The Delta independent., 1899-07-14

ping 00t. o00 ~ would - near m hOuI
before she would return with Q strange
light IN those eyes knew 20 well. and
n,any's the time it all ended with =
night of teara N
~ know listc.s ed to the murmuf-
in.ss Of the Towers. aud flowers are mot
safe confidants, though women folks
think they are. They rustic and tell
each other ali they know. One has but
to listen and the secret is out. carried
far and wide by the birds. their lovers
1T was 4 drcary. bitter night. and
the little one knelt before the fire with
her slender hands. that trembled 40 they
stirred the lace about the wrists. ont
stretched before the b,aze. She seemed
To see face in the red ashes
NOW. she murmured. If that doc,
not fade for one whole minute l shall
take it as good omen and go. heard
the words and trembled. Oh, how l
was torn in twol The one pride of my
life had been 10 tell the truth to every
one. and here was my mistress making
that burden for the first time. 1t YVES
a struggle. and somehow habit won.
The minutes passed. and l announced
it in n choked old voice. but she did not
seem to know that: only sigh of pleas-
ure and tear Of regret mingled. and
with pathetic gesture she threw her
hands in the mir. rs il throwing all care
to the winds and accepting fate. Then
she came and stood before me. Ms rhe
had done SO often as u tiny one. and
looked mp ut me.
.' AT half past 10. old friend. don't
fail to tell me. ! shall be listening with
all my heart. You need not strike very
loudly. shall hear-I shall be sure to
heart! And she had gone slowly up the
stairs. Time felt a weight upon me as
l tolled the minutes out. am only the
servant of time, just TO speak the words
he tells me. to keep a straight. fair rec
ord Of how he flea
..Tick took. tick took! I felt as IL
should smother At 10 struck the
number ont. Never before had ! known
how loud was my voice. We are all II
rs what we are made Each one in this
world has 80 much to do. no more. no
le.s Tick ,ocki The very henviness II
my trouble was making me dim and
uncertain.
~ heard the master Of the house and
his friend and guest-the man ! liked.
the cider. grict iinn-close their doors.
and everything WAS still except my
voice. Would that could crush it ont
''They s=y that things like myself
can neither feel nor suffer. but the bur
den of my Thought was. Could ! save
my rnistrs-sr The wish was ~ great
tina. il ovcrpowcrcd everything. II was
near the half hour. when suddenly
everything seemed to come to stand
still. All power Of movement was taken
from me. could go no longer.
For the first time in my existence
failed to tell the time.
Ny little mistress wns above. wait
inx. waiting. but did not dare % stir
until the appointed hour.
s.'I don I know how late Il was when
found hes standing In the hall pale
n the ghosts that arc said 20 haunt the
woods nt midnight
- 'You have failed rne--fniled mei'
was all rhe raid. And her slender I'm
gers worked at the big bolt that barred
t.lc door. II was at length forced hack
20 its rest. ,.nd the maiden. all muffi~i
In . heavy cloak. had drawn IL and was
gone.
What ! tell you now heard from
the whispering flowers The guert wns
= learned man who t!,ouxht grent
deal. then gathered the bert of these
heaven tent gifts and. setting his hand
"a lsiIsr. told them To the world. On
that night he had opened the window
of his room and was watching the clouds
rs they chased each other in the old
mop' y light. md somehow the noise II
the hall door closing aroused him. He
looked ard saw slender figure hurry
ing mcros the lawn
I'm n moment he was ont. In the
sweet scented garden where the high
wall rises against the banks of the river.
and where little boat rocked upon the
tide. he found the maiden ON the grnss
with the young lovers head upon her
knee. The youn2 man had waited for
her to come with the key 10 unlock the
dour. which was half hidden By the
vinss which covered all the wall Inn
pasie Btly he had paced to and fro: then
tried to climb in order 90 hasten 10 his
lady's window and give signal. He
had slirgped and fnllcn SD In susne wsy
tszrned his font.
..At n glsncc thu e1acr nian took 10
all the rccpe. ard souch Of pain tight
cued the firm mouth ~ he raid: 'You
heard u cry Of distrr.s and came 10 find
the csu.-. ~ did l. Let me h-ip yori.
my child. for this il no place for you.
And the Young man WAS ~ brave in
that moment - the elder and replied
1T H. my fault. was going home Late
and tried 10 shorten my road acroes the
9srtjsn- n i tsff ffNf ftCfE
I" 'Trsrassing. said his s-nior. IL
uos the worst II sins. Sir. ] will help
you. and hcipg very strong he lifted
m the yornx man and made him lean