Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-05-15
IRENE'S vow
by CHARLOTTE NJ. BRAEME.

ton CO ne TO him he baflled 1t with these
words: "No. | must take the baby to
Alice in heaven" All. happy man, with
snch a guerdon.
Baby grew strong and beautiful; she
had her mothers dninty loveliness, with
fire and spirit that gentle lady had never
known. To say she was wOrshiped in
that little household would be to express
but lightly the place she held--father.
grandmother and servants We'd with each
other as to who should be the first TO
carry out her wishes. whims and caprices.
Her beauty and grace grew with her as
did the love OF those who loved her. Ii
was only when she reached the age OF
seventeen and he found that her beauty
was wondrous and exceeding that OF most
| women, that the dreamy. melancholy art
#! ist realized 1t would not be 10 easy as
he thought to take baby TO Alice in heav-
| en-.
There was one spot above all others
whore Irene loved to dream. aud that
was a leafy. lonely corner, where a pref
ty brook sang of all the pleasantest spots
it had wandered through; laughing
brook, whose clear waters showed the
pebbles and weeds, and ran between two
green banks, kissing them as II ran.
Irene left her grandmOther's side and
came here to dream, and the dreams were
all OF the future, that was to her full of
music as the birds song. She laughed
aloud when she reached the pretty brook
side. She looked down into the clear,
bright waters.
1.-THE brook IL not living thing" she
Ca IA l.. ltpi
are; but | believe honestly that 1t knows
me better than granmere does. l am sew
cnteen, and that Is not quite young, not
as young. mt least, as fifteen or sixteen;
and she really thinks that I care for but
terfies and kittens. All, IL she knew
how intensely | long for real Iife-life
that has lave and lovers In 1t. How old
was Juliet, wonder, when abe saw Ro'
meo2 And. ali. little brook, you have
heard my thoughts ever since had any
thoughts, tell me what has life in store
for meT
The bright, laughing water sang on
through the grass, and 1t seemed to her
that 1t whispered:
Love, love, nothing hut love-"
The sound was so pleasant TO her. she
laughed aloud in her glee.
Love. love, nothing but love-" she re-
peated. What a pretty story for any
laughing brook to tell"
The song OF bird took her Alteration
from the ripping water.
Little bird" she asked, raising her
| charming golden head. little birds tell
| the truth. they say-what does life hold
in store for me? | know what it holds
| in store for you--a summers love, dew
to drink, warm nest, and the sun to
| warm you; then fight over the blue sea,
and another summer In fairer land. But
what IL there for mey
| The little bird looked down with In
finite wisdom in Its bright blue eyes, and
it seemed to her that the burden of its
sang was:
little and gold, title and gold"
THAT would be very pleasant" she
said. gravely. as though the little bird
had spoken as an oracle; but like love
the best"
The brock sang, the leaves rippled. the
birds poured out rich. clear melody. the
golden sun shOne, the flowers shook their
tiny blossoms, the wind danced over the
shining grass, while the girl sat by tn,
water-side dreaming of the lover to come
The singing waters gave her no warn.
ing, they did not say that true love was
rose surrounded by sharp thorns. that
love brought more pain than pleasure.
that love was tragedy. The bright
eyed birds did not tell her how often
women's hearts were broken, and thai
love was eften the crown Of sorrow.