The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1872-04-18

ses US married? Why need We put
on smart clothes? Why cannot you
come quietly to church with mo to.
morrow, in your common bonnet and
shawl" (Scrope is unaware that shawls
are, for the moment, extinct,) "vith
only the clerk to say amen p"
"Whcre is the hurry 7" she asks,
tapping her foot impatiently on the feu.
der. "You talk as if we were two old
people, each with leg in the grave.
Supposing that We put it off for year,
We should still probably have fifty to
cape opposite each other in"
"Even It we wore sure Of the hfty,''
he says gently, ~ should still grudgo
the one can one be too long happy
I never heard any one complain Ct be.
ing so.'
"Do you like sickly women 7" she
says, abruptly, apparently softonod by
his tone, and looking amicab]y at him
~ think I am radically sickly-see
how halt day has pulled me down
my elbows stick out like promontories' y
(pulling up her sleeve to show him)-
"if you married me you would have to
be always cossetting me-trundling me
about in bath-chair, and measuring
cut physic in a spoon for me-"
He is about to burst into storm Of
protestations, but she interrupts him.
"Do you know what Jemima said
that day, when I told her was going
to marry you?"
"No."
"Well, she said it was iudecently
soon."
II do not see what business it was oil
Jemima's," says the young man. look.
ing rather surly.
"Neither do I but all the same il
is true-indecently soon that is the
very word that expresses it." As she
speaks, her face becomes spread with q
hot blush, and his own is not slow to
repeat it in the deeper colors Of man.
hood.
what does this mean 2" he asks
rising to his feet, while look OF ute,
fear makes the red in his cheeks give
way. "What is this the preface Of
Is it indecent1y sooner than it was yes
terday or the day before, or the day
before that
"Do not be angry" she says depre.
catingly, stretching out her hand,
her hand on which his own diamonds
are flashing. "You know you are al
ways reasonable-you always mind vha'
I say, even when it is not reasonable
that is why l like you"
There is something of the turkey
cock about every woman gobbliog apc
swelling il a man is frightened anl
runs small and silent if he stand.
still and cries "Shoo !' It is his turr
now; there is no use gobbling at him
he affects not to see her hacd, and only
says briefly, "Go on"
"You know" she says, sitting up
right in her chair, and straining hel
neck backward, SO that her eyes may
attain his face and watch it, "that
proposed to you-it is not sort o
thing that man would be likely t.
forget. 1 try to think of it as little al
it is possible, but it is true; and yot
accepted me; I suppose" Qaughine
avkwardly) "that you could not vel
have been so uncivil as to do other
wise"
"Go on"
"Welp (6dgeting uueasily), II meal
to marry you still-fulIy-but
it must be-not Just yet-not now
year-six months hence, perhaps-in
stead"
+ Unwilling to witness the effect 0
her words, she has dropped her eyes a
the last clause but as the moment
pass, and no sound comes, save that o
a oinder falling from the CRATE, sh
looks up again.
"have you no tongue?" she says
irritably; "are you never going t.
speak ?"
"a year hence !" he says, in lo'
voice, turning face, white as the fac
of the unco}orcd dead, toward her.
"That means never. Thank you fe
leading NE so gently up to it. Do 30
think do not see wha; you arc 'aimin
at? Do you think l have not watchc
it coming for the last fortnight?
have prayed not to see" (strikiug h
hands together.) ~ have entreate
God to let me be blind always. Goo
God !" (linging his arms down on th
chimney-piece, and hiding his face 0
them) show do men bear these things
| Who can teach me p
'Bcar what ?'' she c:i.s. rising ha:
tily to her feet and putting her han
on his ccat-sleeve. ''Vhat are 20
talking about? What is there I
bear ?"
$50 you have been trickiry me a
this time, have you Z" he says raisip
his rufled head and looting deliberate
ly at her, with resentful calm in fac
and voice. CAT least, it can hardly b
called trickery it was 50 lane'y don'
a child might have seen through th
deception.
Silence.