Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1887 — HER FIRST LOVE. [ARTICLE]

HER FIRST LOVE.

BY SARA B. ROSE.

Ontravalla, tho well-known country-seat Of Jesse McLane, was enjoying a miniature carnival upon its own spacious grounds. It had its elaborately-built and prepared 'toboggan slide upon the steep oili-side back of the great stone mansion, whose i ball was well-stored with Sionx and Chippewa snowshoes, and all the implements necessary for a snecessful carrying out of 'the plans which Minnie McLane wrote out in fnll to her city consin Ina. The pleasant, girlish letter closed with a pressing invitation to come to Ontravalla immediately, for a number of the nicest of 'the guests hsd already arrived, a gentleman by the name of Leigh Ellis among them. ~ “He is the most fascinating voting mnn of the dozen or more that are expected, and he tarns the heads of all the girls of his acquaintance,” wrote Minnie. Ina kept this part of her letter to herself. It was bntthe postscript which she read to her father. “All the preparations are going on .rapidly; there will be a tiny ica palace built upon the river where the best ak&tinr is; papa thinks it will be an immense success.” “That sounds just like Jess,” langhed Mr. McLane. “Anything that he goes into is sure to be ‘immense.’ Do you remember, Ina, the flaming sword which fell from the skies into that very river a few years ago? It drew hundreds of visitors to the old place, but I know I have seen that old relic of barbarism in the garret there years ago, and I have an idea that it did not fall front any very great elevation. You’ll tind your carnival something of thfl same sort when you get there. And Mr. McLane laughed heartily at his brother’s exaggerated views of his own importance, while Ina exchtyned delightedly: “So I am to go, then?” “Oh, yes, if yon like. Ben can go with yon for escort, for I can't possibly think of going down there to be frozen up for the sake of seeing an ice palace which will have evaporated before I get there.” “Leigh Ellis will not have evaporated,” thought pretty Ina, arching her brows as %he ran to her room to begin her packing, never thinking of plain, good-humored, Ben Boas, who was 10 be her escort. ‘ Why should she? Well, for one reason; he loved her devotedly, and she knew it, but then he was only the confidential clerk in her father’s store —almost her brother—as she told him upon a well-remembered occasion. * Ben Boss was known to be strictly honorable. “His honor bad been the making of him,” Mr. McLane, who would have liked nothing better than that Ina should take a liking to him, often said. —, -i!..Ina knew her father’s wishes, too, and perhaps these expressed wishes were the very reason she did not take the fancy. She knew Ben’s honorable record, too, and was rather inclined to langb at it when her father grew loqnacions upon the point. “Nonsense,” she would exclaim. “Other men are jnst as honorable as Ben Boss. I know plentv of them that are more agreeable.” And Mr. McLane would hang his head Mid stroke his beard and say no more upon the,,to him, agreeable subject. Leigh Ellis occupied a considerable portion Of Ina’s thoughts during her hurried preparation, and when at length she was on hoard the train with Ben by her aide, she could! keep them to herself no longer. “There’s the loveliest fellow at Uncle Jesse’s, so Minnie writes. Leigh Ellis is his name; all the girls think he is just splendid," , - - Ben was used to Minnie’s gushing style, but the words brought their sting with them, and he felt rather bitter as he replied: “And von, I suppose, will be influenced by the rest, nnd soon become one of the nucleus which surrounds this brilliant planet.” - , “@f all the comparisons—as if ladies would stoop to such things as that! Ben Boss, I am ashamed of yon.” “Yon manner of speaking suggested the comparison,” said Ben, meekly. “Worse and worse,” cried Ina, indignantly, “but then 1 can. pity yon. Jealousy has been called an infuriating flame.” “As if I could be jealous of a man I have never seen.” said Ben, his color rising. “Of course I api not so stnpid as not to know that I am considered but a necessary evil."

“Fox tbe sake of sweet peace let us change the Bubject,” cried Ina. with a little provoking laugh. “Your face is ns long ns the train we are trying to pass, and I do believe the conductor thinks you are insane from the way he is looking at you.” “I agree with you, Ina,” replied Ben, gravely. “What tfhall we talk about, the entertainment at your uncle’s?" Upon their arrival they found that for once Uncle Jesse had not exaggerated. The saowshoes and toboggans were of great interest to Ina and her companion, who were not posted in such matters; the ice palace too, which was in the course of erection, "was beginning to get above the treetops, and when with Minnie they walked ont jo the river side, prominent among the graceful figures which were skating about upon the ice, bringing and laying iu plage the glittering blocks of ice, was Mr. Leigh Ellis. Minnie McLane, who felt in no more awe of Mr. Boss than did her cousin, said to her companions in a low toiler "There is Mr. Ellis. Isn’t he handsome? I think him the finest looking of all the company, ladies and gentlemen included, unless it may be my sweet cousin Ina.” This compliment was accented by a rapturous hug and a kiss, while Ben said - humbly, “He is a fine skaier.” He did not wish to be charged with jealousy again. —■ The introductions to the company were gjven j net before dinner, and. as if to confirm the fears in Ben’s breast. Mr. Ellis offered* his arm to Ins and conducted her ■ • to the dinner table. f v < After this there was a week of rare doings fSHhe great stone house at Ontra▼alla, and in all the merry-makings Ina bore a prominent pari with Leigh Ellis as her constant attendant. Ben bore all this patiently, and comforted himself as well as he was able by bringing to mind numerous flirtations which Ins bod indulged in ere this, and which more than once she had been only too glad to drop, bbt one evening some-

thing Occurred which prepared him for the blow which was to be dealt to bis fondest hopes. •! The band of young people were busily at work trimming the house with evergreens, and Ben, who was very clever in arrangement of the various devices which had been prepared by the young' ladies, was sent to banc a five-pointed star in a little alcove in the wide hail. He ran along lightly nnd almost noiselessly and lifted the curtain which bung over the alcove. Leigh Dili* and Ina McLane were standing within it, and Inn’s soft voice was saving, “Leigh, dear Leigh.” A heavy ■wreath which Mr. Ellis was holding shielded Ben from their observation, nnd he was certain he heard the sound of a kiss throagb the evergreen circlet. He dropped the curtain as noiselessly as he had lifted it, and with silent footsteps he walked ont into the darkness of the winter's night. It was hours before he retnrncd, chilled nnd half frozen, for he hnd gone out listless and uncoated, but the chill of the winter's night seemed as nothing to the drendfnl cold'which seemed to bennmb his feelings with its frozen chains. The house was silent, for it was long past midnight,- and With a hitter smile Ben bnng the star to its place nnd retired to his room, where he walked the floor until tho unmistakable sound of the breakfast bell recalled him tp himself. . He made some changes in his toilet and went down to the dining-room, where he fonnd Minnie McLane alone, and greatly elated with a secret which hod been confided to her. She put her arm inside Ben’s as he neared her side nnd exclaimed, gleefully: “Oh, Ben, you never can guess the news. Ina and. Leigh Ellis are engaged. Will they not be a handsome couple? Inn is the most beaut if nl girl here, and Leigh admires bennty more than nnytbing else. He told me he fell in love with* - Inu’s face the first time he saw it.” Ben, who had been expecting Ibis, bowed silently in reply, and Minnie continued: “Ina does not wish to have anything said about her engagement jnst yet. I only told you, Ben, because you are one of the family. ” At this moment others of the guests came trooping into the room, among them Ina McLane and Leigh Ellis. There wns nothing in the bearing of either to indicate the new relations between them, but during the dray it was whispered around among the guests that there wns something between Miss McLane and Mr. Ellis, and before the ball, which look place that evening, was over, there was a fullfledged report that the something was an engagement of marriage, and that there would be a wedding the coming spring. Those who suspected lien’s secret watched him secretly and narrowly, bnt they did not discover any indications of feeiing. It was a wonder even to himself that lie bore it so calmly, yet he knew that his benutribed feelings but preceded the keenest pain. The morning after the ball, Ben was sitting alone in the library, when suddenly the door opened and Ina entered the room and seated herself coqnetlishly upon a stool just nt his feet. “Oh Ben you cannot think how perfectly happy I am. ” “I suppose that I should say that the happiness of the woman I love is the greatest boon I could desire.” “But you do not say it,” replied Ina, smiling mischievonslv up at him. Ben was silent. He was repenting that first unwise speech, but Ina soon broke the silence. !_: !! —------ “Ben, I want you so write to papa this morning nnd tell him.” “Ina!” he exclaimed, in a voice so sharp with pain that the voting girl’s heart was touched with pity. “Oh Ben, you will make me cry,” she said, thickly, with real tears in her eyes. "“You know I always Told you that I loved you only as a brother, and yon must have expected that.sometime I would see some one that I would care for more, and Leigh is so handsome, Ben.” Another long pause during which Ben’s head was bowed upon his hands. “I thought, Ben, you would surely write to papa for me,” she pleaded. “What shall I say to him?” replied Ben, raisiug his sorrowful face and drawing near to the writing desk, " ;. . ~~~ “Nothing very much, Ben. I would like to have him see Leigh first. I think you had better tell him that I have found the man calculated to make me happy, and -that we will bring him home with us a-week from to-day.” “And is that all?" “That is all.” “And shall I not mention Mr. Ellis’ name?” “No, that will keep until I< introduce him.” Ben’s hand flew obediently over the paper. Ina glanced at the finished letter, and then it was sealed and directed and sent away with the day's mail, Ben feeling as the young girl left him as if he had performed the hardest task which could ever be set for him to do. Mr. Ellis did not attempt to make himself agreeable to Mr. Boss, and tho two had very little to say to each other during the days which followed. The afternoon of the last clay >ut one of their intended stay the young people decided to spend tobogganing. The skating and snowshoeing, the: ice pnlace nnd the evening pawvdes, as well as the hall and other indoor sports had justified Uncle Jesse’s favorite expression of “immense.” The storming of the ice palace was reserved for the last evening, and the toboggans were relied upon for this day's sport. The slide, whioh was built upon a rocky hillside, was as slippery as ice conld make it. and for a time the amusement went on merrily. Mr. Ellis, who hnd made several highly - successful trips wi:h his betrothed for a companion, started forth once more in his accustomed jaunty and rather reckless manner.

There was some fnult with the steering, for suddenly the light toboggan veered from its course and struck the icy. side, and, turning completely over, slid with its fair burden beneath it rapidly down the slide. Mr. Ellis was thrown from his place, and was picked np but a trifle the worse for the accident, but when they approached the dismantled toboggan there was atefrorstrieken pause, the frosty slide was st ained with blood for more than half of its length. ~ Ben Boss lifted the blood-stained and seemingly lifeless form of the girl he lowed, and bore it, recardless of comment or lookers-on. to the bouse which had been the scene of such _ j»ay doings, and w hich were ended from that moment. A physician was summoned by Mr. McLane, and then the frightened company gathered in the parlor, and, with pale faces, awaited his verdict. It came, at last, cold and business-like. “Miss McLane is not fatally injured, but she will probably be disfigured for life.” * ' It seemed that her head and face had suffered the most. Her beautiful features were but a shapeless mass. Her eyes were closed and these was a deep ice-cut among her heavy masses of hair. One shoulder, too, was broken, and it seemed impossible th-*t. she could be moved in several weeks. There was a departure from Ontr&valla that evening of most of 'the guests who

had borne/their parts so gaily, and at 10 o’clock Minnie whispered to Ben: “Every one has gone except Leigh Ellis.. He is so agitated that he has not said a single word. Hbw he must love her.” “1 hope you may Jbe right,” said Bi n, bluntly. “To me his silence seems like cowardice or indifference,” It was a man, <*6ated, and with a valise in his hand, which an hour later attempted to pass Ben without speaking in the hall. “What, Ellis? Surely you are not going at this hour?" “I fear I must: I have had a telegram from home.'*’ Ben looked nt him fixedly, his form barring the passage from the hall completely. “I—that is,” ’exclaimed Ellis, excitedly. | “it is n disagreeable thing - to say, but I hear that Miss McLane w ill he disfigured for life. I cannot abide a homely person. There was a slight flirtation, I may cull it, between ns. I hope you will expiain it to her. I meant nothing beyond the amusement of the hour." For an answer a sturdy fist made the acquaintance of Mr. Ellis’ perfumed head, and for a second time that day Jesse McLane's household was startled by a sensation which caused a doctor to be summoned. Before his arrival, however, this last time, the patient had arisen from his recumbent position and left Ontravalla never to return. It was a week before the swelling went out of Ina MeLane's bruised face, and tbeu the physician was able to sav confidently that in six months' time there would be no trace of the accident which hod nt one time seemed so threatening to her bennty. Her shoulder, too, was doing finely, and the cut upon her head was nearly healed, nnd for the first tijne, the day after this favorable report, her father, who had been summoned, felt that he might converse with her freely. Her lover, whom Ben had written to him about—where was he? “I am glad that you have escaped ns you have, mv daughter,”he said. “Andnow tell me about this prospective son-in-law, which formed the subject of one of Ben’s letters.” Tho darkly-bruised face flushed a deeper red, but Ben, trom his place behind Mr. MeLane’s chair, anticipated her reply., “It is my unworthy self,” he said. “Mr. McLane sprnng joyously to his feet and grasped the young man’s hand. “It is a most joyous surprise. 1 thought that it must be a stranger who had won my daughter from me.” No further explanation was made, but the night before Inn’s wedding, a few months later, she whispered softly to Ben: “I believe that I loved you all the time. That day that you wrote to pnpa for me, I felt that your misery was my own. and Ben, I have a secret to tell you. I met Leigh Ellis .4 month ago, and he begged me to resume our old relations, bwt I knew that when I thought I loved him I made a mistake. You have my first and only love.”