The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-07-06


over with as much solicitude as moth
ar who plans for her only child. Harold
had seemed to her to be in many ways
the noblest and the best young man
whom she had known. If ever she was to
love a man it would be such man as
that. But she must not think OF herself
She had reason to believe that both
these men loved her sister. Which would
be the best for her? But perhaps the
matter was already decided. She could
not forget the scrap of conversation
which she had heard the night before,
nor the secret which her sister had re-
fused to confide to her. If Ida would
not tell her, there was but one person
who could. She raised her eyes. and
there was Harold Denver standing be-
fore her.
you were lost in your thoughts,
said he, smiling. 81 hope that they were
pleasant ones"
''Oh. I was planning said she, rising
''It seems rather a waste of time as a
rule, for things have a way Of working
themselves out Just as you least eX-
pect.
What were you planning, then?"
'The future
''Whose?'
ooh my own and Ida's."
"And was I included in your joint fu-
lures 2"
Il hope all our friends were included"
Don't go in," said he, as she began
to move slowly towards the house. Il
wanted to have a word. Let us stroll up
and down the lawn. Perhaps you are
cold. If you are I could bring you out
a shawl"
"Oh no, I am not cold
81 was speaking to your sister Ida
last night" She noticed that there was
a slight culver in his voice, and, glanc-
ing up at his dark, clear-cut face, she
saw that he was very grave. She felt
that it was settled, and that he had
come to ask her for her sisters hand.
"She is a charming girl" said he, aft
er a pause.
Indeed she isl cried Clara warmly.
"And no one who has not lived with
her and known her intimately can tell
how charming and good she is. She is
like a sunbeam in the house"
mo one who was not -good could be
SO absolutely happy as she seems to be.
Heavens last gift, l think, is a mind
so pure and a spirit so high that it is
evil in the world around us. For as
long as we can see it, how can we be
truly happy?"
''She has a deeper side, also. She does
not turn it to the world, and it is not
natural that she should, for she is very
young. But she thinks, and has aspira-
tions of her own
you cannot admire her more than
1 do. Indeed, Miss Walker, I only ask
to be brought into nearer relationship
with her, and to feel that there is
permanent bond between u.s."
1t had come at last. For a moment
her heart was numbed within her, and
then a flood of sisterly love carried all
before it. Down with the dark thought
which would still try to raise it's I'M
hallowed head She turned to Harold
with sparkling eyes and words Of pleas
ure upon her lips.
81 should wish to be near and dear to
both of you,'' said he, as he took her
hand II should wish Ida to be my sis
ter, and you my wife"
She said nothing. She only stood
looking at him with parted lips and
great, dark, questioning eyes. The lawn
had vanished away, the sloping gard
ems the brick villas, the darkening sky
with half pale moon beginning to show
over the chimney tops. All was gone,
and she was only conscious of a dark,
earnest, pleading face, and of a voice,
far away, disconnected from herself
the voice of man telling woman how
he loved her. He was unhappy, said the
voice, his life was a void; he had come
to the parting of the ways, here lay hap
piness and honor, and all that was high
and noble; there lay the souI-killing
round, the lonely life, the base pursuit
of money, the sordid, selfish aims. He
needed but the hand of the woman that
he loved to lead him into the better
path. And how he loved her bis life
would show He loved her for her
sweetness, for her womanliness, for
her strength He had need of her. Would
she come to him? And then of sud-
den as she listened it came home to her
that the man was Harold Denver, and
that she was the woman, and that all
Gods work was very beautiful-the
green sward beneath her feet, the rust
ling leaves, the long orange slashes in
the western sky. She spoke; she scarce
knew what the broken words were,
but she saw the light of joy shine out