Alice Wilde: The Raftsman's Daughter. A Forest Romance

probably, were fashioned in the style of twenty years ago-short under the arms; a belt at the waist; low in the neck; full, puffed, short sleeves; narrow skirt, and no

s ancient style had been superseded by the balloons of to-day, she measured off the three short breadths which, when he

ave instructed his hostess in any changes, she looked so picturesque and quaint as she was. But he did not let her sew

iness would not have detained him more than three or four days, but he was in no haste; he wanted to hunt and fish a little, and he liked the novelty of the idea of floating down the river on a raft of logs in company with a score

into his face with those brilliant blue eyes, and to tell him where the brooks made the sweetest music, where

the first time it occurred to him, that his "cub," his pet, was no longer a little girl-that he might have done something fatally foolish in bringing that fine city aristocrat to his cabin. Had he not always hated and despised these dandified caricatures of men?-despised their vanity, falsehood, and affectation?-hated their vices, their kid-gloves, their perfumed handkerchiefs, and their fashionable nons

earned it now, by having it gratified. For, although she had passed pleasant words with such young men as chanced to be employed by her father, they had never seemed to her like companions, and she naturally adopted the reserve which her father also used with them. His

ifle of the latter, as he proposed, after business was over, to make a search for deer, now nearl

for supper," he said gayly to the young girl, touchin

ft over the main story, reached by a ladder, and seldom resorted to by any one, except when the raftsman stored away a bear-skin, a winter's store of nuts, or something of the kind. To-day Alice felt powerfully attracted toward a certain trunk which had stood in that garret ever since she could remember. It was always locked; she had never seen it open; and did not know its contents. Now, for a wonder, the key was in

's; how very beautifu

y she had opened the trunk, realizing at once that if her father had desired her to know of the miniature he would have shown it to her years ago; she had a glimpse of a white-silk dress, some yellow lace, a pair of white-silk slippers,

s with the blackberries. She was sitting in the kitchen-door, an apron on, and a huge bowl in her lap, when Philip Moore came through the pines,

't be afraid of you, 'cause you was a city gentleum, but I tol' her she didn't know nuffin' about it. I w

," said the amateur hunter, laughing. "But little Alice here mustn't

ing beautifully, Mr. Moore, that you've been brought up to do, y

t for young men to have a chance at gaining that accomplishment. I suppo

want the boat myself. Captain Wilde's g

who had just come up from the river, and whose

Pallas; "yer haven't a grain of perlitene

hrowing back a glance of defiance and contempt at the innocent stranger, as he

same light you do," laughed Philip, when t

nestly; neither did he, any more than he knew how the fate of that blac

ugh always graceful and refined; a child, who would be out of place in any other sphere except that peculiar one in which she now moved. He did not guess that in her eyes he was a hero, almost supernat

een eyes were upon him, and saw nothing to justify censure; he would have laughed at the idea of that little wild girl falling in love with him, if he had thought of it at all; but he did not think of it; sometimes he frolicked with her, as if they were both children; and sometimes he kindly took upon himself the pl

ather was also to accompany it, and would be absent nearly three weeks. Her footsteps wandered to a favorite spot, where the grape-vine swing had held her in its arms, many and many a frolic hour. She sat down in it, swinging herself

"I war a bringin' this bird to see if you'd be so agree

ickly brushing away her tears, that he mig

lice-I thought mebbe 't would be some comfort to ye, seein' y

an?-you speak s

t I say, which is more 'n some folks do. Some folks thinks

f those of whom you have no rea

-cage down, and came closer to her. "I've got suthin' to say that I c

e said, drawing back as he

ked the question changed to a look which ha

you sot here on this very log with him, for I s

ch language; I don't know what's the matter

zy. Do you 'spose I kin keep quiet and see him smirking and bowin' and blowin' on that blasted flute, around you; and you lookin' at him as if yer couldn't take yer eyes off? Do you s'pose I kin keep quiet and see him making a simp

too true!" burst forth

r let you speak to your own flesh and blood agin. While I-I wouldn't do nuthin' but what yer father wanted; I'd settle down side of him, work for him, see to things, and take

lice, coldly, trying to pass, for she

marry me, Alice. I've been thinking about it

t of it-never! and I can not now. Father will be very

e may be mad for a spell; but he'll get over it; and when he comes to think of the chances

oked into his blazing eyes firmly, as she replied, "Never! so long as I live, n

h for ye-there ain't the man livin' that's that; but I'm as good as some as thinks themselves better-and I won't be bluffed off by any broadcloth coat. I've loved you ever since you were a little girl,

urts me, Ben, to have you speak o

s, and hurried away, forgetfu

as he made his way back toward the mill, he passed Philip Moore, who gave him a pleasant, car

upon her by this rude, determined fellow, who doubtless considered himself her equal, shocked her as a bird is shocked and hurt by the rifle's clamor. And if this young man thought himself a fit husband for her, perhaps others thought the same-perhaps her fath

t! was it kind of her to fly away by her

he was so sad! she felt it and grew sadder still.

e Wilde-rose?" he asked, kindly l

be. My father is going away, too, you know,

parting from you," he said, mischievou

e for him?" she asked, with a sudden air of womanly

d for him," he answered, frankly, as

f pain swept ov

-that my dress is odd, my manner awkward,-that the world, if it should see me, would laugh at me-that my mind is uncultivated,-b

your sweet, peculiar

l she is now, with the soul glowing through her face. Shall I ever again see a woman such as this-pure as an infant, loving, devoted, unselfish, and so beautiful?" Another face, haughty, clear-cut, with braids of perfumed black hair, arose before his mental vision, and took place beside this sweet, troubled countenance. One so unmoved, so determined, even in the momen

lly. "This pretty Wilde-rose 'needs not the foreign aid of ornament.' When I come again, I hope t

of his speech, and thinking only of that dim future possibility of again seeing and h

d not her passion love, nor cherished it from any hope of its being reciprocated. No; she herself conside

of the moth

ght for t

ture for her to burn her white wings stil

er, certainly, in the spring. What shall I bring you when I come again, Alice? You've been a

ng she should like to ask him to rememb

ch as you think I ought to study,

nd such pretty trifles as

could cultivate such a liking," she re

d, pressing a light kiss on her forehead; and the two we

the garden, and gave them a scrutinizing

rom ebery sorrow, Pallas would be happy. But dey can't. Things happen as sure as the worl'; and girls w