The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-08-13


certain that he knew absolutely nothing-th'
daughter drew closer to me and whispered:
Would you dare to get me a little piece. o.
bone ont OF one of those inches? They are al
saints bones, you know, but the guide won't lei
me have any. and, besides, cant reach them
though do 60 long for piece of saint"
need not say that stole some saint-a rib l
lighted with it. The girlish pleasure with
which she hid the bone in the folds of her dress,
and insisted that she "was ever SO much obliged
to me-" together with the childish eagerness with
which she VII ispered her request completely
charmed me. In fact fell in love with her on
| the spot, and determined that would marry her
If she would give her consent When we parted
at the entrance of the Catscombs, was warmly
invited by both the ladies to call upon them, and
to bring my friend with me.
To visit Miss Scott in company with Dick was
precisely what did not wish to do But here
again, could not help myself. Though Dick
professed to be q warm admirer of the widow, it
| always happened that, soon after our arrival at
the SCOTS apartments, he would manage to be
in close conversation with Susie, while fell
prey to the mother, whose conversational powers
were OF the most oppressive character The same
thing used to occur when we visited ruins and
places together, which We did nearly every day.
Still felt no fear of his rivalry. Susie evident
/ y AA~S~ eeSt oaN oPpCoiCu OCAAEuVcu "
see me. Besides, I never for a moment supposed
that ehe would prefer penniless vagabond to
man OF means and recognized responsibility.
All this Is merely introductory; and, though
the preceding statements have tendency to
make a short story long, still it was necessary, as
l have said before, that the precise nature of my
intimacy with Dick should De set forth before l
could ask the question, "Ought not to have
done it 2"
Ina axy ,1oI A. L
visit to st. Peters. In order to make the ey.
curson partake somewhat of the nature of pic.
mic, 1t was agreed that We should take our lunch
with as, and eat it on the immense roof of the
church. In order to make sure of securing Susie
for myself, prevailed upon Mrs Scott to invite
the Rev. Lsonidas W. Smiley, who was then in
Rome, to accompany US; intending to inveigle
that worthy divine into acting an escort to the
widow. l never thought what would become of
Dick If thus LETT without lady companion, nor
were my suspicious aroused by the sarcastic
smile with which he praised my foretheught in
inviting the clergyman
"lf anything should happen-if you should |
break your neck, for example," he remarked |
lit would be 10 handy to have clergyman |
ready!"
The day appointed for the picnic, of course |
arrived. Never shall forget the sensation with
which assembled the long, winding, inclined |
plain which leads up to the roof OF the church.
had determined to offer myself to Susie in the
course OF the day; and, though had no doubt
as to the result, yet the novelty and Importance
or the step was about to take made me some.
what nervous. had, too, an underlined and
wholly acknowledged feeling that she was
not, after all, precisely the sort of wife for me-
She knew absolutely nothing of business and |
was about as ignorant of the duties pertaining
to the position tor which intended her az a girl
could well be. Nevertheless, l had so strong a |
fancy Tor the gay little butterfly, that felt the
of existence apart from her For
veal or woe she held my fate in her hands, and |
!! determined that those dear little hands should |
be mine, come what might.
Before We had our lunch we were to ascend |
the dome. AT this stage of affairs | succeeded |
in placing the widow in charge Of the clergy.
man, and, with Susie, began the ascent of the |
countless stairs. Dick, however, followed so |
closely behind us-in ORDER as he pretended, to |
Keep Susie from falling-that could find no |
opportunity to ask her the question which was |
on my lips. AT last We reached the lantern, and |
only the great copper ball remained to be ex.
plored. AS Mrs Scott declined to enter the ball. |
waited with Susie until her mother had gone |
out upon the outer, gallery, vainly hoping that
the long'sought.for moment had arrived. But |
scarcely had her mother disappeared when the |
into the ball, whereupon the ofiicious Dick ran |
up the iron ladder to assist her. When they
had both succeeded in entering that sitting den |
-where no man of sense ever willingly placed |
hlmself-she cried out that no one else was to |
come up on any account for she was afraid the |
ball would break loose under additional weight |
was Thus forced to stay ut the foot of the lad.
ger while they remained in the ball, engaged
curing what seemed to me an intolerable lenp tn |
OF tine-in an animated conversation, conducted |
In a tone 80 low that could not hear u single |
word that wss said.
When they finally descended, Susie's face was
hushed-by the heat of the place, she said
while DICK locked uncommonly grave, and |
gnawed his nustache with nervous, dissatisfied |
ar mao ne been any one else-the Rev. Dr. |
Smiley, for example-I should have believed |
that he had offered himself to Susie and been re-
Jected; but, being simply the penniless vagabond
that he was, the idea of such conduct on his part
was too ridiculous to be be entertained for |
moment. |
AT last we turned to descend to the roof. and
l saw that the moment for me to express my in. |
tentions toward Susie had arrived Lingering |
dextrously In the rear until the widow and the
clergymen were safely out of sight, 1 led Susie |
out upon the gallery under the pretext of show. |
ing her part of the landscape which she had |
not noticed. AS we leaned over the railing. |
looked around to rlakc sure that Dick was out |
OF sight and then began: my dear Miss Susan |
have something to say to you"
She looked ut me moment with startled ewes. |
and then, putting her hands together, with an |
imploring little gesture, cried, "Oh, please |
don't" |
Don't what asked I, quite puzzled by her
conduct
Don't please say anything 1 mean don't -
Oh just look what pretty flower How wish |