The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-05
CHAPTER v,
The Wishing Stone.

Bud. for Miss Ellen told me that l
would only be in the way II stayed
at home. I saw Bud at his plow and
watched how cheerfully he did the
work of a day laborer. l lit my pipe
and walked several of the burrows
with him, and then. heartsick at see
ing this fine specimen Of young man.
hood trudging wearily to and fro in
the thankless soil, l wandered off in
the woods TO dream of Miss Ellen and
weave schemes for the rest of the fam
lily when she would have become my
wife. When? The question brought
with it a flood of doubt, for, after all.
would she give up the work she had
undertaken, or would her pride allow
her to accept any assistance for her
family? I felt there were depths to
her nature which / had not been able
to sound in the short time l had been
there.
For fear of woundlng her l had re-
mained silent, but ! was now resolved
to speak to her before leaving, and had
l received orders that night to return
to Boston would have told her of my
boundless love and asked her to be-
come my wife. Still wavering between
my inclination to declare my love and
fear of being too precipltate, returned
to the Pines. l did not see her until
dinner time, however, then only during
hasty meal, after which we assisted
her to clear the table and place a
= ha 10
for the party. We laid the collation.
for the evenings entertainment and
then went to dress.
1t was with some misgivings that l
donned my evening suit, but on COM
ing downstairs | found the colonel ar
rayed iE one of an anterior date and
Bud transformed from the plow hand
Of the morning in the suit he had
worn at the time of his graduation. A
number OF young girls had arrived be-
fore Miss Ellen came down, and the
men were assembled at the foot Of the
stairs as if waiting for her.
Ny heart seemed to stop beating as
| saw her 1.-THE and graceful figure,
clad in an old brocade Of her mother,
coming toward me. Her hair was built
high on her head, which seemed to
change her whole appearance and
made me start as I remembered my
dream picture. The brocade was fad
ed, but its gloss and richness remain
ed. Her shoulders were bare, and her
tilted chin gave her the air of some
quaint old medieval picture come to
life.
Am l not in keeping with the
house" she said, interpreting my
gaze.
"YOu are like a queen" / said.
Then you shall pay me court for
this one night" she answered and held
out her hand to me, which l took, and,
with the manner of an old time south
ern gentleman, just as had seen Colo
mel Turpin do, l bowed low and for a
moment let my lips linger on the tips
OF her fingers.
You have other courtiers," said one
of several men who came forward to
join us.
She held out her hand, and as she
did so she looked at me for second.
She withdrew it gracefully and added,
with a smile, 81 was only admitting
new one" and then bade me fol-
| low her. She introduced me here and
there and told me how many times
l must dance with each We went
on the porch, and standing there, I
Ras again struck with the resem-
blance to the lady in my dream.
You are like the first part Of my
| picture" | said softly.
"Then let me play it for this even
/ ing" she said. And If you can i'm
| agine me a colonial dame you shall be
cOurtier from King Georges court"
Good" / cried, IF you will admit
that | have come across the seas
| a-woOingw
"As you will, my lord" spreading
out her gown and cOurtesying. But
| will not be responsible for the conse-
| quences. SO see TO it that you play
well your part, else will send you to
your king again"
After that l addressed her only as
| most gracious lady" or fair Mistress
Ellen" | wooed her in the strange
and quaint language of hundred
| years ago. Sometimes she seemed
startled at my earnestness, and when
thinking my speech too fervent she
would bid me go hence and add an
other wallfower to my already large
bouquet l would straightway return
| and tell her of the court life and woye
amid my imagery an odd mixture OF
my New England home. Once, taking
her hand for a moment and looking
into her eyes, said:
"Ah, Ellen, / love you well, and
would take you to a court in truth
where you would find a royal welcome,
and you would be queen to every one
who knew you, and l would so guard
you that neither poverty nor sorrow
should ever come near you or to those