The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-12-13

do get wet" she said in sobbing whis-
per, laying her hand on his dripping
sleeve. II was SO rude to you yester-
day, you ought to have let me staid out
there all night in the cold.''
"Oh, no." he said, smiling, and
wrapping the overcoat more tightly
around her.
"And it was all about nothing" she
said. "Itwas all because Ben said that
you-you-''
THAT what?'' asked Reuben, bend
ing his head closer, so he could hear
her.
"You thought it was unladylike and
and ill-bred in me to whistle. DO you
think it is SO bad?'' she asked, looking
humbly up in his face. "f you do,
I'll never whistle again. Poor Lutte
was completely subdued by Cousin
Reuben's returning her evil with good
in such magnanimous way. Hes
not only given himself an awful wet
ting" she thought, remorsefully, "but
he's spoiled his best business suit. His
pantalOons will never be fit for a dog to
wear again.
Il don't think l ever used such
strong words as ill-bred and unladylike
in regard to your whistling," answered
the doctor, smiling in her troubled face.
/" Ben exaggerated little. But must
confess used to dislike to hear lady
whistle, but
"rll never whistle again." inter-
rupted Lutte, with as much decision as
her voiceless condition would allow.
"But he continued, still smiling,
81 don't dislike it now. / love to hear
you whistle. Besides, it was your
whistling directed me to you tonight.
Perhaps shouldn't have found you
without it. So take back your rash vow,
Cousin Lutte"
Il wish you would do something to
punish me for my rudeness," she said,
hurriedly. "Give me as much medi-
cine as you want; will take whole
barrelful if you say 500
"But shan say so." he said. There
was still smile on his lips, but none
in his eye; they shone strangely.
~ don't know what made me SO
cross" she went on. 81 know I'm
spoiled and willful. l never had a
mother to show me how to be gentle
and good; but am not often SO dread
full as l was to you yesterday. Oh,
Cousin Reuben. can you forgive me?''
"Lute," he saiu, In a voice almost as
low as hers, "lOOk at me-"
They were standing in the narrow
strip of light, and the moon lit up both
their faces. She raised her wet eyes
obediently, but the strange look in his
made her drop them suddenly, while a
startled, painful flush bathed her face
"Shall tell you why you were so
cross to me?" he asked.
"No, no." she murmurcd, hiding her
face in her hands.
"Was it because you cared for my
opinion, because you-loved me?''
His wet arms were around her now
it was well she had on his thick over
coat-and were pressing her closely to
his wet breast.
"My innocent darling" he whis-
pered, "you know now why you were
so cross with me-"
"How long have you known?' she
said, her voiceooming smothered from
his shirt bosom.
| "Know what, dear love?'
| "Why was SO cross with yOu."
| "Not five minutes. 1t flashed on
me just now, while you were asking
me to punish you.''
I'm glad,'' she said. ~ didn't
know myself, or l should have hid it
BETTER
I'D defy you to do that" he said,
with low laugh. "Oh, my sweet
dumb darling, look up and give me one
kiss
She raised her fair smooth face, and
his dark bearded one came in imme.
date and close contact with it. She
murmurcd on the divine breath of that
first kiss, You have not said whether
you love me or not?''
"Does this feel like it?'' he whis.
pered, crushing her closer to him.
"Oh, my darling, l love you'll love
you SO much! I have been so mad
about you as even to be jealous of pool
little Dick Spur. Last night l felt
like killing him when you smiled or
him sO.''
She was too happy to feel passing
pang for poor Dick. How could she
think of anyone but Reuben, with his
cheek against hers and his eyes on herr
"You told me not to touch you,'' she
said, presently; "don't you think you
are acting inconsistency, sir?''
"God forgive metz he said, loosine
her. 81 am selfish brute, to be hold
ing you against me, wet and dripping
az am. forgot everything but my
self. Do you feel cold?'' anxiously.
"Not bit"
"Maybe the overcoat kept you from
getting damp. never thought to have
Rugged that old Ulster with as mucf
zest as have done tonight. Come, let!
hurry home, and I'll begin giving yo,
that barrel of medicine you were 81
anxious to take"
"You must take part of it yourself, ,
} she said, as they started up the slope
in double-quick time. "rm dreadful
ly afraid this wetting will make yor
sick"
"rm too happy to be SICK" he said
looking at her in way that made he
blush and Jingle to her finger-ends
"We'n give granpa and Ben q double
surprise. They think you are il
; town somewhere; but had present
iment you were at the pond, SO 1 slippet
down there quietly, without telling any
body"
Eyes, they will be surprised at on
- And Lutte stopped and red
: dened.
"At our what, darling?"
"Oh, here we are at the house now,
said Lutte, irrelevantly.
"At our loving one another?" sal
Reuben, inclosing the Ulster in anothe
| rapturous hug. "Oh, my preciou
tlower-my darling-my - Yo1
may be sure the doctor filled thes
blanks in an appropriate manner.
YOU'RE nice DOCTOR" said Lutte
disengaging herself, in "a very rosy state
l Ito be putting such wet arms around
person hOarse with cold"
, "Oh, I'll soon cure you''-makin
as though he would seize her again
! but she eluded him, and fled up tn
steps and into the house.-Harper'
Bazaar.
AN Ohio couple recently quarreled
and in the heat of the moment the ma