Show Y 1 1 orta ei v A WA IM vt MY STEW it his Is own tic actions eions I 1 lid did not feel it to bo be my duty to savo save him from rom what it I 1 regard tile tho matter impartially I 1 regret to say that th at I 1 consider a mistake nils talco 10 lo will doubtless doubt les repent of ills his mar madriago rIago hut but that diat la Is ills own affair I 1 have won his gratitude by riving giving my cordial consent 10 a tits his addressing you I 1 have promised to sanction tho the engagement for gnep tho the smooth monotonous I 1 i voice ia wits like sweet music tit in my ears curs t I 1 ir nd listened smiling softly not 1 mu j of aniu amusement hut but of happl nes I 1 remember those blissful minutes liniUs ni still I 1 remember them us as clearly as they pissed passed but yesterday they belong to tile tho past r awen twenty ty years y cars ago ago how bauo the sky wasl was groat white clouds slowly crossed it traveling tru cling from the west thero there was a quiet sort 0 of murmur of rustling leaves leases among the tall whito lilies tho bees were busy the lascot the liay lay was being carried in the meadows beyond our garden all tile tho air was aa sweet with perfume ilio monotonous voice droned dronek on 1 1 I told ail barnet that I 1 would first address you on tho the subject ho la wado sonn some objection to my doing so but I 1 overruled it I 1 believe lie ho said that lie ho should come this morning for ills in all I 1 lam am not sure hut but I 1 think ho mentioned that ho he would wish ash to call on oil you iou this thia morning hiff my interview with win was mas somewhat abruptly tor ter minabell mi natell a visitor was unfortunately announced whon when I 1 had had but a few minutes conversation with him ever cr I 1 think I 1 understood that ho meant to cill call this morning knowing your our impulsive disposition 11 macol abol I 1 J bought 0 it best to prepare you ou Ils hd ou autu to bo be perfectly clear about my joel inga on alio th you iiii v 0 my vr V r to a bilm blixie you havo iny lull rox i t 1 ahll e il expect my m y thanks th anliS I 1 rendered achem mechanically chani cally mr barnet tt if not a very wealthy ty man la Is not a very poor one it Is as good a marriage as you can expect to miko make and I 1 desire that you will accept llin him I 1 ant am not suro sure what tile tho exact amount ot of ills his income is hut but I 1 it ned had bad fifty pounds alymar a year if 11 lie ho were a blacksmith or a carpenter carpen ter or or any thing I 1 would marry many him like a shot it if lie ho asked not my 1 fy dear dea r your english it if graphic is scarcely classical 13 but ut I 1 aon dont t want ant to know wit what at nods ads income is I 1 dont caro care a beitl my step stepfather father slightly smiled then slightly sighed 1 11 1 I 1 may toll mr 13 then that you entertain his proposal yes I 1 lovo love him I 1 said simply some ono one rapped at tho the door tho the door opened mr barnet announced abo waite apron apro ned cd soft voiced parlor mald maidi and nell ned came in ills sun browned faco face had bad a rudd ruddier ein tingo than usual ho he was evidently om barr assed but ovon oven in his embarras embarrass ment was a noss ness and dignity ho he way wa humorously conscious of gf being ill at easo case and lie ho humorously appreciated the odd export enco ence ila iio nodded and smiled nt at me doaa id lie he shook hands then ii ito a turned burnid with a an eager searching toward my stepfather 1 I live been having a serious little talk with mabel my stepfather step father 8 ald in his slow mild tone nothing ever mado made him hasten in his brocci A very serious little talk ned looked toward in TOO 0 I 1 could not n t anderst understand bild lild tho glance ho he 1001 looked col us as though lie ho wished that I 1 would RO go 1 I have laid your lour proposal before her again ned glanced quickly in my direction ho he wits was silent my stepfather step father slowly continued and sho she Is inclined to entertain it sho she accepts mo me 11 1 sho iha admits that all sho cis la very mu la in lovo love with you ou 1 rort 4 I 1 did not see neds face my mt fixed upon the brown roses vat pot but I 1 hoard board the joyous each I 1 mation with which AA 0 W calved R n chor a Is I 1 haki hf akym 15 KI vlra moment moronta mo monta col als after a stop fattier fater insuik agler 5 t gifta au mo lacre said my me tone iio ani JIS coll his own n and loll 1011 1010 l who stood still to ok NoV tie bno nover nent nt to meet me iio pother at U t h er i to ito ho wit put our hands xe S 1 1 1 c yol looked S ind ilp alp 1 look d I 1 into mine ll 11 bak with a little baff lt into cyb 1 away nl be hand Ss quietly rol member i ff arf tit the kir I 1 re rc gave me egreL fill he mr date dale hot hn said in his ba frank clear voice wo we havo mado made a mistake tako perhaps tho the was mint but I 1 think it was I 1 lovo mab anil and I 1 are tho the best and fi Irinca tol of friends but my lovo love Is dabols I 1 thou thought glit you understood I 1 1 you aro are speaking of krabol I 1 cam cain plout plon yes yea sho she la Is your barll I 1 thought it rig right litto to tell you YOI 1 tier her guardian Ku ardlan that I 1 loped to try to win will her lie r you yon should havo have nado your moaning 4 clear sir air 1 I thought I 1 had dono done so yon under a I 1 certainly should not haw given my consent to your addressing lady of 0 whom you she has flits morning promised that sho she ni aiu I 1 I 1 bo be lay I 1 wilo r those were tile tho last words I 1 iniard aicard as I 1 stoic hova from tho the room I 1 biolo out batt ly shutting tho door behind mo me thon I 1 lica bletl blindly tho the passage through tho the orchard did and out into tile country little lanos in AbO bouse or garden tile tho girls would find tile mo they were dear hut but they flioy would bo curious and question me tecy were kind and alta they would pity ino ine and fort opt mol mo and alla I 1 could not boar bear their comfort or their 1 I 1 throw myself down on a grilli ray bank tol leath a bligh shady bodao and burled my hot faco face in roy hands ands anil and tried boget used and hardened to tile tho fec Illig ry ot of my ills ali anio tile tho seemed to li burnout all other feelings I 1 forgot iny lovo love I 1 only realized my two or three scalding tents fen fell through sli my then tit dried up sly my licad throbbed and burnt my hot hand band pressed against my brow did nut not cool it there was waa ft a Boun diot nd ad banchig stops steps anil and I 1 roso rose ilee ice at tile same moment ned r flame amo lit in sight round tho curve cimo 0 of tho the hight edzel lane Iguess I 1 ea rather than saw baw that it was lie I 1 Nall ced on oil swiftly swill lv aay irom from bilut down the grass grown path ho he bo be kind ind lot mo RO go would lo lift not to soo BOO that I 1 wis m him as I 1 WAS notto know that he bo was behind tile ino ottle lio to nio me tho the it uni ilia tion 0 of standing two face to faca baca with etli him again the quest questions lons whirled through my brain whilst I 1 listened with alth to tile firm quick steps that follo loll hollowed owed ed tile tho step ha lio to to over tako nic me when I 1 realized its ills intention I 1 abood still Agreen A groon gato 0 tile iano into a meadow 1 I st bf aide the gato gate anil and waited united lor for lilma liala facing him mho ni to advanced iny 01 M S I 1 Hit nit IZ p kiy forgive if embarrassed and conscious of 0 if I 1 should hato liim bim al abbs albs iii iio camo came to tho the gate ind and stood it 11 before me ine mau mab lie ho suld ills ilia tone was as a little graver than usual but f tank frank and simple and direct 1 somehow though ho be had bad spoken bu but I 1 I 1 I 1 V b I 1 W I 1 1 ak 1 aly al Y Z I 1 I 1 t R tak y 10 11 in 01 1 iwa 5 J ar sa man boeltl yoel tl NOT borao TO THIL OUR oun ono one word tile bitter edge of my humiliation vanished vanish L ed my oyos eyes loola looked d across a at t him hill with a loss less defiant g glanco lance 4 mab yoro not going to lot this spoil our friendship N no said 1 I doubtfully it it unless thero them Is no unless in his old masterful tone that set sat mo me at case at once A silly irl ilal sense bonso ind and pluck it aecus siry sary und als tant and a wo that kini kina gill vil aro not shall be awfully sai ill il mab I 1 albo let this ted in ell if ja 1 you it a a Iffe renco to us authority pillar voice of blaw as a tc baby p of 11 boro arfa 11 rb I 1 hitaj 10 0 ra a I 1 my Y 0 yes mot aln tl A 11 1 one with ionic across the allow 1 vb I jtb said he an 1 i we passed passe anc it opened the bo gate the he I 1 through WS together I 1 sto a still st 1 be ex exclaim cl aimed Tou youve voin r A Is yat bat and tile bun 1 I dont mind it mind it for yet you dont you I 1 S n alra erful 1 to blast mast loves its her oes through 01 teen alth me back tilt neb turned silent almost play lane 0 though s er avro busy st the ily but our c impulse last ih ell a sudden t so sorry bel then Is I 1 vieb iad ito tit be fur far as ali thu tho gardon garden gato gate anil and tooru U wu we i parie par tod d ir IL pour years had passed A very alfont family sat at tile breakfast table this august mornings morning the iho genlot head of tile tho achy family hati lit in an irritable illoyd and lilg ills bomon folk observing tho the puckers on oil ills brow were nervously anxious to avold avoid culling calling tits his to rho cotto cotee la is cold mabel its strai iRo that wo never have a decent accent cup of u cairco in III this flits housel house 1 for nearly four years our cousin ma IND bol had been our stop fathers wife lie 10 had long age ceased to smile tit nt hor bor lo ie I l o e lylyn 1 anil and ceased to extol tier her virtues tile tho toast Is ia tough lie ho grumbled 1 I my ly delle dear wit will I 1 you bo be good enough to give cho a little thought to these doln eitle duties thoro there Is 19 ono of your chil droll is tg that 1 1 I l think so doar clear WAS the gonslo nervous reply 1 I thought thou slit I 1 forbade him to cry yoa yes but buto but you forgot forget adrian kaa such buch a baby too young to under stand 11 yot not too younk young to bo be liy by indulgence dul gence after breakfast it you cati go 0 to the nurse and send bond sydney lulu into abo study to mo lue At adrian Irlan you are so severe with blin on tho contrary mabel I 1 am alit most genalo hut ono can not too early ones children to understand the nov Iti liln own notions when our comfort coin tort by in ill it fool loli and peevish ma janitor wo disturb ills his welt idea of comfort by seating hlin hilli without his toy coyit 4 for two or three hours with etli tits bis filet the wall in ili tile cornor corner ot of my study hut but enough on tile subject pray donot do not become argumentative eliy dear A painful silence a silence so BO hewy and painful that alice my iny younge tit sister boldly brocco it 11 ilo do you know that ned liar IS arnota nata gohir ito ilo is I 1 bicard it alivo alice sult ered for or hoc her boldness OUT our step slowly in tier hor dleo tion nas that frock of yours youra clean alice papa so I 1 imagined my dear was the till if reply ply no wonder the bill a avorn tho lio t aro are bato yun au bour no dioro alter after breakfast you 1011 c cutri till fogt thang dirty I 1 rl diesi esq and hl fa aaa laala ll lapa lloa 1108 llo 8 t B a diw got barden adon eltty today to day evott V can acar your blacksberg black bergo or r 1 I 1 at llo ife ie rom ua as ito ho spoke car lully bril ai ln ing it a gr acko of f duat from ills his alt 10 ho had spirits of us tia all aal hn his own owl temper had grown lilloll tho the creases in ill ills hll brow mW ilal smooth eol themselves out anil alla tio he and ani 1 coll toll tealy away to toad ad reproof to hla his your year old ola fion eon in the study I 1 vant out out ot of doors into info uio tile pardon garden anil and cherep li a alf f an hour later alloo alico joined nio me sho filio was ivna a pretty graceful all ot of eteen sixt 1 teen fOti she kho camo came toward tile mo with willi a very woo lio bo gono countenance alin serge dross aras badly inneo anil and too small for hot her tile iho anat material rial was coarse abul thick A t was as a last winters froeli and ana last winter alice hall hail worn her shar and 1 lately ay iy she lal bad tho the dignity of skirts that reacted reached tier her ankles look tit at ma TOO tears in tier her eyes tier her voice anoll indignant nant 5 yot ot pitiful mb mab tell mo me truthfully du do I 1 look absurd ab suid alio tile dross dress is 13 bla blahous but you look pretty it in spite spile of lt it fiat said d I 1 lovingly doar old maat oil ob mab I 1 fisli tile tho mablea hableb could bo be turned tor for a bit rind and wo iva could bo be tho the tyrants I 1 should uko to dross dress papa in it a scle ol boy jacket and an iton eton collar and miko inako him car ills hla hair long in ringlets rin glota wo laughed alice linked her bands around my arm and wo we strolled slowly together down tile garden between tho trim beds with their low closely cropped box borders I 1 longed to ask ak 4 a question a a simple quest question lol tough but it was only idohl mra tion t that bat alice who told you that noil nell was going they away are talking 0 of f it at thoC colars yesterday ahl baill iva true chent 11 1 some scientific expedition wants him I 1 listen very to como with them attentive attentively 1 y but go going in to explore bolno panco all M L africa afric a or australia or ills his mother was so funny someplace place alioa proud of his being haniff asked to but bho alio wants him to refuse still sho gol go and then rho forgets a its an honor bonor says say tho the lionor honor and fays sho has heard 11 C ara ot of tigers and rattlesnakes I 1 made no reply at alter ter a chatted chatt cil on again lloil bo be aiva away ifor for ft a year or two it ho goes wo shall miss him shan shant two wo ye yoa I 1 dont you think ita odd ot of him to v lib I 1 to go it to m mo quite quita natural I 1 ro plied abruptly almost sharply ills scientific work is sr abing to him he bo becomes more A in it every year ilat but ho he ought to settle dow down ii and 1 lits getting so BO croaa dreadfully fully old i 11 not very vory old awen twenty ty nine 9 r 1 I slab mat do you know what the girls have hao fancied no they havo have fancied lately that ho be mount meant to marry you I 1 turned sharply away bonding oyer over tho sweet peas I 1 plucked a afoot scout ed many colored handful atut lie ho cant you it lie ho Iii insists slats on getting paton caton by snakes and croco allej in contral africa dont allcon I 1 exclaimed harshly she aho throw tier hor arm lit in an impulsive carling way around my shoulder boor old youre not cross she questioned no hut but dont talk llo tart chati I dont lika it alice alice regarded mo me in silence for a in moment you marry him it if lie ho asked you said sho she in ili a tone realty really I aro are you surp surprised wel yos yes you seo sea tho the girls all fancied that you would ak tile tho girls voices reached us na front from tile tho lawn and after a few minutes alice do civi adud avol mo ino iona and ran boross tile grass iw presently tier voice reacted tile 1110 wil with ah tilt rest I 1 strolled on oil awny away from tha sound of abo morry chator cliatt oc antl and laughter langh tor aly baart was heavy my stops seemed with lead I 1 had suddenly buddi aly grown too weary tu to walk A little sam iner bouse stood licardo tho pathway 1 I entered ond nud fiat aaa down on oil tile tho rustle seat scat and laid my arm on the bustio table I 1 out with fixed tim coing aych through tho the open doorway two or three passed alion between tile tho doorway and tho sunshine ned nd barnet stood may I 1 oiw oo ui in lio lie asked talan taking 9 the for granted and enter inar oven even whilo while ho be spoke 11 |