Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-11-17
NORAH'S SACRIFICE,

"Ah, how pretty she is!' he said.
WAS there ever such a pretty lass,
dye think, NOrah?'
perhaps not" said Norah; and she
took her milking pals and followed
May going on before with light step
and a gay song, toward the meadow
where she COWS browsed. But when
she was quite out of hearing of Ned
Wilton, sitting perched upon the stile,
she muttered to herself: "Pretty!
pretty! pretty! All, they ring the
changes upon that, these men, as the
old bell-ringer that knew but his one
tune used to do, Down in the church
tower. Pretty! pretty! pretty It's
never good; it's never honest; it's
never true. It's always pretty -
Then she stopped and looked up and
said with a culver of passionate grief
III her voice: ooh, I'd give the world
Just to hear Ned Wilton call me pref
ty! What fool | am"' and she went
on with her pals toward the cows
Brown Bess and Lily White and
{. Pretty Polly.
Certainly Norah was not pretty; and
what there was in her face the man
on the stile would have been the last
10 see. Had she been a queen, many
would have seen something strangely
1alr and regular in her face. Had she
been only rich gentleman's daughter
some one might have dreamed of
those deep blue eyes and that pure
brow n hnpC lint nj
tat. and dimples, were the recognized
beauties of the locality, as indeed they
are all over the world, to such folk
as her lot was cast among; and Norah
was spoken of as 'plain." Two years
before, she had taken into her foolish
mead to like Ned Wilton very much;
and he, the farmers son, had thought
well enough of the dairy-maid to say
some very pleasant things to her. She
mad had sweet dream, but May Brit
TONS coming broke it. Her beauty
was very bright and rare, and Ned
forgot the nice girl he had been so
Iona OF chatting with, for the pretty
one, who smiled and glanced at him.
she was not as good as Norah; she
mad not half her earnestness and con-
SlancY; but the face was all to Ned.
90 May BrittOn wore a little plain
Solu ring that he had given her. and
PROMISED TO be his wife in midsum-
mer.
They lived upon the coast of Lin
colnShlre and Il was years ago. None
Vi lhem knew how to write more than
'neIl names. The farmers deepest
1oIe was the market price of grain.
Inc girls slept together in an upper
toon OF the house, and on her wed
ui"s eve May spread out gown and
snoes ana cheap white veil, and, dane
lug ABOUT them, boosted that when
Ile morroW'S sun had set she would
ve mistress of the house and Norah
ner servant And Norah, thinking of
ne ola grandmother who had begged
1el not TO lose so good a place, said
n0tHlnS. but stood silent, pale-faced
anu wan, and felt a bitter hate rising
- nef heart. Ned was away at the
'o"h and would not be back before
Hornlng-the morning of his
"Suuihg. The old folks were asleep
elo". How easy it would be in the
e"U Of night to do this beautiful.
V'Stilg creature some harm-to mar
Vr beauty or even to end her life!
Inc thoughts grew so and were so
o'Itoe that Norah could not be sure
VI, herself. May, watching her. saw
"S deadly whiteness creep over
ne' lips, and with the first touch of
a.I IN her heart folded her veil
r"H and said, unwisely enough.
meaning it kindly:
NO doubt the next wedding will be
Yours, Norah."
lnen Norah, without a look, turned
1.iu lett the room. She ought to be
from herself, for fiendish
so"snrS possessed her: and. longing
~ soAtude. she climbed a ladder that
a, "u mi the tiled roof. and, seeking the
Sneitef Of the great chimney, sat down
ls shadow and looked up at the
~ 1t was calm and full of stars.
A., peacefulness had an instant in
ee on her. Repentant tears be-
10 how. She prayed as simple