Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-02-05
COPYRIGHT. 1895. az FREDsR,ckA STOKES COMPANY


stead along the soft green turf that
fringed the public road and under the
shady lines and chestnuts. She avoided
the shady pasture field into which her
father was helping the manservant tc
drive some cattle She walked on till
she came to little rise, and then she
sat down ON the grass.
What was this that had changed the
current Of her life so, that came into
her thoughts the first thing in the morn
ing, that followed her about like shad,
ow all day, and that colored her dreams
at night? What was this thing that had
robbed her of her girlish peace of mind
and left her heartstrings quivering and
vibrating as if they had been rndely
touched by some master hand? What
was this thing that now seemed to her
like blessing and now like curse!
What need to ask when it comes to
nearly every one some time or other
and there is no power on earth better
known? 1t is that which makes or mars
our lives, that which is older than the
hills-they change-and is the primary
and most potent instinct of our beings
it is that which makes fools of philoso-
pher and sage and makes fools divine
it is that which is craven on the heart
of time, can blossom from the very
dust of death and is the keynote of ex-
istence
The girl looked down the long, dusty
and tree fringed road, which with many
a dip and gentle rise went straight on
to the nearest railroad town, some four
miles away. She could see a figure
come travelling along slowly, about a
mile or so off. Now it was on the top
of little rise, and tiny speck it
seemed, no bigger than fly, and then
it was lost. to sight in one of the hol-
lows, but always it was coming nearer
and nearer.
Strange that Marie should take any
interest in watching speck! But how
often had she built up castles in the air
regarding those tiny specks that cams
toiling along, and as they bore in sight
generally resolved themselves into i'm
Fortunate tramps or even individuals Of
the opposite sex-womenl
She had often, for the sake of indulg
ing for few brief minutes in fond, ex-
pectant hope, tortured and disappointed
herself sadly, and sac had time and
again resolved that she would do SO no
more. But perhaps she did not know
the strength and persistent nature of
that thing which had taken possession
of her, for day after day her footsteps
had mechanically sought that road and
her eyes had wandered wistfully along
it.
And now the solitary figure of the
traveller was lost to sight, and again it
appeared ON the crest of the rising
ground. No sooner there than it short
ened and disappeared again. A flock
of dusty and noisy small birds INDUCED
in dust bath within few feet of her
in the roadway. An old crow perched
on dead limb right above her (query
why do crows prefer dead limbs?),
and who, by the way he carried his
head on one side, looked as if he knew
thing Or two. shut one eye in criti
cal fashion and looked down upon her
inquiringly. He was an inquisitive old
crow; he had followed the girl right up
the road to see or hear what was going
on. It is sometimes just as we'll perhaps
that crows can only talk in their own
language; otherwise the amount of scan
dial that would be floating about the
world would be something horrible to
contemplate. 1t is a mistake to suppose
that gossip and scandal are confined to
the human race Those who have lived
lonely lives in the bush or on the prai-
RE, and have had exceptional opportu
mites for observing, can testify to the
fact that certain kinds of birds are the
most persistent chatterboxes in the
world. Then the girl heard hurried
pattering behind her, and Michele, the
great hound, came scampering up. It
fawned upon her and gamboled with
awkward movements round her. Poor
Michele, she said, patting the dog on
the head; che liked you. You never
used to growl at him or be jealous of
him, did your
Suddenly the dog lifted its head,
AOuAAJ oA4AOA CAO. all 1OOhOA
along the road inquiringly and then ran
a few PAGES forward and stopped. Dogs
have wonderfully sympathetic sense.
Then the girls heart seemed to stand
still, then to start beating so violently
that she placed one hand upon her
breast. Her limbs trembled under her.
She stared apprehensively at the APP
preaching figure. There was some
thing that obscured her vision, for the
blood at first had rushed to her heart,
leaving her deadly pale, then had rushed
to her head, making everything, as it
were, swim before her eyes and her
heart to throb almost painfully. Had
the end of the world come-or the be-
ginningP And now she saw the figure
was that of tall, dark individual with
the stride of cavalryman, who carries
his toes slightly turned inward, as II
there were spurs on his heels. He was
dressed in ordinary civilian clothes.
The old crow on the rotten limb,
whose attention had begun to wander,
reused himself all Of sudden, and gave
q significant and expectant croak.
Tbou the stranOnr lifted his hat from