The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-11-08

edly home.
The Fates forbade her. She had moi
accomplished quarter of the distance
before the light roll of wheels made hel
turn her head and start perceptibly. In
moment later young DIR. Gray, whose
natty top-buggy was the envy of all men
and whose fascinating smile had won
the hearts of all the women, had drawn
up his horse at her side, had leaped to
the ground and had asked, eagerly:
5'eMiss Evans, may have the pleasure
of driving you home :"
The color frightened in Nancy's
cheeks, the light in her eyes, as she as
sented with charming smile; and in a
moment more they were slowly bowling
along the road, and the blue ribbons
were blown against the doctors broad
cloth.
DR.. Gray was young, handsome, not
deficient in brains, with pocket money
enough to prevent him from being trag-
ically earnest in his profession, and very
much in love with the coquettish bit of
wolnanhood by his side. As for Nancy,
she was little bit afraid of the gray
ewes that could be quizzical as well as
admiring, and of the smile that some
times curled the corners of the black
mustache. ButNancy was minus lover
lust then and the doctor was catch, /"
and SO she laughed and chartered as the
bay horse trotted along.
The farmhouse came in sight too
soon, and the doctor stopped midway in
his speech to inquire,
/" Won't you take longer ride?, It's
such beautiful afternoonl
Nancy demurred, as in duty bound.
@I-don't know. l guess it must be
most tea-time.n
The doctor laughed, and held hiswatch
before her. It was precisely four.
"Oh, well, then" began Nancy,
somewhat confused. :" But aren't these
your Office hours?'
"Confound my hoursp' commented the
doctor to himself. Aloud he said, "Pm
sometimes obliged to break through my
hours. Pm going now so see IA
patient on the outskirts of the town" "
So they drove on.
The q patient y could hardly have been
in a critical state. The doctor, leaning
back in the carriage, let the reins lie
loosely on the horses back as they paced
slowly through shady wood roads SMELL
ing of pines, while the warm breeze
futtered light curls across Nancy's arch
black eyes, and the blue silk parasol had
to be held up to keep the sun from her
rosebud of face. The doctor had a
lurking fear that Nancy was rustic and
ignorant, but ali she was so pretty!
How far they rode in this lazy way,
wholly rapt in conversation, is not
known. How far they would have rid
den is uncertain, if Nancy had not sent
a mischievous glance straight into the
gray eyes, and inquired:
@Why, where does that patient of
yours liver
The doctor laughed frankly, coloring
nevertheless.
al see you understand the ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain ; pretty
well, Miss Nancy. And now l don't
dare to tell you what was going to say
before you spoke"
"What was itT' queried Nancy, curl
GUS and conscious.
at was,n said the doctor, bending his
own face closer to the curl-shaded one
at his side, "that / wish l had the right
to keep you with me always. Miss
Nancy, will you look at me-wil you
let me f'
It was well that the doctor did not
guess why, amidst Nancy's bright
blushes, her lip quivered and her eyes
filed with tears. She had made up her
mind to accept the doctor, but in this
decisive moment the thought of John
Armitage sent pang, cruel in intensity,
through her heart. Then came the
memory of their yesterday quarrel, and
Nancy faltered, with struggling smile
all don't know"
She did know when, in the late twilight
she and the doctor walked together into
the dusky sitting-room at home, where
her father was dozing and her mother
knitting, to ask their consent and theil
blessing.
"Dear mew said the good farmer
rubbing his eyes. "Two sech pieces oi
news in one days GURUS hereabouts.
heard on'y an hour sence that johnnie
Armitage is a-goin' to Texas to kinder
farm on his own account. l sortel
thought, too, It he an Nancy fancieC
each other, but here she's wantin' tt
marry another man. It's cur'us!
Nancy had taken her hand from tht
doctors arm and had sat down in tht
window. She heard, mistily, comments
and congratulations; she answered ques
tions, laughed at jokes. She walked
down to the gate with the doctor wheI
he left, and stood there under the lilacs
his arm about her, replying to the tendel
talk; but when he was gone, leaving
farewell kiss on her lips, she rushed vi
stairs and threw herself on the bed in |
perfect agony of sobbing that she coulc
hardly stifie in the pillow.
The story of the next week is hack
neyed. Such happenings are too com
mon. Nancy came and went like tn
ghost of herself, but the whole villag
was gossiping over her engagement, ant
her evidences of trouble were ascribe,
to the "queerness of a girl just en-
gaged.n Little tired Mrs. Armitage raj
over across lots one afternoon to tell tn
Evanses that John was going Monday
and she guessed he would manage to ge
over and bid them goodbye; and erie
because her pet son was going away, an
was cool and sharp to Nancy, eyidentl
suspecting that she was the cause.
/. Perhaps light natures suffer most ovel
whelmingly. Often in those beautifu
June days Nancy, all alene in som
shadowy grassy place, with sunbeam
shimmering above, would wonder in
dim, childish way if she should nc
"die when John went" Only one hop
was left: John was coming to say gooC
bye. Oh, if she could only let hil
know how it really was! But how coul
she7 and she would look down despai
ingly at the little gold circle on he
finger.
Sunday afternoon John finally cam
Nancy, sitting in the parlor with th
doctor, caught a glimpse of the wei
known figure at the gate under the lilat
again. For a moment the room whirle
around, and she was deathly white; the
she rose mechanically, saying that 81
must bid Mr.. Armitage goodbye, an
went to the doorway, where John W,
greeting her parents, and warding c
the Newfoundland with a laugh.
"Yes," he was replying as Nanc
came up, they say there's a prett
good chance out there for young fello
with health and energy.-How do yC