THE NEW YEAR'S BALL--A CHECK TO FESTIVITY--THE MIDNIGHT
RIDE--DEATH IN THE OLD BROWN HOUSE.
Holiday festivities and dancing parties were words synonymous in the
early settlement of Minnesota, and, although Mrs. Sherman would have
been shocked at the bare idea of her daughter attending a public ball
in her native village, the influences of a new country so wrought upon
her prejudices, that her scruples gradually yielded; and, when Louise
rather doubtfully asked permission to attend a party of the kind to
be given on New Year's Eve, she gained a reluctant consent.
"I could not consent on any account, Louise," said her mother with a
view to excuse this apparant departure from her principles, "if I had
not sometime ago had some conversation with the doctor on the subject.
I have great confidence in his judgment, and, I am sure he would not
desire it, if it were not a proper place for you. However, I have my
misgivings, for I never was allowed to go to such a place when I was
young," and she sighed, "but as the Doctor says, there is no other
amusement for the young in this new country," and she sighed again.
"Is Miss DeWolf going, Louise?"
"Yes, mother, Ned says he had hard work to persuade her to go. She
don't like to leave her father. What a pity he is such a sot. I
believe I should detest such a father. I don't see how she can be so
good to him."
"She is a dutiful daughter, Louise, and a noble girl, and I hope
nothing will ever happen to prevent her becoming Edward's wife."
"What can prevent it mother? I'm sure Ned is handsome, and talented
and rich enough for anybody."
"I don't know what could prevent it, Louise, but I shall be glad when
they are really married. I think a wife of the right stamp would have
a great influence on Edward."
"Why, mother, I'm sure Ned's principles are good, and he is steady
enough for a young man; I don't see what particular advantage a wife
would be to him."
Mrs. Sherman only sighed.
Louise looked a little disconcerted. "Why, mother," said she, "you act
as if you thought something terrible was going to happen to Ned and
me, and our only escape was matrimony."
"Louise," said Mrs. Sherman after a pause, "could not Miss DeWolf be
prevailed upon to spend the day of the party with us; she would only
be a few hours longer away from her father."
"Why yes, I think so," said Louise thoughtfully. "Ned could go for
her in the morning. O yes," she concluded decidedly, "Ned can manage
that I know."
Little Wolf spent the day above mentioned in Mrs. Sherman's family.
She was happy; happier than she had been since her return home. The
memory of the dreadful night which she passed at Squire Tinknor's had
ever since haunted her. It was only when in Edward's presence that she
forgot it, and it would even sometimes cloud a moment of such
companionship, as comes only to those whose very life is bound up in
another's. She often said to herself, it was his first mistake, it
would never be repeated; he would not dare to indulge again, now that
he was convinced how a stimulant would effect him. But, spite of all
her attempts at self-control, whenever the well remembered scene came
up before her, she was ready to cry out with anguish. The society of
Edward's mother, comforted, and reassured her. The son of such a
mother was exalted, if that were possible, in her opinion, and she
instinctively gathered renewed confidence in her own future
happiness.
During the day, Mrs. Sherman's penetrating eye was frequently fixed
upon Little Wolf, as if she would read her very soul, and the glimpses
which she caught, shining out in her words and actions were on the
whole satisfactory.
Louise, who was naturally rather yielding and dependent, involuntarily
deferred to her young companion, whose opinions were always
independent and often expressed with marked decision. In fact, before
the day was ended, Little Wolf's force of character was felt and
silently acknowledged; and little, and rosy, and curly though she was,
she had become a power in the Sherman family. But what beauty, what
sweetness, what love is potent when opposed to a depraved appetite?
But why anticipate?
As Edward was busy in his office the greater part of the day, and the
doctor in his professional duties, they saw but little of the ladies,
and Mrs. Sherman, anticipating their wishes, advised Little Wolf and
Louise to dress at an early hour of the evening, in order to enjoy a
quiet social hour all together before the party.
The mysteries of the toilet occupied more time than they had
calculated upon, and, just as they were in the midst of an important
discussion, as to whether pink or white flowers became Louise best,
they heard the gentlemen come in.
"There they come," said Louise, "I hear them in the parlor; do,
mother, tell them we are most ready!"
"Now Miss DeWolf," said she, turning to Little Wolf, as her mother
left the room, "how do you think I look?"
"Why you look like a prim puritan. The roses in your hair look as if
they had been taught to grow very properly all their lives and they
were not going to depart from early habits, even if they were going to
a 'hop.'"
"Now, do you think they look stiff?" said Louise anxiously.
"Just a little, Miss Louise."
"Please arrange them for me," said Louise, stepping up to Little Wolf.
Little Wolf gave the offending flowers several slight twiches, this
way, and that. "There, how do you think they look now," said she.
"O they do look lovely," said Louise, glancing at herself, admiringly
in the mirror, why could not I fix them so?"
Little Wolf gave her head a slight toss of triumph, thereby creating a
breezy excitement, quite becoming among her ringlets, and the moss
rose buds with which they were ornamented. Her dress was white and
gauzy, and her every movement floated it gracefully about her slender
figure.
Louise was also dressed in white, but there was an air of precision
about her, with which although it accorded well with her conservative
character, she was evidently dissatisfied, when comparing her
appearance with Little Wolf's.
"I wish my hair would curl like yours," she said, glancing from the
reflection of her own smoothly braided locks, to Little Wolf's
dancing ringlets.
"Why I'm sure you look very beautiful indeed, beautiful as a bride,
Miss Louise; now, go ask the doctor if you don't. Don't wait for me,
the doctor is waiting for you; I'll come directly when I get this lace
fixed."
"Well, remember _somebody_ is waiting for you," said Louise, as she
left the room.
A shower of compliments fell upon Louise as she presented herself to
her brother and lover. "Now don't waste any more admiration on me,
either of you," said she, "save it for Miss DeWolf, she is the most
beautiful thing I ever saw. She is grace itself. She touches a ribbon
and it knots itself into an exquisite shape, she lays her hand upon
lace and it fastens and floats, she gently pats a flower, and it
instantly assumes its most graceful attitude. O Ned, how happy you
will be."
The words were still upon Louise's lips when Little Wolf joined the
circle, and somehow, she instantly caught the expression of Edward's
face, and read in it those emotions, with which our pen intermedleth
not.
It was very pleasant to look into that quiet parlor, presided over by
Mrs. Sherman, who sat regarding her happy children with so much
tenderness and pride. But we must not linger, for there are other
scenes to be presented.
It was near the midnight hour when pleasure ran highest in the
brilliantly lighted ballroom that Edward might be seen leading Little
Wolf to a seat. She had appeared on the floor many times, and had at
length acknowledged herself weary.
"What a handsome couple," whispered Louise to the doctor, nodding
significantly towards them, and her whisper was echoed by many others.
There was a deep red spot in Edward's cheek, and a flash in his eye,
which some might have attributed to the excitement of the occasion,
but the doctor and those who knew him well, interpreted it
differently. He had several times during the evening left the room
with one or two of his friends, who were in the habit of indulging in
a social glass, and Edward's principles were not such, as to shield
him from their influence.
Little Wolf's quick eye followed him when he went and when he came;
not indeed with a suspicion of the truth, for it did not occur to her
that he was being led into temptation, but the fact was about to burst
upon her.
"Excuse me for a few moments, love," whispered Edward as he seated
her, "I will be back in time to dance the old year out and the new
year in with you; the next is to be our wedding year, is it not?"
Little Wolf smiled and fluttered her fan to conceal her confusion.
Two gentlemen were engaged in conversation near Little Wolf, and, as
Edward left her one of them remarked, "What a pity so many of our
promising young men are falling into the habit of drinking. There is
young Sherman, if I am not mistaken, under the influence of
stimulant."
Although not intended for her ear, Little Wolf caught the words, and
her bright smile faded, and her busy little fan dropped in her lap.
The wound so lately healed was reopened, and in it had fallen a
corrosive poison. She felt the aching pain, and the eating smart, she
begged Dr. Goodrich to take her from the room. She had arisen and was
leaning on his arm when Edward returned.
"I see my bird is on the wing," said he claiming Little Wolf's hand
for the forming cotillion.
Little Wolf caught his breath as he leaned towards her, and grew
paler, "I cannot dance," said she drawing back.
Edward looked surprised, but the doctor knew what all meant and he
turned with her towards the door, when who should they see, but daddy,
making his way towards them.
He had evidently come in haste, for his great rough over-coat was only
partly buttoned, his leggins were put on awry, his over shoes were
untied and the strings dangled under his feet somewhat retarding his
shuffling locomotion. With fur cap drawn low so as to protect his
face as much as possible from the biting winds, beard white with
frost, and clusters of snow flakes resting upon his broad shoulders,
Daddy pushed forward into the throng.
Little Wolf no sooner saw than she ran up to him, "What's the matter
Daddy?" said she.
"Twixt you and me, Honey," said he clutching her by the arm, "the
doctor is pretty nigh done fur."
Little Wolf waited for no futher explanation. She gave her little
dimpled arm a jerk and was out of the room in a twinkling.
"Bless me, twixt you an'me, it will go hard with the Honey," said
Daddy addressing Dr. Goodrich, "your services is needed. Miss Hawley
said fetch you right along with the Honey, and, doctor hev' her wrap
up right smart, its awful cold and blowy--howsoever, I clapped in two
big buffaloes, for I know'd putty well how gals is dressed at sich
places. Laws, I expect them are buffaloes would keep her warm if she
hadn't nothing on but that are outside fish net."
For once Daddy made no useless delays. He saw that Little Wolf was
well wrapped in as they sped along the frozen river. The horses were
put to their utmost speed, but in vain. Little Wolf arrived a few
minutes too late to attend her dying father.
With a despairing wail she threw herself beside his dead body. She did
not weep, but moaned so pitifully that it was distressing to listen to
her.
Mrs. Hawley at length went to her and gently raised her up and removed
her hood and cloak. In her haste, Little Wolf had made no change in
her dress, and she was too much absorbed in grief to once think of her
appearance. The rose buds fell from her hair on the still face of the
corpse and her white robes floated over it, while Mrs. Hawley tried to
soothe and speak words of comfort to her.
But suddenly her eye fell upon a form at the opposite side of the bed.
It was Hank Glutter. She was pale before, but at sight of him she
became absolutely ghastly. Slowly she arose to her feet and went
around to where he stood. "Mr. Glutter," said she solemly, raising her
hand, as if to pronounce upon him some dreadful anathema.
"Miss DeWolf," said Hank, eagerly interrupting her, "do not curse me."
"Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord," burst from
Little Wolfs white lips.
Is there not a curse which the liquor seller cannot escape?"