Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-08-19


he was gentleman. like the other and
IA man SO made that You would have
sworn he would remain boy at heart
no matter how long he should live.
In those days lit was early in the
spring. the old man often sat toward
sunset at the open window Of his ground
floor study, soOthed into some sort of
! happiness by the voices of Rachel and
/ her lover as they walked bareheaded in
| the gentle western air.
! Eustace was ii soldier on leave of alb
sence visiting the home country. and
/ the time was one when every man of
| that calling knew that the morrow
might see him ordered abroad. Perhaps
the courtship progressed more rapidly
! than il would otherwise have done be-
| cause Rachel was aware Of the shortness
! Of the time Of freedom allowed hiia and
| how he chafed at it. Yet there was no
! binding speech between them until the
order came that he was to return to his
| regiment and go to the war. He had no
| particular skill in the use of words and
| his speech with her was straightforward
and TO the point,
81 am leaving in two days to join my
regiment and 90 out to the Crimca.
Since | have been in the west have
learned TO love you. VIII you let me 20
happy because you have promised to be
my wife,
Twilight was deepening, and only
few lights shone yellow in the windows
Of the cottages along the valley Rachel
did not answer for a moment, though he
somehow felt the thrill of pain that shot
through her at the thought he was go
ing to the war. She glanced in the di-
rection of the open window where her
father sat III the twilight Then she
made answer as direct as the speech of
her love-
If that will make you happy" she
said, 81 will promise gladly. But oh,
wish you had not to gol'
Aftcrward it was mainly Eustace who
spoke, and his words when they did not
express half delirious JOY in her ac-
ceptance of his suit were intended to
convince her that her regrets were need
less. 1t was his duty not only to 90,
but 10 so gladly, and he would fulfill
that duty Go The utmost though he
must Of necessity leave his heart in
England with her
The lovers fingered long time in the
cool and pleasant air, and it was not
till late that Rachel told her father of
the thing which had fallen out that
night, and the two received the old
man blessing Then there was Il part
ing, and Rachel knew that, save for an
hour on two on the next evening, she
had seen the last OF her lover for many
a long day
The gardens descend the slope of the
valley, and from the orchard at the bot
tom pathway leads into the woods. 1t
was this path the lovers took ON the
night of their falcwells The spring had
come full carly and even the mulber
ries began to think Uf putting furtTtiiciT
leaves IL the woods the priuruscs
shone everywhere, and many an open
space was carpcted with blnGbells
There were anemOncs ana fsdi wood
sorrcl III the shadow of scattered granite
rocks, and the garlic Powered whitley
where the soil was marShy. lnnumer-
able birds were singing, and every tan
gled bramble bush held a foolish black
bird that fled with self bctraying
shrek rs they approached, making al
most mconsciously for glade they had
often visited together III the heart of the
woods
Let us stop here - said Eustaco
presently. " Do You remember when we
found the place."
II have always known it, said RAJ
chel. 1t was my playground when |
was child, and sometimes | chose to
fancy myself the sleeping princess and
this the palace where { waited for the
prince did not think he would ever
come.
My princessl" cried the man, kiss
ing her as she sat beside him in the
shade of a huge tree. "Out there shall |
always think Of you as waiting for me
here "
Come back quickly" she said in a
low voice, "hut DO not think of me rs
waiting here. The place will be too |
empty without You. We viii visit it to- /
gothcr when you have come back "
but you must not leave it unvisit- /.
eel, " he said. 1T is too dear 10 us for |
that and you win he nearer to me here
than anywhere else Look down the
path.
He pointed in the direction from
which they had come, and her eyes
obeyod the command.
"Somc day, he said, you win hear /.
that | am coming, and you viii make |.
ready TO meet me. But shall not hua T.
you-I shall hardly seek you--in the
house or in the garden | shall come
straight down to the wood and along
the old path. and You Will be waiting
here The time will seem long You
viii think / cannot be coming. Then, .
suddenly, a foolish blackhird Will shrek
away yondcr, and in a momcnt l shgll .
be here, and YOU VIII hemiuo forever
Rachel turned her eyes upon him. ~
ann THAT now, she said 81 am yours
forever But oh, came back 90 me
uu{.ETy WuLi1u ar sl.Iriuu | shall Ln