Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-10-14


that he had been wandering in reg
ION OF different thought and policy. She
mad for months seized every opportun-
lty to learn the opposing arguments, in
nope that in case he should differ from
her, she might quickly avail herself of
them to ''break the fall She might
need them any time now, for she daily
expected him. At first she had never
set times, but looked forward patient
~. Now her power of waiting had
been stretched to it's utmost tension.
She felt that she could not bear more
He must come soon now, or they
would find her there some day help
less, every nerve quivering like a
string when the bow is drawn across
it.
Aunt Dorcas," called child's clear,
drawing treble. 1t was the voice Of
four-year-old nephew visitor Of hers.
Dorcas went into the bedroom.
Tell me story" said he, showing
pair of dark eyes set in a halo of
brown curls
What about?" asked Dorcas lazily.
ooh, bears-'bout BEARS"
What bears?"
The free baby bears the man found
in tree
ooh, yes," said Dorcas, beginning the
tale, told SO many times that she fan
cled she could reproduce it by involun-
tary action of the brain. When it was
done there was minutes silence, as
if the little one were assimilating the
interesting points.
"Now tell bout 'nuther," was the
cry.
Dorcas recalled herself from some
remote region of thought to relate the
history Of the three bears who lived in
little white house in a wood This
was delicate morsel in the story-tell-
ing bill of fare The boys face suf-
fused with satisfaction.
That's good!" he said slowly. "Now
| tell bout 'nuther."
Then Dorcas related the rather trag-
ic adventure of the bean, straw and
coal that went out "to see the world"
At the close there was a call for
'nuther."
The little fellow raised himself, and
seemed to be stretching his mental
| power to cover the request.
eyes," he said, nodding. "There was
once great big grasshopper a-sittin'
on the barn floor, and chickie, his
| voice rising to show surprise and
strengthen his climax-"runned into
the barn and swallered him down.
That's ALL
EYES," said Dorcas, naturally, #
the grasshopper was the hero of the
story. Now let's see who can keep
still longest
Silence reigned for a few moments,
broken once or twice by restless, whin
| ing demands for 'nuther;;" then Dor
cas- heard the deep breathing that sig
nailed the youngsters departure to
dreamland. She lay resting, enjoying
| the GOODNESS and quiet Of the evening.
Suddenly there came the sound of a
step upon the porch. Dorcas rose and
went to the door. It was he surely,
| and no other He was older, his dark
| hair streaked with gray, paler, as if the
red tide of blood did not rise SO high
as once, and thinner, with the look Of
one who has not been surfeited with
| happiness or ease.
WELL" he said, half-shamedly, chow
| dye do?"
Cali right" said Dorcas, cheerfully.
you're late tonight, speaking as If
he had only been gone since morning
eyes," he said, laying package on
the table, "I've brought the nails
sAre-they-wire? ?" she faltered. Her
heart suddenly misgave her She had
given up certain faiths and doctrines
that had seemed inalienable parts OF
her mind, she had created for herself
a new heaven and new earth of the
DRY, had put away and unlearned, de-
MED and renowned, some beliefs that
had been almost as dear to her as the
faces of those she loved; but she stood
helpless now before the nails. She
felt that this one thing she could not
bear: she could not bear to have him
set his will against hers in the matter
of the nails. They had never given
her a minutes thought, and now, be-
cause of them, her long hard labor of
study and self-repression seemed like
ly to come to naught.
"Come!" she cried eagerly, meaning
to put off the time of evil. You're
hungry"
"Not very. I had a piece of pie down
home"
ooh, you stopped there then. But
I'VE got some custard and cream
puffs.'
"Yes,'' he said, his eyes downcast.
"they said you had"
He looked about the room in an
eager, embarrassed way.
my, but you're fixed up!" he said.
."They told me all about it down home.
They said,' he added, laughing. I'D
better hire out to you, it you want