The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-07
ord ran his heart through with sharp


i'm his declaration, rs perhaps romantic
women always are when honest, prac-
teal men tell their love bluntly, without
rapturing quotations or enhancing
simile.
q think you understand me, my
dear" he had said grayely, holding both
her hands.
- do not know how To win you, Han
nah, if You do not already feel that you
could sometimes love me little IN re-
turn for this one great passion OF my
life. | love you, Hannah, truly ano
well I: it il not possible that i am de
ceived in this. At my time of life mel
know with whom their hopes are III keep
ing. | do not expect that you can or dc
return the vehemence of my feeling foi
YOU, but | shall be satisfied if YOU can
promise to look upon me kindly, and
with an intent to try and answer my feel
ing. | have not, perhaps, put the CASE
in the best way, but You comprehend
me, my dear child. Say that you vii
endeavor to regard me rs the man whom
You are to love and reverence as You can
not any other-your husband ! want
YOU to be my wife, Hannah. / do not
say Immediately. | can wait any reason
able time; my life has been one long
probation.
Hannah was certainly in dream, out
of which she came with IA start-she must
find an answer. How long he had waited
on her as it was.
Then the dreaded "No' came She
had prepared it halfway beforehand,
and it was said almost before she knew
it. She knew nothing of the pain she
gave that noble soul-that grand, unset
fish heart. We will acquit Hannah Of II
thought to hurt any living thing, as in
deed, despite her temper at times, and
her archibald impulses, rs Mrs. Give
called her spasms of cruelty, she only
hurt herself. She had al her life super
intended and managed large infrmary
for manned and mangled creatures,
which she tenderly cared for and restored
to well-bcing. Hers was as tender as
any heart that ever beat, and we must
not now accuse her of taking good
sized dagger or paper-knife and delib-
erately plncturing the large, loving
heart of her old friend-her New lover
DR.. Cory. No, Hannah was romantic,
and believed that if she bided her time
her ideal lover would appear; and, pray,
was she not young and beautiful, with
all the wide glorious world before her :?
Why should she throw herself away on n
country surgeon, to help to concoct his
vinegar plasters, sit up at nights with
his patients, and 90 on day after day
busting green and blue bottles, and
smelling aloes from that horrid jar and
pestle.
Are you sure, Hannah, of what YOU
say-that you can never change toward
me? But, then, ! will not harass Won,
child. If Won could have known how
much ! want you, you might have
thought of this little differently. /
hope you will not mind my coming TO
the house sometimes. | shall never say
anything more to distress you. But we
have been the best OF friends too long to
let this foolish dream of mine come be-
tween us.
The Sunshine faded from the family
room as Hannah dropped the musky
green curtains, after watching the Doc
tor down the red walk to the gate. and
ont under the walnut tree, the strong,
vigorous frame, the steady steps accord
ing so i'll with that troubled face and
bowed head
"Oh, dear / hope / don't say any
thing to hurt his feelings in the least.
70 be sure one can't marry all the men
who desire them to; but | remember how
i'll | was, and how kind DR.. Cory was,
and paid me all attention, nursing Inc
night and day. l don't suppose it's my
fault if | couldn't love him." Hannah
wiped one very little tear from her left
eye with her snowy apron, and thought,
with some very inexplicable pangs, " It's
all over; somebody has desired me, and
have refused him. think the long
lane is going to turn at last.
Hannah went slowly up the wooden
stairs, singing i'll mellow voice:
robin he woocd, and Robin he lost
All on n summers day;
All the roaring he crOst--
TO forget II, well a-day.'
Aunt Della was in the bedroom before
her, knitting on those never-ending wool
en- hose for the loutish Ira, and she went
at the question beadlong,
:" suppose Dr. Cory asked you to
marry him, and Won told him You would,
Hannah ?"
/" told him ! wouldn't" the girl
said, feeling restless under the keen gray
eyes.
:" Mysister Hannah was fool, and she
left her daughter only her name, and her
lack of sense"
Aunt Give said this in agitation, and
went away, angry with Hannah, for the
morning work, and Hannah began to
think, perhaps, she should never mad to
touch the green bottles or smell the aloes
if she had gone over to the red house
with DIR. Cory as his wife.
Hannah remained at home the follow
ing Sunday, for fear of meeting some
body; and Aunt Della went away with
her own reflections in her black silk
gown and her drawn silk bonnet, which
were both as familiar to the little chapel
rs the baize curtains in the organ loft or
the pointed diamond aned window.
But Aunt Della came home with dust
on the silk gown hem, and anxiety under
the drawn bonnet on the motherly face.
DR.. Cory had not beento church, nor at
tended any of his people for four days,
and he WAS at home stricken with the
fever, which was all over the country,
and which he had met and battled nobly
Tor weeks, and without thought for
himself
And l should like to know what
Elmstields is to do without him 2" said