The Press., 1899-06-08

ping out, ana It WOulO pc near an hour before she would return with strange light in those eyes knew SO well. and many's the time it all ended with a night of tears.
 .I know-I listened to the murmur- l ings of the flowers, and flowers are not ! safe confdants, though women folks think they are. They rustic and tell each other all they know. One has but to listen and the secret is out carried | far and wide by the birds their lovers.
 'sIt was a dreary, bitter night, and l the little one knelt before the fire with her slender hands, that trembled so they stirred the lace about the wrists, out | stretched before the b age. She seemed to see face in the red ashes | "sNow, she murmured, if that does not fade for one whole minute I shall take it as a good omen and go. I heard the words and trembled Oh, how was torn in twol The one pride of my life had been to tell the truth to every one, and here was my mistress making that burden for the first time. It was struggle, and somehow habit won. The minutes passed, and I announced it in a choked old voice, but she did not seem to know that; only a sigh of pleas ure and tear of regret mingled, and with pathetic gesture she threw her hands in the air, as if throwing all care to the winds and accepting fate. Then she came and stood before me, as she had done so often as a tiny one, and looked up at 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. I shall hear-I shall be sure to hearl And she had gone slowly up the stairs Time felt weight upon me as I tolled the minutes out. I am only the servant of time, just to speak the words he tells me, to keep straight, fair rec ord of how he flies.
 | "Tick tock, tick tocki felt as if I should smother. At 10 l struck the number out. Never before had I Enown how loud was my voice. We are all of us what we are made. Each one in this world has so much to do, no more, no less. Tick tockl The very heaviness of my trouble was making me dim and | uncertain.
 l' s'I heard the master of the house and his frlend and guest-the man liked, the elder, quiet 1nan-close their doors, and everything was still except my voice. Would that could crush it out
 ''They say that things like myself can neither feel nor suffer, but the bur- den of my thought was, Could I save that it overpowered everything. It was ! T., everything seemed to come to a 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.
 My little mistress was above. wait ing, waiting, but did not dare to stir until the appointed hour
 sI don't know how late it was when found her standing in the hall. pale as the ghosts that are said to haunt the woods at midnight.
 You have failed me-failed me r was all she said And her slender fin gers worked at the big bolt that barred the door. It was at length forced back to it's rest, and the maiden, all muffled in heavy cloak, had drawn it and was gone.
 "What tell you now heard from the whispering flowers. The guest was a learned man who thought a great deal, then gathered the best of these heaven sent gifts and, setting his hand to paper. told them to the world. Or that night he had opened the window of his room and was watching the clouds as they chased each other in the old moons light. and somehow the noise o1 the hall door closing aroused him. He looked and saw slender figure hurry ing across the lawn.
 "In a moment he was out. In the sweet scented garden where the higf wall rises against the banks of the river and where little boat rocked upon the tide he found the maiden on the grass with the young lover's head upon he1 knee. The young man had waited fol her to come with the key to unlock the door. which was half hidden by the vines which covered all the wall. I'm patiently he had paced to and fro; the1 tried to climb in order to hasten to his lady's window and give signal. Ht had slipped and fallen and in some way turned his foot.
 "At glance the elder man took il all the scene, and touch of pain tight ened the firm mouth as he said: 'Yor heard cry of distress and came to finC the cause. So did I. Let me help you my child, for this is no place for you And the young man was as brave il that moment as the elder and replied 1t is my fault. I was going home late and tried to shorten my road across tht garden
 " "Trespassing, said his senior, 'i. not the worst of sins. Sir, I will hell you, and being very strong he lifted up the young man and made him lear all his weight upon his shoulder, and half carrying him, drew him from tht garden.
 'The young man left the village in { few days alone. The boat drifted out toward the ocean and was lost The story was never known
 "Folks wondered the next day tt find me silent had no power to ticl for many days, but when I was myself again I saw with joy my little mist1 es. had been awakened from an illusion and though for a time she seemed shy and afraid to look the good man in tn, face, it passed, and the next year. witt the coming of the roses he won her. | was the proudest day of my life when struck the hour of their wedding
 'No doubt you have guessed, littl, one, the good man was the grandfathel