The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-18

He sat there on an ola log watching
the skaters rs they flew by him and
striving 10 keep up an impartial inter
est, or al appearance OF it, for the other
girls. But the red sun was going down,
and twilight was on them all OF q sud-
den, and he could sec nothing but that
face and form. He closed his eyes mo-
ment to shut out the too eager glare of
the glowing disk taking its last fierce
peep at them over the western bluffs,
and as he closed them the same vision
came back--the picture that had haunt.
ed his every living, dreaming moment
since the beautiful August Sunday in
the woodland lane at Sablon. With un.
dying love, with ohangeless passion, his
life was given over to tho fair, slender
maiden he had seen in all the glory of
the sunshine and the goldenrod, stand.
ing with uplifted head, with all her
soul shining in her beautiful eyes and
thrilling in her voice Both worshiping
and worshiped was Alice Renwick as
she sang her hymn Of praise in unison
with the swelling chorus that foated
through the trees from the little brown
church upon the hill. From that day
she was Queen Alice in every thought,
and he her loyal, faithful knight for
veal or woe.
Boom went the sunset gun far up on
the parade above them. Twas dinner
time, and the skaters were compelled to
give up their pastime. Arnitage set his
teeth at the entirely too devotional at
titude Of the artilleryman as he slowly
and lingeringly removed her skates and
turned away in that utterly helpless
frame of mind which will overtake the
strongest men on similar occasions. Ho
had been sitting too long in the cold
and was chilled through and stiff, and
his wounded log seemed numb. Leaning
heavily ON his stout stick, he began
slowly and painfully the ascent to the
railway and chose for the purpose q
winding path that was far less steep,
though considerably longer, than the
sharp climb the girls and their escorts
made so light of.
One after another the glowing faces
VI UhO huAi oAuooAo APpCttiCo abNNo tAo
embankment. and their gallants care.
fully conveyed them across the icy and
slippery track to the wooden platform
beyond. Armitage, toiling slowly up
his pathway, heard their blithe laughter
and thought with no little bitterness
that it was case Of Tout Of sight, out
OF mind, with him as with better men.
What sense was there in his long de-
votion to her? Why stand between her
and the far more natural choice of a
lover nearer her years? "Like unto
like" was natures law. 1t was flying
i'll the face of Providence to expect to
win the love Of ono so young and fair
when others so young and comedy craved
it. Tho sweat was beaded on his Fore
head as he neared the top and came in
sight of the platform. Yes, they had no
Thought Of him. Already Mrs. Hoyt
was half way up tho wooden stairs, and
the others We're scattered more or less
between that point and the platform at
tho station. Far down at tho south end
paced tho fur clad sentry. There it was
IN easy step from the track to the
boards, and there, with much laughter,
but no difficulty, tho young officers had
lifted their fair charges to the walk.
ALI were chatting gayly as they turned
away Co take the wooden causeway from
the station to the stairs, and Miss Rem
wick was among the foremost at the
point where it left the platform. Here,
however, she glanced back and then
about her, and then bending down began
fumbling at the buttons Of her boot.
"Oh, permit me, Miss Renwick,"
said her eager escort. II will button it. F"
Thanks, no. Please don't wait, good
people. I'll be with you in an instant"
And so the other girls, absorbed in
talk with their respective gallants, pass