face momentarily bereft of {
'ason, pulled of his coat and rushed ,
trough the crowd, declared he would I
vim out to her. But the spectotors !
moving that such an act. however I
sroic, would only end in the GER Z
in destruction of both, seized the /
outh, and held him till the skin with I
le lying leap reached she dam, where /
II a moment it seemed to poise be- /
Feen heaven and earth, then plunged a