River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-04-29
A Decision
From the Dead
By F. A. mitchell

W ueu DOIdlu T@FShiHG was IOuFleen
| years Of age his father bought place
on one of the principal roads leading
from the city. The house stood in d
large lot, and in the adjoining lot on
one side stood another house of about
the same size. There was no other
house within half il mile.
Donald had long wished for gun.
but his father would not consent to his
having one SO long as he lived i'll the
city, but when they moved to the
country the boy was given a small
rife. The day after reaching the new
residence Donald went to a wood back
Of the house with his gun. 1t was in
the spring of the year, when shooting
was not in order, but he wanted to see
how it would feel to be in q wood with
gun.
Donald found something better than
a bird in the WoOd-a girl about his
own age gathering wild flowers. Chill
dren don't usually require an introduc
ton. and a boy with Il gun and girl
gathering wild flowers in Il wood were
not likely to forego an acquaintance
from such default.
Donald learned that the girl was
Amy Stanford and that she lived in
the next house to his own home. Since
he did not feel at liberty to shoot the
birds he leaned his gun against tree
and hunted with the girl for flowers.
When they had gathered quite num-
Der they looked about for a seat on
which they might arrange them into
bouquet.
Come with me-" said Amy, and she
led Donald to a tree from which
branch few feet from the ground
stood out horizontally far enough to
make room for the two of them. then
turned in a perpendicular direction.
There the girl seated herself. spread
ing the flowers in her lap, and Donald
sat down beside her.
Then followed the most delicious
hour in Donald's life. Above were the
birds, twittering. flying to and from
the nests they were building. an Occa-
sional song. accompanied by the never
ending music Of a brook that bent
about the tree underneath which the
children were sitting, while at their
feet trembled shadows of the half
grown leaves. Donald passed other
hours in the same position with the
same girl beside him. But there is that
in the first of anything which never
comes again. On that branch he took
the first kiss of love-" Nevertheless
there was not again quite the same
sweetness III the songs Of the BIRDS
the music Of the running water. the
fecked shadows Of the young leaves
Just when he took the first kiss OF
love may not be revealed. 1t was to
him too sacred to be spoken. But we
may be sure it was not long delayed.
The love that Sprang up and blossom
ed there when it bloOmed doomed for
ever. He felt that whether they were
together or separated in this world or
in the next they were one forever.
Three years later-Donald was seven
teen-the Erskine family removed to
distant region. Their parting occurred
at the trysting place where they had
so often met, and neither doubted that
they would meet again when they had
passed from youth to manhood and
womanhood. But they were never to
meet again in mortality. Three years
later Amy died.
Four years after their parting Don
aid, who had come to mans tstr>e,
one spring morning, sorrowfG. wSth
reluctant step passed from the ro&d to
the wood where he had been so happy
with his lost love. There had been no
change Birds were twittering. the
brook cave forth it's music, the shadows
of the leaves fecked the turf.
AS Donald approached the branch
seat he suddenly stopped and gazed
as though he saw some ugly apparitiOn.
A man sat on the branch wearing a
countenance of grief. Then Donald
with quicker step approached the man
and said to him:
why are you here?"
Il am mourning lost love-"
"A lost love! Who may that lost
love be?'
"My Amy-Amy Stanford!'
"Your Amy?"
My Amy! Mine in life; mine in
death"
There was pause. during which the
two men regarded each other with q
strange emotion. Finally Donald spoke.
Did Amy Stanford love you?"
''She did"
You lie"
Il lie? You have strange conf
dence"
confidence. but not strange conf
dence. If you speak the truth she was
not what she was, and that is impos-
sible. But it is sacrilege for me to
dispute with you on such a subject"
Advancing to the trunk of the tree
where there was cavity in the wood.
Donald thrust in his hand nearly TO
the shoulder and drew forth a small
metal box. took key from his pocket.
unlocked the box and took from it a
paper. Without looking at it he hand
cd If TO the man who claimed to he