Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1898-12-29
CHAPTER III.

He stopper MS soilioduy, ohu, Ac"oh'
;rg for the tongs, began to feed the
,rate from the large scuttle. Little blue
S,mes commenced to creep through the
fresh coal, and as they struggled John
Frostberg with the poker opened ways
for the fiery tongues through the black
nile. Little red flames took the place of
The tiny blue ones, and soon the whole
mass was ablaze. The cold chills were
cone, and John Frostberg yawned.
without rising, he pushed the scarlet
chair farther from the CRATE and then
looked around the room, apprehensive
that some one had entered without his
notice. Satisfied that he was alone, he
carefully loosened one of the studs in
bis shirt 'front.' paused, and then made
q faint effort TO readjust it. His chin
rested on his breast for several minutes,
while be gazed intently at the mass Of
burning Goals, apparently without real
iy looking at it, He loosened another
sud, working very slowly. The pinch
es on his face were softening; the hard,
elose lines at the corners of his eyes and
mouth were losing their distinctness.
Thefutes between his brows had entire
iy disappeared; the long, bony fingers of
his right hand crept into the opening in
his shirt front and rested. They were
drawn out, only to creep slowly back
There was a motion az if feeling for
something The hand came out. 1t was
not open, as when it entered, but tight
ly closed. His eyes turned from the
burning Goals and rested on the closed
hand, when it gradually opened, and in
it lay small miniature. The piuches
were fast disappearing. The hard ex-
preston had gone, and his face looked
like q new one. Ten years of life had
been wiped out Of it. He raised the pic
ture to his lips and kissed it. Again
and again he kissed it. His eyes closed
and tears started from them. AS they
touched the pinches, which still linger-
% at their corners, they washed them
out. They ran down his cheeks and
moothed them. They touched the
pncnes at the corners of his mouth,
ana they disappeared. All the pinches
were gone, washed out by the waters
.nat now from the eyes, but have their
orsh IN the heart. 1t was 10 longer the
mce OF John Frostberg. Love and light,
pty and charity, hope and fear, had
aisen away greed, avarice, revenge and
nae' bis hand opened and the face of
'ae immature was exposed. 1t was that
" tne girl under the chestnut tree ma.
'ureu oy years. Girlhood had given
way 70 womanhood. Again it went to
n~ iips' where he held it, kissing il
RsSionately.
one gave it TO me the morning after
my arrival in the city. AS / kissed it
= uer presence she laughed and said it
was cold thing to kiss, that it's cheeks
.Os'u not burn nor its lips be warm
u generous. o God! That she had
uo' iesrned Of the world and | had not
S'uned OF herl The bitter, bitter end
alae che was lost, and l was a wan
ue1u for 20 years have been of the
y, msing dead, All whom loved are gone.
nv earth has opened and closed over
oH forever. Would that | were in
L0 narrow house with those who are
I " me- | have never inquired for
a'' no one knew my passion but she,
Az. A. one save her the cruel blow which
o,e iue from home and friends and
ae hie stranger on the earth. Where
,oa IN the grave with the others /
.U'eo' What if she still lives? What if
sue Is another's2 Why did return to
:. A's sooiiess city which / had forsworn?
. uead, else | should have seen her
!, ara of her beauty, would have seer
g. eoAie chlld's sweet face on the city
NO, no, she is dead. / could
ss ~ nave moved through the throngs for
iau NY years and not heard of her if liv-
rs she Is dead. II is better that she
-. ~ ner grave. There I can forgive
M LAYING, would hate her."
=; ne looked at the miniature intently,
ssa - IL to his lips and pressed it there,
ss, II We're living thing. His head
~ ~ . oack on the scarlet plush. The mass
No, oai was all ignited, and the Chin
~ was singing in baritone. John
q. s'oerg was back at the homestead.
or ~ was romping with fair haired girl
s, I the meadows and through the
sna 'oie and resting under the chestnuts
a. 'ne elms. He was plating wild
sn,;'n ssrsin her golden tresses in the early
Army a,ug.ime, stringing ruby red cherries
M una her neck for coral in the sum-
n, sunshine or gathering brown nuts
Meier ner in the misty autumn days.
dsr dory was throwing all her early
ent. 'no zap VI the pres
ran oome :. In" he said in response to a
c,osas us door opened without noise and
me-, ~ as quietly. John Frostberg did
.w use or even turn his head.
Th,. "eii, Madison, what is your wish?
Christmas eve. ! suppose you