Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-10

so had the laughter died from her lips
and eyes.
Dear old father" she said gaily,
yet with ever SO slight tremor in her
voice. you mustn't NOPE while Pm
away. It'll only be for little while,
and I shall come back to you as we'll
and strong as-as we'll and strong
as" She stopped and kissed him
again. She could not, for the mo-
ment, trust her voice to utter an
other word, or she would have broken
down altogether. AS she turned
away from the chair her face was
white with pain. She felt as though
her kiss had been the kiss of Judas.
She sought refuge at the piano, and
played one of Chopin's noctunes.
And, as she played, the tears came
into her eyes and trickled down her
cheeks. But the old man in the chair
saw none of this, and, by the time
she had finished the piece, she had
regained her self-control. She press
ed her handkerchief to her eyes, and
then sprang up from her seat with a
merry little laugh.
How do you think Aunt Jane will
like that?' she said, seating herself
On the arm of her fathers chair. "a
bit too classical, eh?"
Dang Aunt Jane,' replied her faith
err roughly. You know, lass, what
+, one old fool thinks of your playin' and
singin', and how he reckons he laid
out money to bear good interest when
he had zee brought up a fine lady, so
to speak. And now one more song,
Laurie, and then do zee get to bed.
Tomorrow morning at six I'll drive zee
to the station"
What song will you have, father"
she said, "as a last song to remember
me by?'
Don't zee talk like that he said
hereby Il won't have zee talk like
that. It's a-temptin of Providence to
talk like that"
Till / return, you dear old father"
she said heartily. "a month from
now, not day longer, mind you.
Heigho, for a London lady, who's for
gotten how to make butter and picks
up her skirts-so.'
She jumped off the seat, and made
him hooking little courtsey, and
walking across to the piano, turned
over pile of songs.
What shall sing you, father" she
asked again She knew his favorite
song, and her heart trembled as she
asked the question He had always
evinced a strange liking for Tosti's
Goodbye" melody that was quite
out of keeping with his usual taste
in music But she had carefully avoid
ed singing it that night
1.-THE old favorite," he replied, after
a pause, caused no doubt by some hes
itation as to whether it would not be
too affecting under the circumstances.
"Good-bye?" she queried softly.
"Ay, lass he said, chats it. Twill
be seasonable, so to speak, tonight"
She did not answer him, and for a
few moments there was no sound but
the rustling of the music as she turn
ed it over
81 cannot find it," she faltered.
Cant find it," cried her father
with iovial laugh. "Why lass, you
allus sings it without the bit of paper
before 'ee'
yes, Of course" she replied. How
stupid of me! Why, Of course, I can
sing it, but l am so excited tonight,
you dear old thing, and the words
seem to have gone out of my head
But there, you shall have it, and if |
break down, you'll know I've forgot
ten the Words
She seated herself ut the piano
played the opening bars of the accom-.
paninent, and commenced Whyte Mel
ville's we'll known lines
Failing leaf and fading tree,
| inc OF ,r,1,jt
Shadows rising for you and me-"
And as she sang them softly, ten.
DERBY and with the deep emotion OF
her heart in every note, her father sat
in his armchair and wondered what
strange new meaning had come into
the words he knew so we'll
The swallows are making them ready
to fly,
Wheeling out on windy sky,
Goodbye to summer. goodbye, good
bye"
The old man bowed his head and q
tear triclled down his rugged cheek
Then he drew himself straight up
ashamed of his emotion His daugh
ten was leaving him for month. Il
was absurd to suppose that the words
had any possible reference to her de
, parture. And yet she sang them a:
if her whole being was thrilled will
: their reality. Never before had hi
, heard such depth of feeling In he,
, voice. 1t was the voice not of an ar