River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-06

A long row or hemlocks and Norway
spruce bordered the road, and, with
the aid of a stone wall, shut of from
the highway a prosperoCs-loe'Ai
vegetable garden. Farther along
flower garden glowed in the fantastic
colorlng which gardens acquire "hen
planted for the love of flowers rather
tnan for definite artistic effects.
Farther still, two lilac bushes stood
sentinel on either side of gate
way; and behind, deep green lawn
lay under the light, dappled shade OF
tall trees. 1t was a lawn that spoke OF
many years OF care; and in the mid
Ole OF its velvet green, under the
branches of two sheltering elms, stood
the Old red house. 1t looked comfort
able and secure, in its homely SIM
plicIty; something to depend on in the
otherW!se mutable scenes OF life.
Aieek felt an instantaneous liking for
1t, and was glad that his errand. sad
as 1t might possibly be, had yet led
him thither.
Long French windows in the lower
part of the house opened upon the
piazza, and from the second story
ruTled white curtains futtered TO the
breeze. AS the shield-shaped knocker
changed duly to Alexis stroke, a
large. melancholy hound came slowly
round the corner of the house, ap-
preached the visitor with tentative
wags of the tail. and after shifting
mildly, lay down on the cool grass.
Ii wasn't a house to be hurried, that
was plain. After a wait Of five or
ten minutes Aleck was about to knock
again, when face appeared at one
OF the side-lights Of the door. Present
ly the door itself opened few inches,
and elderly spinsterhood, wrapped in
severe inquiry, looked out at him.
! Can see the lady, or either Of the
gentlemen, who recently arrived here
from the yacht, the Jeanne DArc?
Alexis voice and manner were
friendly enough to disarm suspicion it.
self. Sallie Kingsbury looked at him
for full second.
Come in
Aleck followed her into the wide.
|
down the shade of the sidelight which
she had lifted for observation. Thea
she opened door on the right anil
said:
Set down in the parlor while go
/ and take my salt risin's away from
the stove. / amt had time to call
my soul my own since the folks came,
1 hat xUfR 3e ~.
day"
Sallie's voice was not as inhospit-
able as her words. She was mildly
hurt and grieved. rather than offended.
| She disappeared and presently came
back with white apron on in place
of the colored bingham she had worn
before; but it is doubtful if Aleck no
ticed this tribute to his sex. Sallie
looked withered and pinched, but more
by nature and disposition than by age.
She stood with arms akimbo near the
! comfortable, regarding Aleck with in
| Quisitiveness not unmixed with liking.
You can set down, SIR" she said
| politely, but l don't know as you
can see any of the folks. The man,
he's upstairs sick, clean out Of his
| head; the young man, he's nursing
him. Can't leave him alone minute.
or he'd be up and getting out the win
| dow, f'rall know"
Aleck listened sympathetically. "a
sad case! And what Is the name. if
l may ask, OF the young man who is
so ill?"
Tor, / don't know said Sallie.
''The new mistress, her names Red
mond; some kin OF Parson Thayer's.
and she's got this house and a lot of
money. The lawyer was here yester-
day and got the will all fixed. She's a
| singer, too~one of those opery sing
ers down below, she isl
Sallie made this announcement as
II she was relating bewildering blow
/ of Providence for which she herself
was not responsible. Aleck, who be-
gan to fear that he might be the re-
cipient of more condolences, than.
decorum dictated, hastily proffered
his next question. rs
"Can see the lady, Miss Redmond?
Or Is 1t Mrs. Redmond"
| Sallic gave scornful, injured sniff.
Miss Redmond, sir. though she's
old enough to be Mrs. I wouldn't so
much mind her coming in here and
using the parsons china that I always
washed with my own hands if she was
Mrs. But what can she, an unmar-
Tied woman and an opery singer. know
about Parscn Thayer's ways and keep
! Ing this house in order, when I'vo
been with him going on seventeen
years and he took me outer the Home
| when / was no more than a child?'
Alexis heart would have been
stone had he resisted this all but pas
sionate plea.
''You have been faithfulness itself.
| am sure. But do you think Miss Red
mond would see me, at least for few
minutes?'
Sallie recovered her dignity, which
had been near collapse in tears, and
assumed her official tone. II don't
know as you can, and don't know as
you can. She's sick, too; fell over
! board somehow or other, offer one OF
those pesl1y boats, and get neuralagy
and I don't know what ALL But I'll
go and see how she's feeling"
stay, wait minute" said Aleek,
seized with a new thought. "Tll write
a message to Miss Redmond and then
i-T..s T