The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-04-25

are ny adopted child; no one else in this
world has any claim upon yon. | had Il
little daughter all my own once, ana
when she was taken from mo You sup
piled her place, You have no friend but
myself
Lady Hutton" said the young girl.
earnestly. who was my mother: Tell
me something of her"
Her fair young face was pale and visit
full.
There is nothing to tell you, my dear
replied Lady Hutton; she was my friend
We were children togcthcr-l adopted
you; and surely, IIilda, you want no one
else say me-
Seeing that the very mention of The
matter a~gitatcd and annoyed Lady Hut
ton. Hilda never alluded 10 it again: and
as years passed on, and she grew older,
the fact that she was only the adopted
daughter Of her stately bonefactrcss grew
more vague and indistinct.
~ II = = ~
One beautiful morning in May. IIilda
rose earlier than usual. Elpsie had told
her on the previous evening that any la0y
who for nine mornings together bathed
her face in May dew would be beautiful
forever. Hilda resolved to try it. and on
this particular day rose almost with thu
sun, while the dew still lay upon the low
crs, little dreaming that on that day thu
t~ragical story of her life would begin.
A golden glow seemed to have fallen
over the earth when Hilda stood on the
hill near Brynmar woods: the air was full
Of an understandable melody and fragrance;
the birds sang, the flowers bloomed. the
bo yv,hArn c1,,o y,h;,, ,n,, tho I,;r,-,
all was fresh. fair and beautiful. IIeav-
en- seemed smiling upon the bright face
of the earth.
heather; it glistcncd on the long blades
Of grass and shone upon the green leaves;
and before long the fair young face was
bathcd in it.
An artist meeting JIlida then would
have sketched her aud called his picture
The May Morning" She looked Just as
fair and bright: the violet eyes were clear
and lustrous; the beautiful face tingrd
with the l~ovclicSt color, and the golden
hair waving over her graceful neck and
shoulders.
The way was long and pleasant. aud
She fingered in the deep shades watching
with loving cy cS the wild flowers that
grew round the tall trees; watching the
bees, which could never decide whether
coWslips, bluebclls or primroScs were the
most delicious and sweet; forgetting, as
the warm sunny hours rolled on, tha,
Lady Hutton would be waiting for her,
and that the time for breakfast had lon.
passed. While looking ut the flowers
some pretty fantastic lines she had read
into her mind:
"My w blucbcll. my pretty bluebell.
| have come from tn" bower where he
roses dwell;
My wings you view Of your own bright
hue.
And, oh. never doubt that my heart:
true blue"
what wordS.' said the young Girl
laughingly. as she bent over Tie blucbclIS
what words 10 put III n buttcrly's lips
Then in her rich. musical voice, she began
to sing them. The sweet voice rose high
in the clear morning air. until ono coulI
have fancied the trees. and flowers, and
wind listened in hushed silence.
llilda thought She was quite alone. sing
ing. as She gathered the pretty bluebeils,
but down the hrpadwood path there carnc
n young and handsome man. He stood
for Il few minutes silently watching the
beautiful Colden-hairrd girl. doubling
whether the figure before him WAS real.
Turning Suddenly. Ililda saw him. and a
rush of color dyed her fair face crimson. .
lie advanced toward her, holding his hat
in his hand and boWing rc~vcrentially H.
though Sh" were Il princess.
Il beg You 10 forgive me if | have
alarmed you.' he said. Il have lost my
way in the woods and cannot find tie
.:.th to the high-road. Will YOU have the
Kindness to point it out to me-"
The one to the right" replied lIilda.
raising her eyes to the handsomcst and
noblcst face she had ever seen.
Then he should have bowed and left
her, and she should have walked away.
never once looking behind; but the sun
shone and the birds sang. They were
both young, she beautiful and fair as the
morning; and instead of leaving her he
spoke again.
These are bonny woods" he said. II
have not seen faircr III all Scotland. They
belong to the Brynmar estate. | sun
pose:'
Ililda bowed. She had not recovered
her powers of speech. Who was this
handsome stranger? Where had he come
from
You are losing your ~tluebells." he said.
CALAMITY. He stopped and. gathering
them together again, offered them to her
Those We're pretty words | heard Won
singing he continued; they are quit,
new to me. May | ask whose they arc?"
llilda forgot her shyncss then, and told
him that she had read them the day be-
fore. and could not forget them. His
eyes We're rivetcd upon her beautiful
face. his ears We're charmed by the sound
of her voice; he could have stood there.
he thought, forever. Was ever pictur,
so fair: In the soft light that fell through
the green foliage, her falr face and golden
hair shonc brightly. He never forgot her
as she stood then, with shy. droopiu.
eyes, and the bluebells in her pretty white
hands. He fingered until he knew no