Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-07-05

many long months she opened hor
heart TO the sunshine of happiness.
She let her sorrow and her despair fall
| her was marvellous.
She felt dazed and giddy, as one
who, having been long Gagged in dark
ness and gloom, is suddenly brought
into the full, clear light of day
| For the first time she took an in
terest in the pleasure offered to her.
and went so far as to ask Lady st.
Norman about dress for the fete.
| 1t was very beautiful day; the sun
was shining, tue air was warm, soft,
and full of fragrance. Sir Oscar ac
| cording to arrangement, was to drive
| down TO Richmond with Lord ST. Nor
| man.
Ethel looked more beautiful than
usual; the fresh, fragrant air brought
soft flush to her face, and Frightened
| the lovely eyes. Her dress, too, was
perfection-a pretty blue and white
and she wore one of the most
coquettsh of bonnets. The beautiful
| ly-curved lips were parted with smile
i such as had not fingered there since
| she had been mistress of Fountayne.
| She did not know why she felt SO
happy, so light of heart, unless it was
that she had made a friend She
smiled to herself as they drove along
the sunny road.
Friendship is supposed to be one Of
| 81, aF 60 eha
have completely overlooked it. | can
never have lover, but l thank Heaven
that have found friend"
The evening, when dinner was ovar
ard the elders of the party were dis
cussing some excellent wine, Ethel
went out on the balcony. The purple
! cleaning lay over the land the sky
was growing more darkly blue, and The
stars were beginning to CLEAN. The
river ran lightly and swiftly by; the
| pleasure boats were fastening down
the stream; the trees were all
luxuriantly green; the perfume Of
| flowers reached her.
That balcony was a favorite resort OF
hers. They had been twice to Rich
mond, and each time she had spent the
soft, sweet twilight hours in watching
the beautiful panorama of earth and
sky which could be so pleasantly seen
| from there.
A beautiful, holy calm seemed to
pervade the whole of nature, and Ethel
| felt that she could enjoy it. Hitherto
she had been a prey to her own bitter
thoughts, her own despair; now she
had found a friend Heaven and earth
seemed fairer for this, that she had
| found friend.
Her beautiful face was softened into
tenderness as she sat there in the star
light. Was there really any bright
ness, any music left on earth for her?
Yes, for she had found friend.
Ethel was pure of heart and guile
| less of soul as little child sleeping IN
| it's mothers arms. There was not the
| fantest idea of wrong in her mind;
and, even as once before she had mis-
taken fancy for love, so she now mis-
took the dawn of love for friendship.
1t was no surprise to her when Sir
Oscar, parting the heavy hangings that
screened the windows. came out TO her.
He stood in silence by her side for a
| few minutes, and, in some vague way
that she could not understand, II
seemed as though his presence made
the beauty of the scene complete.
you are looking brighter and better
today, Miss st. Norman he said. Il
am so pleased. | think you have been
following my advice"
II have" she acknowledged, freely.
Il have read the book you mentioned
to me, and it has done me good"
II knew it would. / shall never be
able to understand. Miss ST. Norman,
what it is that has given you, in the
brightest part of your youth, such
gloomy ideas OF life"
He saw her beautiful face grow pale;
he saw in the starlight how suddenly
the shadow came into her beautiful
eyes, and ne FASTENED to add:
I am so glad that you permitted me
to advise you. To use figure of
speech you seemed to be drifting down
a stream My hands are strong let
them pull you back"
Il was drifting" she confessed,
slowl;.
And now that is checked you are
learning to take pleasure where you
can find It, he pursued.
Yes" she assented, with a little low
laugh that fell like soft music on his
ear. Il find pleasure here tonight
He watched her In silence, thinkingtt
himself that earth had nothing one
half so fair as this beautiful, graceful
girl. Rouslng himself from the
glamour that seemed to be falling over
MIN, Sir Oscar began 10 talk TO her 81
poetry of the hour seemed to animate
him
II wonder, said Oscar, slowly, how
many people have sat in this bacony.
happy as We are, and what has become
of them?"
THAT is rather wide field for
speculation. she said.
Yes: but I think the place is rather
..rabrataS Van have heard az Lord !