The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-05-07
THE LOVE or A FOOL.

Lu stood behind the little counter
where she passed SO many hours of
her life, her fingers resting upon the
glass Of the show case, which she
tapped impatiently, while her eyes
roved from Ned Snyder, behind the
opposite counter, to the door, through
whichshe hoped some customer would
enter. ~
Ned's attention was divided be-
tween leering at Lu, with his shock
ing contortions Of face, and yolun-
teering various clownish remarks,
each of which elected from their
Ibiectonly movement Of impatience,
sharper tapping of the glass with
er fingers, but no word of answer.
inally Ned left his place, sauntered
round behind LUIS counter and
nded the man@uYre by thrusting
is face up before hers. $500
"Oh, go away, Ned, )" she exclaim-
a, turning from him, do go nowl
"What,ll | go away for9" he de-
handed, creeping up again in front
IL her face.
$50 because I am tired and want
you to 60, this in o tone Of marked
impatience, which Ned evidently un,
derstood that it would not do for him
to disregard. 'fGo back behind your
own counter, or stay here and I'll go
there. What. do you suppose GUS
toners would think to see you acting
in this way2"s Is. aaIiise ss3s3 q ga &
3 Ned hustled over to his own side
of the room before he answered, in a
very inatter-of-fact way: "Suppose
they'd think we ought to be mar
riedl'
Married you foolish fellowl
Why do you keep talking such nom
senseY ''
sWell, now tell you there is lots
Of folks that talks in that way,
whether you'd think it or not, and
course they're right about it. Tell
( Ialal 8. I4.It 4 ff.II ID
you one thing when we be married
you don't drive me around this way;
Just make up your mind about thatl'
The last part Of Ned's information
had been volunteered as the door
opened to admit Homer Hardness;
and Lu had scowled silence at the
owner Of the wagging tongue in
vain. But if the young man who
entered had heard anything of what
was being said he did not indicate it
by any change Of expression. He
greeted the twain with friendly
word to each, and passed through to
the dining-room. When hisfootsteps
died away, Lu turned her great
brown eyes to Ned, and said sorrow
fully:
"Ned, why will you talk SO, and
before people, most of all? Don'tyou
know that 1 don't want you to talk
that way, and you mustn'tP'
"Mustn't! Lord, what words you
usel But you'll get over it some day
WON'T always be as bashful. "
A voice from below called for Ned,
and he tumbled from sight, much tc
LUIS relief
Any person seeing Lu Towner day
by day would have understood how
cheerless her young life really was
An evil star had seemed to rule al
her birth Her father formerly en-
gagged in comfortable business, had
taken to drink, ruined his custom
lsquandered his little property, and
finally died soon after LUIS birth
Her mother, broken hearted, strug-
gled with adverse fortune for few
years and then she, too, died, leaving
her little daughter to the care Of hel
only relative, a married aunt. The
aunt was kind, in SO far as her nature
knew the meaning of the word; bu
she had made Mammon her god, an,
nature had given her great power TO
physical endurance-two dangerou
qualities for the same person to pos
sess, especially if that person. be
woman asA @
LUIS uncle was the proprietor Of
bakery, and his connection was
saIesroom, and q. boarding house
Mr.. Towner superintended tn
former; his wife the two latter; ant
so it was that when Lu had masteret
the rudiments of the common schoo
education, she was taken in as sor
of general help for her aunt. Itwa
as though the sunlight of her dawn
ling life had gone behind some grea
cloud. There was SO much that sh
could do, aud she was SO willing t
do whatever might be demanded q
her. From peeling potatoes. choT
ping hash and washing dishes, he
1sphefedof usefulness gradually eS
tended through all the department
Of the boarding house and salesroom
It'll now we find her, at the age {
20, after eight years of incessanttoiI
with no prospect Of any change, g
long as life and health should remaiI
From very early in the morning ii
very late at night, through seven Ion
days in every week, with only Q
hour OF two respite on Sunday, sh
was here, there, whereyerherseryiet
we're demanded, not conscious thi
she was doing more actual physics
, labor than two like her should pc
form, besides shutting out from h'
! young life the joys Of oompanionshi
2 and Ignoring all those social pri
ileges which are 50 dear to your
life.
Lu was not specially pretty. 4
!. first glance sha seemed so her srna
i compact figure, oval features ar
I great brown eyes, So full Of hone
4 truth. we're certainly the elements
!. beauty but her ineessant toll hi
wrought its lines upon hands 81