Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-04-02
CWArTER Nv.
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Love.
1t was no prcmoditatcd tableau, nor
had the two rrrposelv Cvaacd NJ
hilL They had scarcely reached the
end OF the village when Alec, having
exhausted his ordinary repertoire ON
crop ihy sermon, etc. without further
the subjects nt the weather, the apple
remark drew out from hts inside coat
povkc, a letter and show iug Loo tho
address which was his mothers said
There, | have don" as YOU hade ME
and | have ,old her ii was YOU who
made ME write
loo'S ploWn eyes slowed With sud-
den pleasure; her color dccrcnrd, She
looked up into his face. with i quick
glad smile
"Oh, Alec, am 81 glad You can't
think how Slad | am that YOU have
written attrt all"
81 saw YOU were in the right when
thought It over" he explained. land
then, had souc good news TO tell
her"
90 hcamrd with Joy
don't know When have tolt 80
happy over anNthiuG, rs YOU writinS
h,me Ia your mother, When YOU told
ne all about her and how Nnu had left
ter all alone she who had been 50
good and indugent and so ambitious
tor you thought YOU had been cruel,
positively cruel II was not for YOU 20
sit In Judgment on Your parents: aud.
ms YOU told me, your father seemed to
Nv sorry enough, though II was too late.
| have Thought II all over aUd haven't
the slightest Gouht that Your father
loved Your mother and that he fully
Intended to do what was right had IT
not been for that accident to the boat
Alec hung his head in deep thought
as they walked along, \ few evenings
ago, ms they had suolled along the
edge of the wood, he had, in answer To
her questions M TO why he left home
and did not now write to his mother.
Coniided his whole history to Loo;
from which fact II will be seen THAT
his confidence in Ecr had become
pretty strong, Naturally as transpar-
emit aa the day. /, was not IN him to
conceal from this. his FIRST friend, hiS
reasons for never writing home. His
pride hnd been stung to something
dangerously like hatred; he could not
hide the feeling whenever the subject
of the home he had left was brought ny
by Loo The fact Tint he had II mother
only had enlisted all her sympathiCs
I,r "a I,n Tpr ,I
that Alec mast write and hear from hcr
frequently Alec could not deceive
her he told her the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the Truth.
700 had heard him In sympathe lie nj
lcnCc,
Alec" she said. when he had told
her ALL III YOU and | are to remain
good friends" tof course they were
only friends, very good friends, moth
ing more. 80 each said inwardly) YOU
will 20 home and write to your mother
AT once; YOU hear me, nj once
Alec shook his head
When ! ran away from home | said
in the letter | left that she wasn't to
hear from me; she won't expect to
bear. don't want to write until
have made my way In the world
made myself independent of every
body"
"Of me. too?" asked Loo, In a still.
sweet voice,
Now. You know | don't mean that
! mean I'll show them all that can
do for myself; that oh, when heard
that man offering to educate me, to
make n man of me, M he called til
" Alec grew speechless as he
thought of It.
Loo was silent also for minute or
two and then she spoke sadly.
II am sorry, awlully sorry One
cannot help ones parents can they?
But when | think of your mother, 80
sweet and good ~ Won tell me she has
always been TO you don't know how
you can help loving her"
II do love her. Loo; II isn't that -
it's"
Well, then, you and ] can be friends
no moro. didn't think It was IN you
to be cruel Alec, That's the last thing
! should have thought Of YOU II you
can't write 10 your mother then,
good-by. She offered her hnnd, but
ne stood looking at II his will was not
sc easily bent
Loo walked away. lie called. stay
minute you don't understand" but
she only looked back, shook kcr head
gravoly and said In clear, decisive
voicc:
Yes Alec, understand quite well.
but you forget there Is such a thing as
duty. ! believe in duty being done"
Alec swung round on his heel, feel
Ing aggricycd, and loo faced home
ward with a rapid step
This had been over week ago. he
had not eocn her since and never In all
his life had he felt 80 utterly wretched
The friendship 80 strangely begun had
become unspcakably sweet to him; he
had made her his confidant; they had
found themselves very closely allied In
many points; both had been ambitious
for life different and higher from