The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-05-21

"Ah! my child, you were born for some
thing better than a poor farmers daugh-
ter"
But il Winifred at times chafed be-
cause she was the unnoticed daughter OF
a poor farmer, she never looked down on
or blamed her father. She had no wish
to be elevated from her present position
without him; she sought no advantage
from which he was excluded. She even
strove to conceal her regrets from him;
but the eyes of love are discerning, and
although Mr.. Eyre never allowed her to
see that her longings were known to him,
he was painfully alive to them.
Miss Eyre left the town one day and
walked on for about half mile, until
she came to a small white cottage stand
ing back from the road in pleasant gar
den, well shaded by old-fashioned fruit
trees. Winifred did not stand on the
ceremony of knocking, but raised the
latch and entered the drawing room,
where Madame de Montolieu was sitting
before her embroidery frame. She looked
up with a glad smile, and, rising, kissed
the young girl on both cheeks.
'Ah! my rosebud" she exclaimed, you
have come at last"
"Yes, dear madame" Winifred replied,
"but have not been wholly successful
in executing your commissions. See"
she added. 'this green wool Is shade
lighter than the pattern, but l thought 1t
would scarcely matter, as your other
greens are so much deeper. The red is
the right color. but it seems to me
little faded lying in the shop. 1t is inn
possible to get exactly what you want
In these little country towns"
Both will do excellently well, my
child thank you,' returned Madame
de Montolieu, putting on her spectacles.
Then she looked fondly at Winifred's
face; but something she saw there
brought an increased gravity over her
placid features.
"My love" she said. gently, has any
thing happened to distress your
The quick tears sprang to Winifred's
eyes, but for a moment she was silent.
Then she essayed to smile, answering:
st is my pride, for which you so often
clide me, that has been hurt, dear NAM
ma. shall make you laugh when tell
how small thing has provoked me.r
But the kind old lady. did not laugh
she was full of pitiful tenderness for
the feelings of youth, and sympathized
keenly with the wounds of a sensitive
nature like Winifred's. She heard how
Winifred's cousin, Miss Champion, had
passed her on the road that morning, ig-
noring her.
Madame" said Winifred, suddenly,
after a pause, "who do you think the
gentleman with Miss Champion could
beT
Il cannot tell, my love; probably a Wis
itor at the Manor. Stay, my love, may
it not have been Mr.. Hastings? hear
he has just returned from abroad, and
you know his father and Sir Howard
were great friends. Perhaps he at last
feels a desire to see the beautiful home
of his fathers, which he has neglected SO
long. Can you describe him at all?'
81 only saw him moment" returned
Winifred, blushing, "but his face SEEM
ed rather bronzed with travel; from what
remember, | fancy he had dark blue
eyes and fair hair"
81 think, then" remarked Madame de
Montolieu, that my surmise is correct.
for dark blue eyes and golden hair are
the family characteristics"
Winifred turned bomeward with A
lighter heart She had almost forgotten
the affront that had been put upon her;
but she could not forget the eager look
of admiration that had crossed the hand
some strangers face as he turned to
look at her. Without doubt he was Mr.
Hastings, the owner of all the property
about-of the very wood through which
she was even then passing on her way
to the farm. And very bright smile
came on her lips as she thought how near
he lived, and that she might perhaps see
/ him sometimes in her walks. 1t would
be some relief to the monotony of her
life, only to be able now and then to gaze
on handsome face like his.
One evening Winifred went out for a
stroll in the woods with her little Scotch
terrier as her only companion. and, choos-
ing a picturesque spot, sat down to rest
and to dream of the many women no fair
er than she, who had become famous.
I Her speculations were suddenly cut
short by zap from her terrier, and
turning sharply round, she beheld her
little companion rolling over and over
down the bank under the sudden and
unprov0ked assault of huge mastiff
She uttered a little cry of fright, and
sprang to the rescue, when she heard A
crashing Of the branches at her side.
a sharp, ITO heel, ROllo" from a mans
voice. A sudden recognition, a hasty
apology, and he stood looking at her, hat
in hand, with the same expression of ad-
miration in his eyes that she had seen
there before. There was a pause, dur
ing which the startled Winifred blushed.
and felt painfully confused.
II fear my dog has alarmed you," said
the stranger, at last; he is rather wont
to be aggressive to his species, particular
ly in this wood, Of which he is accus-
| toned to consider himself sole monarch -
"Then fear we are trespassers," Wini-
fred found courage to answer; but we
have always been allowed to walk here,
and"
II shall indeed be sorry If our rude
/ ness and inhospitality should drive you
away" laughed the stranger. 81 beg
you will always, both for yourself and
friends, consider you are entitled to a
/ free right Of way over any and every
part Of my possessions"
Winifred thanked him and would have
turned away, but he fingered; and there
was such a charm to her in the presence
Of this refined, aristocratic looking man,
that she felt no inclination to break rude
ly away from him.
you are Mr.. Hastings, then?" she said.
interrogatively.
/ "Yes," he replied. Il have come back
at last to enjoy the delights Of home af-
/ ter my long absence"
at must be very pleasant to see so
much Of the outer world" Winifred said
timidly; lit must give one such broad
views Of things and people, and stamp
out ones petty, intolerant thoughts and
narrow prejudiees."
Mr.. Hastings was surprised by this
last remark Of his companions, but he
was far too well bred to allow his
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