The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-08-14

the OK team into the woods sixty
miles away, to make the camp before
the winters logging should begin.
She felt very lonely as soon as he was
out of sight, for moro reasons that
one. In the krst plaee, there was no.
body at home but little Tom, who
could dig the paths, 70 be sure, and
look after the cattle; grandmother,
who was comfortable enough, with
her stories OF the old times, but care
more. than protector; and Susette,
who helped about the house. but was
only child. The second reason was
that she had quarreiled with Ben; and
last, but not least, he and her uncle
Simon had driven off on the OK team
with her father. If there ever had
been a time since their quarrel when
she had been disposed to make 1t up,
it was when the OK team had disap-
peared from sight and it was impossi-
Bile to do 30.
The fact of the case was that Ben
had been looking upon Louisa as his
own property ever since he could re-
member. He had beaued her to and
from singing school; he had helped
her out with her hard problems at
district school, and had carried her
home on his sled; at quilting, sewing
circle, or picnic, he had chosen her
for his partner in the dance, had paid
his fOrfeits to her, and had revolved
about her daily. And she had seemed
to relish the whole thing till she went
away to the city one winter to work
in q milliner's shop, and so came home
fSta fng and dec ec66hfffSSH 81 eH, siid Ed ffgthgr
given Ben the cold shoulder, refusing
his gifts and attentions, and showing
pretty plainly that she looked higher.
But Ben, with the instincts of free
born American, felt himself as good
as any body and charged her one day
with having come by hifalutin ideas
didn't in the least become her, and
averred that she couldn't do better
than to marry him.
"Well, Mr.. Benjamin Thurman. l
hope you're eonceited enough" she
answered him. "Marry you! won't
say but you're well enough yourself;
but to live in this slow, backwoods
fashion forever would be the death of
me: and not SO much as q lecture or
concert to while away the time; to be
wearing home-spun all my days, and
worrying about the crops. Oh dear,
no, thank you; I've had enough Of
hard times, believe Pll wait while
before settle down."
"Perhaps there's somebody else?"
Yentured Ben.
"No, I can't say that there is;
though don't mind telling you that
L did not come home single for want
of q chance. He had house too, in
the suburbs, and a hOusekeeper, and
he said ] never should bring water to
wash my hands,"
"And why didn't you marry him?"
asked Ben frigidly. aL
'1Oh, he didn't exactly suit me; he'd
| lost his front teeth and his hearing.
There's as good fish in the sea as ever
vet were caught, F" she sang, gaily.
SWELL" sald Ben, rising, and look
ing blue lightnings, "on the whole l
am glad that you won't marry me,
for you've no more heart than an ad-
der.u And he could have bitten his
tongue out for what wasn't true, when
his heart was almost breaking for love
of her, and If she. had showed that she
was wounded, by word or look, he
was ready to abase himself beneath
her feet, and take it all back.
"YOu're amazing polite, Mr.. Thur
man, 1 must say" she returned. 'pm
sorry you asked for what you didn't
i want, because it would haYe been
awkward if hadn't refused. 1 didn't
know that this was the way folks
made lOve-ealling names when I've
always treated you WELL"
Treated me well with q vengeanceIi
cried Ben, his face as white as q star,
and his eyes like thunder-bolts. ''Dc
you call it handsome treatment to LET
me go on loving you year after year,
while it strengthened with my
strength, without a hint that You
couldn't return measure for measure?
And then go back on q feI!ow and
throw him over because he doesn't
live like a nabob, though he loved the
ground you walked on, and thought
nothing too hard to do for you! L
that's what you call treating me well,
good-by-I don't want ever to see you
again."
Louisa had been looking at him with
sparkling eyes. She liked to see hin
angry; it was vastly becoming. And
then he loved her so desperately. She
felt q strange, delightful thrill at hel
heart, as if it responded secretly. She
had half 3 mind to go to him anC
hold out her arms and be clesped Il
his beating heart, and forget ambition
and luxury and choose rather HEAVIER
on earth; and while she hesitated ht
said, "Good-by-I don't want ever tC
see you again-good- by"
81 return the sentiment she said
instead. 81 believe lean live without
you. Good-by." And when be wa
safely out of sight she. took revenge il
good cry.
/ .But now that be was gone she be
gan to find how much she had de
Ipended upon him, how much NOR
his mere presence was to her than an
dream Of worldly prosperity howeve
golden, Perhaps but for this breacl
she might never have known hoy
dear he was to her, nor how little shl
valued the superhuities of life in com
psrison. Well, one of the three wa
to return before the winters season o
logging began in order to lay in pro
visions for the eamp--as they hai
only taken up enough to fora week o
ten days-and perhaps Ben would b
the one to come; in which case b
could hardly avoid bringing her som
word of her father and uncle. An
then who could predict but that b
might think It worth his while T
reiterate his love in his elcquen
style ? And then Louisa lSughe'
wicEedly at the prospect, and decide,
that il he was enough In love to d
TINS and thus, it would be safe for he
beyond a peradventure to take he
own time about making up. to show
supreme indifference to his regard. n
E : more heart than an adder indeed
What was it, then that ached so da,
after day, as the dull cold Novembe
wind sighed about the house an