Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-02-17

ed. 4 want to stop at some quiet,
pleasant place, and think this would
suit me. They told me at the station
that they thought that could get
board here
wall, dunno but we can commo-
date YOU answered Mrs. Graem,
thoughtfully. It's kind Of hurryin'
time o year, you see, an haydn s
comm on, an hoein', too, but if you
think you could manage to put up
with our way O. livin', guess you
can come
oh, I'll run the risk of that he
answered, laughlngly, with his eyes
on Olives flushed face For almost
The first time in her life she felt
ashamed Of her work. I'll 60 down
to the station and have my trunk
brought up. I'll be here to dinner.
'lIe's quite good looking chap,
but | shouldn't wonder if he is de-
ceitful,' said Mrs. Graem, when he
was out ofhearing You'd better go
an pick some peas I'll try an git
the washin' out O the way in time to
hel p shell EN-
Olives thoughts were all of the new
boarler, as she picked tho peas that
morning. She had already thought
Rob Eaton good looking fellow, but
he paled into insigniticance now.
She filled her basket, and sat down
upon the front steps to shell them,
looking down the road often TO see if
he was coming back. Presently she
heard a sound of wheels, and a
moment later old Mr.. Browns red
wagon came in sight around the cor
ner, and the new boarder was in it,
Olive got up to run, and caught her
foot OH an old piece Of board, STUN
| bling as she did so, until the contents
of her basket were scattered over the
path in all directions. With a face
full of vexation, she began to pick up
the green peas, hoping that he would
not notice her, if she kept her face
turned away. But he did.
'You met with quite misfortune
he said, with pleasant laugh. Let
me help you 'Oh, don't trouble
yourself about them,' she answered,
with burning checks. L can pick
them up liz minute
No trouble at all, he answered.
I'D rather help you than not. III
help you shell them il you'll let me.
Before the peas were shelled, Olive
felt quite wei acquainted with Hart
lev Venner. lie had pleasant,
easy way, and a faculty of making
people take and feel at ease in his
company. Olive mentally concluded
that he was by all odds tie finest gen.
tlemfftl she had ever met.
More than once she looked up to
find his eyes. full of admiration, liked
upon her face and the swift color
would rise, and her eyes would drop
in pretty confusion, making her look
like wild rose, newly blossomed.
"A queen wild.rose of country girls.
Hartley Venner told himself. as he
watched her. 4 am glad j hap
pened to get in here.
That was the beginning OF what
was to Olive one of the pleasantest
Summer of her life. She had read OF
such men as Hartley Yenner was, =
handsome, we'll bred, cultivated and
fascnating,-but she had never
known one before. 1t is not to be
wondered at that she fell in love with
him readily, because he was from the
very world she had such longing to
see more of, and he charmed her.
She was not the first woman that his
handsome face had charmed.
The DAYS came and went very
swift to Olive because every one
shortened the stay of the man she
loved But every day, as it passed,
held some delightful snemory for her.
Of a walk, it might be, through the
green country lanes, or row on the
pond but, be it walk, or ride, run
ming through all, like golden thread,
was the memory al Hartley Nenner's
low said words, which meant so little,
when she thought meant so much; q
his tender glances, speaking to her a
language strangely sweet. She
thought she could never forget them
Perhaps she never will. But she will
not Away remember them as she
thought she would then, when she
was dreaming her dream
Robert Eaton saw how matters
stood, and kept aloof He cared for
Olive as he knew he should never
care for any other woman, but he
would never intrude. She must
choose for herself and if she chose
some one else, why-he would try
and be content. But it cost him a
bitter pain to know that what he had
stryen so hard to win, was given nn-
asked 10 another
And Olive dreamed on. 1t was
with her as with most of us when we
dream. We don't stop to ask what
the end will be. We are content to
dream. And the Summer slipped by,
and brought at last the time when
Hartley Venner must 60 back to his
old life,-the very life she had
thought about and longed for so
much. If he loved her, could
she doubt that he did for moment :?
this life might yet open its charmed
gates for her to enter. Ii he loved
her a? Did men ever whisper such
tender words as he had whispered to
her, to woman they did not love
Did they ever smile into their eyes in
that earnest, soulful way and mean
nothing by it? No, no! She knew
better than that.
lie did not tell her that he was
going until the day tor his departure
came. She turned pale when she
knew that the end of her Summers
dream had come. and dared not trus,
her voice.
Shall you miss me, Oliver? he
asked softly.
Miss you 2 She asked the word:
as if she were asking him if he
thought she would miss the sun if i
were to drop suddenly out of the
sky. Miss him? He knew she
would.