The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-22
sELE69 9sBToRY.


tor was ~. fhcf&JS VIZ e.~~' 80
his were gray She. ahad on" pink
calico dress and swhits muslin apron;
he wore clean, eool-looking linen cloihss. !,
and = wid. Psnama hat a ,ss-a
The gentleman admired ths lady's !.
flowers sssy much, especially the whiss
roses.-ons Of. which. BY the way, she ,
had tucked under she ear. She inquired
with considsrabls show Of interest abou.
the Ruggiss chiidren, who had thsmes-
.lss. He told bsr Eravely ysli ssboct
Tommy and Ban Alice and Kit; and,
when no hsd fnfshed, n siIeDcs fell up
on them. H1. {,
Matty was leaning on the gate, looking
down the village street. shs thought
how funny il wss for Mr.. Scott 90 paint 1
his new houss pea green siih, lavender
trimmings, and was about % say 20 10
DR.. Gibson, whsn hs stopped hers ?
He said the very last thing she would
have expected to hear. lie said: |
"Matty. + love you. and want you to
marry me.y
The very loot in the bright brown
eyes would have told him, wiihnta a sin-
gle spoken word, how thoroughly un;-
looked for such propo-st had BEEN
She had never. I'd All ths ysars rsbs had
known DR.. Gibson. thought for mo
msnt ofihe possibility Of bis loving her.
She was vry sorry, she told him, but
shs didn'i love him one his, at least in
that way. But the tears c,me into her
eyes m abe ssw the quiet face grow a
irias pale. - 4 80 : 80
IT hardly believed you did care for
me-" he went on, after pause. "But
hoped you might yet learn 20 do it.p
"But-but--r said Matty, with en-
barrsssment, al though, every one knew
Twas engaged 10 my cousin' Tom"
'"Your cousin TomP' echoed the Doc
TOR. II was impossible 10 mistake the
impressions which passed over his face.
u was not merely personairegret At the
fact she announced, but an impartial
disspprsval Of the match.
He made 20 comment, however, bot
directly said: Z - .sasA HiAfs it..i ~
"Mstiy, J shall never get over this-I
mean that shall always love you, and,
if you need a friend or protector, or
or any one, you'll come to me, won't
ysu2p m - .. ..ItT
She promised and held out her hand
10 him. He shook 10 warmly, snd raid:
"God bless you p and left her. hurried
", sf.e-,.tis, - a. .;u
..Matsy, still leaning on the wooden
gate, watched the rtifing figure out Of
sight. She was very quiet all day, and
in-shs evening propvunded this absurd
question: !-is5D sfs~
"Tom. what would you do IL i should
jiity ou?'' 'bri ~ 'ss'ffiTfrs
Tom stroked his downy upper lip, apd
looked, pensivs. ..f- +. ,,.i,,s-.,- 49,
s"couldnt sag" he replied, after some
= moments Of reflection "You might try
and sesn i''
perhaps ] WILL" sbe replied more
soberly than the occasion seemed to war
rant. Tom stared very hard at her, bu
Immediately forgot the incident. ,i
Nearly year passed. One day Mrs
Kellicoit's "help" rushed franticall,
into DR.. Gibson's house, rnd ,breathless
ly announced TO that gentleman tina
"Mr. Tom would be deader'n door mai
long before he got there, IL he didn'
Jump" For two seconds, thinking o
him as bis rival in Matty's affections
the Doctor had half mind to consig
him 10 the tender mcrcies Of good, stur
I'd old DR.. Wells; but his better natur
prevailed, and he started for Mrs. Kelli
colts at the very heels Of the servah,
girl. - ~
When he arrived be. found Tom
high fever, and delirious. He pronoun'
ed Il a severe case OF typhoid fever, an
privately added doubt that he woul
recover eTsent to hisown house Il
changes Of clothing, prepared 10 devo
himself 70 the sick man. Mstty, to
was nnwssried In her work, and, beir
necersarily mach in Toms room. cons
qnently Aaw the Doctor constantly 1
and his presented marked contrast
each other. The latter was cap.iousa Al
peevish TO an unheard Of degree, Al
talked slmoet necessarily Of some u
known being named Kate On the 9th
hand. DIR. Gibson was SO patient a
gentle, 80 strong and helpful, doing
much for Tom, and yet not forgetti
one Of his accustomed duties, that NJ
W opened her eyes in admiring astonil
ment. .-..l. a.. ...
One morning, as the Doctor prepar
o sleeping draught for somebody, q
dictated TO Matty a prescription
somebody sIse, she said with real soil
tude: .g ta .....- ..-..t -
"Dr. Gibson, you will certainly
yourself IL you keep on at this rate; {
'iis my belief that you are over work
and you ought TO take rest" ..
"Do I appear to be at deaths doc
he inquired. Strengthening mp, and sqr
ing his shoulders, as il proud Of
proportions. "No, Matty," he CONT
ed solemnly, though with, a merry tv
HE in The honest eyes, "work, as \
Bowers frequently remarks is pannah
MaIty understood him and colared CT
son. e, .i.-. -. -. ...,. -.
At last Tom was pronounced on
danger, and now the Doctor felt that
must remove himselfand his belong
from Mrs. KslIicotrs house to his G
Matty hidden by the honey .suckle v
over the piazza, watched him 60 and
ed little.
The morning after, Tom and NJ
sat on the piazza; he reading. or pret
ing to read, while she sewed dilligeI
Neither uttered word for more
half nm hour. .------s
Presently Matty shook out the m,
cap she was making, and laid il on