Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-06-01

Of last April, is Gilbert Merridale, whose
promised wife I am"
| Had a broadside from the British man
| of-war Somerset, riding at anchor in Bos-
| ton harbor, struck the house, it could
| hardly have caused greater CONSERVATION
than this avowal For a long moment
deathly silence prevailed.
"And when do you intend to redeem this
promise?" asked Timothy Leland, stern
| ly, his keen blue eyes cleaning like steel
| blades, his hard hands pressed close upon
each other
"When you give me willing leave, faith
err. Until then I shall remain here and be
to you the loving, dutiful daughter have
ever tried to be-"
| Almost doubling the hearing of his ears,
he bent a long, piercing look upon her fair,
serene countenance. She met his gaze
fully. It was impossible to suspect her
of insincerity Equally sure was it that
she would be loyal to both father and
lover, but how would she endure the ter
rible strain of such a course?
A mist suddenly dimmed his vision. His
| heart melted within him. He could not
yield this beloved child to the embrace of
his country's enemy, and yet at what cost
to her might his refusal be? Trembling,
with uncertain steps, he arose and crossed
| the room. Laying his hand lovingly upon
her dark hair, he said, in deeply moved
| tones:
| "God bless you and keep you, my daugh-
| ter, and give you strength to do His holy
will"
| Looking neither to the right nor to the
| left, he withdrew Immediately to seek the
| help he himself needed for the bearing of
this new burden.
AS soon az he had gone Delight slipped
around to her Aunt Salome's side and
whispered few words. On hearing them
the irate DANES face frightened.
"'Tis WELL I had not thought of such
a scheme" was her murmured response.
| Then, aloud: bid the younger girls leave
us, Esther, 1 pray you. would speak
only with these two and yourself"
| Much against her will, Sylvia obeyed
her mothers bidding. Leaving Dolly to
wander disconsolately around the great
| kitchen, she hurried off to the orchard.
| But Dave had gone, and she sat down
| alone in the pleasant place to think over
| the happenings of the day. Her dlsap-
prevail of Delights conduct was no strong
err than her admiration for Desires cour-
| age
! 81 would be like that if | had lover"
she confided to an inquisitive robin, who,
perched on low limb, scanned her sharp
" with his bright eye. I'D be just as
brave as Desire was, wouldn't I, birdie?
Gilbert Merridale is such pretty name,
| and I know he is good man or she would
never have cared for him; but how can he
be good when he's a British officer? Oh,
dear me! Things do seem so mixed up and
! queer!''
She was still bordering over these prob
lens in a good deal Of bewilderment when
Dolly came running to tell her to come in
and bid Aunt Salome good-by.
The numbering green coach stood before
the door of the weather-beaten farm
house. Cato, on the drivers seat, held the
reins. and had some difficulty in restrain
ing the mettlesome chestnuts, who felt
their bountiful country oats.
Mistress Salome, wrapped in a long
travelling cloak of claret-colored camlet,
wearing large bonnet of shirred green
satin, trimmed with nodding black
plumes perched high in front and drawing
| on her black silk gloves, was an imposing
parsonage on the doorstep. She was sur
rounded by the entire family, with the ex-
| ception of the two sons, who were with
| the little army before Boston. The adieus
we're made with affectionate gravity, for
all felt that they were final, and an air
Of constraint lowered like a thick cloud
| about the group. Their hearts were sore
and heavy, distracted by conflicting emo
| TONS It was a relief to each one when
at length Cato cracked his whip and the
coach and pair whirled away down the
Boston road, trailing pathway Of dust
in the air behind them as they went.
| Delight linked her arm within Desires,
and they walked slowly to their favorite
retreat in the orchard. Here, almost on
the very spot where Dave had lain in his
misery prone on the soft grass, they had
| poured into each others ears the woes
and the joys of childhood and girlhood.
Hither they came to talk over the woes
and joys Of womanhood. Delight was the
first to speak.
"Why did you tell father, Desire? How
| did you dare do it? l expected he would
turn you out of the house on the instant.
You know how strongly he feels about
things"
But he loves me, Delight. 1 was not
afraid. I could not be happy in loving
Gilbert Merridale if father and mother
did not know of it."
You know very well that he will never
consent to, your marrying him. You'll
have to disobey him in the end
Desire grew pale. She shook her head
sadly.
''No, Delight. l shall never disobey my
father No blessing would follow US
Gilbert and me-if 1 became his wife
through disobedience. We must wait a
while as patiently as we can, trusting that
| Ill ont oS yyp wish ~
Delight regarded her sister curiously.
81 cannot understand you, Desire. You
have grown to be SO strange. You are
brave enough to tell father openly OF
YOUR promise to marry a man he would
| kill in a minute as his own and his coun-
try's foe, and yet you have not the courage
to leave home and join Gilbert"