Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-09-02
A FLOWER FROM
THE YUKON,
.JOHNr'

NJ could see her grow white to
the lips, and her hands clasped and un-
clasped neryously.
why, Millie, thought you'd be glad,
and would wish fellow God speedy"
But we shall miss you SO at home"
she made the soft answer
Nonsense. there are enough left"
he said, lightly, adding more gravely:
And you know, Millie, how have al
ways hated this grinding poverty, and
how l have had to give up all my
| dreams of college and professional
career to run the farm. and then have
barely kept the wolf from the door.
Now that the other boys can take my
place, | am too old to succeed along ed
ucational lines, and must try some 9TH
er way, and what better one is there
than to try the Klondike? Yes am
going; the party starts In one month,
and l shall not return until | return a
rich man."
The girl buried her face In her apron
and burst into tears, sobbing until the
young man was almost frightened; but
he held his peace, going back in men,
DRY TO his first meeting with her four
teen years before. when she. tiny,
willful elf of 5 years, came. an orphan,
into their poor home. 1t was with him
she frst made friends: he rocked and
soothed her to sleep when she cried of
inconsistencies; to him she had gone
ever since with her joys and sorrows.
And he?
Well. always old and full of care be-
yond his years, he had taken her into
his arms, and more and more. as the
years passed, she became his idol: but
there had been no love-making be-
tween them. Each had been content to
be near the other; each was burdened
with the multitudinous burdens that
daily fell to their lot.
There were ten children, besides Mil
lie, In the Stanley family. The oldest.
girl, was dead: the second married
and far away; then came five bows.
John, the eldest of these: then a girl,
ana lastly two boys. Millie, coming in
Just where she did-like John-had
much care and hard work: but no one
had ever heard her complain or seen
such look on her bright face IS IL now
wore
When the storm of her grief was
spent John said. gravely:
may not have another chance to
see you alone. Millie, so | want to tell
you this now. although am sure Won
must know 1t. love you with more
than brothers love: you are the one
woman In all the world for me but I
am not going to ask you to bind your
seH. l am leaving home for the sake
OF the whole family, but more than all
Tor your sake, Mile If you want me
on my return /, with all have, will be
yours; II l never come back. you will
know that largely for your sake | tried
and failed. You"
But here he was interrupted nv the
girl throwing her arms about HIS neck
In her old childish way. and sobbinv:
Don't go. John. o, don't gor'
He drew her into his arms and kissed
and soothed her as on that first night.
John was gone and life in the busv
old hive OF farm house went on ap-
parently much the same. but 1t was not
the same with Mile. At parting she
had said,
II shall never. never see you again
John
He had tried to SMILE though his eyes
were suspiciously moist, and had an
swered. lightly:
Nonsense, dear one, I'll remind vou
of your gloomy prophecy on our wed.
ding day" Then more gravely: "yyhen
send you flower from the banks of
the Yukon, you may knowl is al omen
of success. and that day-if so be Won
are true to John--begin to prepare for
cur union. The few letters that I can
send will be. of course, family affairs.
but this you alone will understand"
Days, weeks, and months passed.
Once. In what seemed to Millie an age.
letter came and 1t always contained |
money, for John hired out at once in
stead Of prospecting for himself. Too,
the letters were full of bounding life |
and hope; full Of dreams of success and
the glad Homecoming Ora wing |
strength from these. the girl went on |
her now doubly burdened way. Never |
before had she realized how much he |
had done to tighten her burdens: how
he had tried to shelter her: how like a |
bulwark his love had been around her:
how much she had depended on his ap- |
probation and sympathy. 1t had all |
seemed matter OF course to her.
1t was sultry August evening. Fork
cd lightning played along the western