The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-22
Was It UqpaideQly

I have been waiting for your answer as
long as I can wait, and you must tell me
now. Gussie, do you love me?"
Will Hammond stood at one .end of the
long snowy pine table, looking very hand
some and very much in earnest as he
watched the saucy, graceful way Gussie
Greendale tossed her head, and the
bright color came warming her pretty
cheeks.
1t made pleasant picture, the big
kitchen in the Greendale farm house, with
its dresser full Of shining tins, its big,
deep-seated windows draped with spotless
dimity; its dozen old-fashioned rush-bot-
toned chairs, and one great big eozily-
cushioned rocker beside the cooking
stove; with its snowy floor, with here and
there strips of bright rag carpet, its long
white pine side table that was loaded down
this cold frosty winter morning with
toothsome dainties in fair way of prep
aration for the table.
And prettiest of all was Gussie Green
dale herself, with her bright brown and
white calico dress, so neatly covered by a
big bib apron, her sleeves rolled up to her
pink, dimpled elbows, showing small, ex-
quisitely moulded arms; with her pretty
arch face, of clear brunette complexion;
her well-poised head with it's shiny, dusky
hair arranged neatly and becomingly;
with her saucy, roguish eyes, whose mef-
riment hid the greath depth OF tender
passion, of which she was so capable.
viii Hammond looked at her for fully a
minute, all his heart in his eyes, while
Gussie went complacently on with the
work in hand which, at that especial min
ute, consisted of spreading delicious
looking lemon custard on layer of jelly
cake.
A minute, two, three passed, and the
young man waited, and the girl spread
custard with her dainty brown hand as
though life itself was dependent there
| upon.
| Then he spoke.
"Will you answer me, Gussie? Yes OF
no p
! And Gussie raised her roguish, coquet-
| tish eyes with a occurrences that he might
have known was dangerous.
Greatly, | don't know which it is
There, now, Will, are you satisfed?"
Satisfied! Aud he thought, as he bill
his moustaehe in sheer vexation, that il
took some magic skill he feared he never
should possess to WOO this outrageous little
enchanting Dirt.
Satisfied With her deliciously red lips
pouting so near him, and he not daring to
kiss them-satisfed, with that naughty lit,
tie head SO near his, and he not daring tc
cradle it on his breast
"DoubtleSs my content is supreme" he
said bitterly. "Gussie did it ever seem tc
you that perhaps | mean what | say
Some etimes | have ina gined you treat it al
as a good joke and nothing more. Gus
sic You shall answer me! If you have
an idea beyend having that custard spread
smooth on your cake, you shall tell me
yes, or no !"
And Gussie, with her fne-layered custarG
| jelly-cake poised on her fingers, looked
critically, admiringly at it, then a
him.
every well, viii, since you insist upor
| yes or no-no!"
And she sat the cake down with littlt
emphasis.
| NO" he echoed, in voice that wa.
husky with the sudden end of the ex
quisite dream he had been indulging 81
long-ever since he had come to the Green
dale farmhouse in midsummer. ant
where he fingered now, out of all pru
dence so far as his business was concerned
at the beginning of December, simpl,
and solely because in Gussie Green
dale were centered all the hopes Of hi
life.
And she had deliberately said - no
She had coolly, almost coldly told hin
she did not love him, or its equivalent.
"No! Gussie, you can't mean that
you never can be SO cruel ="
"Imean just what said-I have tha
habit. But can offer you every encour
agement in asking some other young ladie
the same question who have other idea
than those Of cake-making, who doubtless
will be very glad of "a chance to say yes.
Isn't this kitchen awfully hot ?"
Certainly Gussie's cheeks were remark
ably red, but whether or not it was tn,
heat of the kitchen, Willard Hammond
did not inquire-he had his answer.
And Gussie's fingers few faster thar
usual, and the pantry doors slammed
somewhat, and one entire pan of cookies
were burned to small oval oinders while
Gussie stood lneditatiyely by the window.
"Think you must be going, Ell? III
rather sudden, isn't it, Mr.. Hammond "
Farmer Greendale passed the warn