The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-03
1ire's pretty and sensible representa-

squire pIGbGy aAu S0uS1O10 I6pIcScutd-
tive.
There was only too good reason why
the sheet of music forwarded by Mr..
Emmons had received so little attention
that afternoon.
Barbara's morning walk had carried
her past the fine old homestead Of the
Growers, now the sole property of the
present family representative, and she
had noted only too precisely the renovat-
ing and identifying process on which
Dan was expanding half the proceeds of
that years liberal wheat crop.
Carpenters, GLACIERS, painters; and all
the Dorcas Society was in arms, she
knew, about the extravaganza waste with
which the old-fashioned interior was
transforming.
More than one village critic had added
to his other charitable thoughts the sur
mise, CLOCKS kinder bad for Bill
Emmons ;" and Barbara herself could
have assured them of the correctness of
| their reasoning.
She was too kind hearted, however,
not to add to herself, $50 much the
better, too, for Mrs. Hawkins Neither
Dan nor would object to her living on
the old place till we could find buyer.
andSbuy it herself
It was, therefore, as the mistress of the
renovated mansion behind the naples at
the turn of the road that Barbara Haw-
kins was considering herself when tea
time came, and she was quite willing to
hurry back into the parlor while her
ready-handed step-mother supervised
their solitary "help'' in putting away
the tea-things.
By the time poor Bill Emmons made
his appearance, after his long days
drudgery in the one law office of the
village, where he was the junior, and
therefore perhaps the working partner
by that time Barbara was ready, civilly
as she received him, to wish he would
postpone his call until she could Gre
ceive him in so much better STYLE"
And yet that night, of all nights, the
young lawyer had made up his mind to
put his fate to the test, "and win or lose
it ALL"
Not bad fellow was Bill, and he had
more than once reflected how charming
ly convenient was the location of the
Hawkins homestead, and what a ire
mendous lift the possession of that and
the productive little farm belonging
thereto would give to struggling
young lawyer like himself. The fact
that he was over head and ears in love
with Barbara made the whole affair alb
solutely beautiful.
Sad was the trial to his impatient feel
ings, therefore, when all the eloquence
of which he was master and he had
long considered himself master of the
situation as well-only resulted in
obtaining for him a promise from Bar
bara that she "'would consult her step
mother"
"Such change it would make for
her if [ should leave her! sighed Bar
| bara.
"Not at all, not at ALL" eagerly ex-
claimed Bill. "She could live with
us, you know. Every body likes her.
I'm sure I do. She wouldn't be in the
way at all.
But vain was all he could say or do,
except that Barbara s vision of the Grover
farm and house may have receded some
what as she listened to the pleading Of
her sutton. She almost hoped Dan might
not come that evening, for not only the
present situation had it's charms, but it
might have it's perils as WELL Dan
Grover was not man to be trihed with,
she knew, for all his quiet, self-contained
ways.
And so it was with something of feel
ing of relief that Barbara listened, at
last, to the bur Of the big kitchen clock
striking 9.
It was at the same instant that the
shadows of two who were walking side
by side in the moonlight fell on the gate
in a singularly unified manner; and then,
as the gate opened, Barbara sprung to
her feet with slight exclamation. She
had been sitting close to the low window
seat, and she had not seen fit, OF had
forgotten, to light lamp.
There may or there may not have been
any cause for surprise, but the way of it
had been this: No sooner were the tea
things out of the way than Mrs. Hawkins
remembered an errand she had in the
village, and had slipped quietly out to
perform it. Nor would so simple mat
ter have taken two long hours, but that,
just as the widow was stepping across the
little foot-bridge at the brook, the form
of tall, broad-shouldered vigorous man
of, say, IS summers stood before her, and
a deep voice remarked:
"Right about face, please [ want a
bit of talk with you, and there'd be no
chance for it at the house."
Not word said the widow, as Dan
Grover drew her arm in his, but she
thought, If he wants to speak of Bar
bara, he's right, for Bill Emmons must
be there by this time. What a fool she
is! He don't begin to compare with
Dan"
It must be confessed, however, that it
seemed wonderfully pleasant, even when
Dan turned up the shadowy lane toward
the grove, and when he seemed disposed
to put off his express business and to