The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-06-18
Just then it began to rain. Jack

without a word Jack opened the
umbrella, stalked. over to where
she stood, and held it over her.
He did it in such an honest, ear
nest way, she could not take offence.
She looked up into his face smiled.
jack smiled. She laughed low.
pbling laugh, Jack hysterically
shHrt one.
aIt's too bad it rains,''' said she,
with the accent on the "too bad,"
Just as girls always speak.
~ don't know" blundered Jack,
intreply.
She looked at him curiously, and
said, "Well," ina self-interrogatory
way..as though she might have said
"What sort of an oddity are your
and then laughed again.
With that Jack also laughed, and
came to himself. Then he began
to talk, and they got on grandly.
The rain not ceasing. Jack walk
ed home with her, for he found
out that she lived in town. When
they had arrived at her door, and
1she had thanked him for the use of
the umbrella, Jack knew he ought
to go; but-every young man
knows how it is-he wasn't quite
ready.
"My name," stammered he, els
Jack-Jack Haviland."
"Ard mine is Clio Stanley
"And-and I'm studying law
herein Town. ~.
"And I am stopping here for the
summer with papa. [ should be
happy to receive call from you"
Then Jack went home.
The next day Jack thought it
all over. The one moment he call
ed himself fool, the next chuckled
over the action, and decided with
| all the acumen of country judge,
toward which position he had as
pirations, that it was rather 'cute," :"
and if cute, why he, as the perpe:
traitor, must be somewhat sharp.
Now he vas inclined to feel sorry
and ashamed over it; then with
an ap| cal to the principal heather
deity of his vocabulary, Jack ex-
nrossad himself "a s.deuced glad"I
1T happened. So he went on in
spirit alternating up and down,
like boy on see-saw, provided
the boy could ride both ends Of the
see-saw at once, which, L suppose
is an impossibility; but when even
ing came he went and called on
the young lady. She invited him
to call again. Jack did so. In
fact, he went several consecutive
times. :. .. -..
Three years passed away. Jack
had studied diligently, and now for
six months had been practicing
lawyer, with every prospect of sue
cess. All this time his devoted
attentions had been paid to Clio;
vet in all that time not word of
live passed between them, Jack
.ould not and would not ask her to
love him until he could offer her
something more tangible than pos:
sihilitics. But now that he had
won his first case and had attained
a settled business, he felt the time
to determine his fate had come
vet how could it be done? The
very thought distressed him. Gould
he-dare he ask her? Could she
know how much her answer would
mean to him? IF she said ''yes,"
what happiness. success; how
much to live for! IF she said sno-"
he didn't dare to think.
The more. he thought Of it, the
more he hesitated, and the more
he delayed-the harder it became.
At last be determined it. should bel
DONE
Clio met him as usual with a
pleasant smile. Jack tried to smile
i but it ebbed off over his counte-
nance, and was lost in his s'solemn
expression" just as a little wave is
often lost in a larger. Clio saw
something was going to happen.
and. women like, OWNED intuitive-
ilv what it was. But he had kept
her waiting in suspense and nncer-
tainty so long that now, when III
was about to come, she determined
she would not help him in the
least. At length Jack began:
cello, I'm having considerable
business now"
eyes," said she, very demureIy,
with a quiet little nod; then re-
lapsed into silence without another
word. Jack fdgetcd and thought,
"Why don't she say something and
keep fellow on ?"
five got so now [ can support
myself, and-'
I'm right glad to hear it,: said
Clio. -.
Jack felt that somehow she was
sporting with him, and flashed up; p;
"Yon never heard that [ didn't
support myself, did your" ...
"No! But then"
"But then? You know, Clio,
that ever since f.was fifteen
"Never mind" said Clio, ''for it
- as 4Lnnnh r have heard q