The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-03-07
ing toward the small boy with awakened

"'Cause," said Ned, evidently trying
to repeat the very words-"' cause he
couldn't bear even his picture to have
always before it the face of his rival, his
successful-yes, that's this successful
rival"
My heart gave bound. She did
love me, then. Poor Charley
'.And what reply did your sister make
to that ?" asked.
"Oh she said nonsense b she
took the picture -Charley's, you
know-and he kissed her hand, and she
carried it up to her room, and it's there
now, hanging between the Huguenot
Lovers and His Only Friend He's a
poor barefooted boy a lying fast asleep
in the road, and his only friends dog
one of them big fellows, you know
Yes, yes" 1 interrupted, rather i'm
patiently; "I know all about it,
Ned, evidently somewhat Offended,
was silent for about three minutes, and
then began again. "Oh, my didn' t
they talk thst day Vic sent word to
everybody else that came that she was
out Wasn't that whopper9 [ was
snuggled up on the sofa over in that
dark corner there, and they didn't see
me, and I heard every word they said.
Wouldn't Vic have boxed my ears if
she'd caught me p
"I wonder what they talked Of i
said to myself, with a jealous qualm-
to tell the truth, I'd been little stag
gered by the picture episode : and then,
though it wasn't exactly the right thing
to do, although certainly excusable in a
case like this, where a mans whole hap
plness was at stake, / made up my mind
if possible to find out.
"Ned," said I, "1 saw splendid
knife the other day six blades"
"Six blades p repeated Ned, his eyes
sparkling.
eyes, or five blades and file, I don t
remember which. It was beauty.
though, and if I wasn't afraid you'd cut
yourself with it, I'd buy it and give it
to you"
"Cut myself !'' said the small boy.
with infinite sco-n 81 amt baby
"Well," said /, "the knife shall be
yours. And then I continued, in a
nonchalant manner: "What was it you
said your sister and Mr.. Thornton were
talking abouts"
II didn't say nothing" said Ned
I" When'n you bring the knife ?''
You shall have it tomorrow, I re-
piled. 'Did they say anything about
.Oh, lots r. said Ned, starting off
rapidly. "Charley said, sOh, Vic,
you'd never have given NE up if hadn' t
told you how rich he was. What fool
I've been I might have known that
that would have been too much of a.
let me see: Lead us not into tempta-
tom temptation for such a girl as you
are. Good heavens! 7 and he grabbed
hold of his hair just as though he was
going to pull it all OUT" and the small
boy suited the action to the word, and
tugged at his own curly locks with such
an assumption of desperation as brought
the tears into his eyes. "sG Good heav-
ems 7 he says, how selfish and cruel
you are !! I'm sure don't know how I
can love you. Are you going to marry
him2' And Vic says, I am"
ooh you are, thinks the attentive
listener.
1T would be awful silly she says, !"
the small hoy rattles on, for as to get
married. l might think was happy
for little while, cause [ b'lieve I love
you as well as could love anybody, and
then I'd be jolly miserable, for must
have a seal-skin jacket and new switch,
and hair like mine costs like Oh
no; that's what she said to ma this morn
ing. / mean she says: For I never
could be happy without a fine house, and
carriage, and all sorts of nobby
things and ever so much more I can't
remember. And so be good boy,
she says, 'and console yourself with
May Newton. She likes you, I'm sure,
and she is a sweet little thing, and would
make you an excellent wife"
81 don't believe she ever Will, then,"
[ mutter between my teeth. Go on,
Ned"
"'No, she wouldn't says Charley;
and as for her liking me, you never
were more mistaken in your life; or, if
she does like me, it is because am the
friend of the man she loUes-Arthur
Bell '"-Q'm Arthur Bell '"yes, she
loves him rs dearly as do you, and has
loved him for years. It was for his sake
she refused handsome Phil Akers, to
say nothing of that rich old bachelor
Quimby. that all the other girls are pull
ing caps for. Poor little wretch 1
know how to pity her. You'll both re-
cover says Vic, and, ten chances to
one, fall in love with each other. There's
nothing like catching a ball on the
bounce.
"'A heart on the rebound I think
you mean, Ned, I say, with astonishing
oalmness.
"Well, perhaps I do" assents the
small boy, whistling couple of bars of
+" Yankee Doodle " thoughtfully. "Any-
how" ending with a false note that
makes me shudder, "Vic stuck to it
she'd marry you, cause you was so slap
bang set 'em-up-a again rich; and Charley
smashed his hat on his head and walked
out of the room like this and, slipping
from the table, the small boy seized my
hat from my hand, literally smashed
it upon his curly head, and strobe out
into the hall in such melodramatic man
ner that 1 smiled in spite of myself
When he returned I lett the easy-chair
not quite as much at ease as when I
sat down in it-took possession of my
hat, restored it as nearly as possible to
its original shape, and said, "Ned,
you've been remarkably entertaining
in fact, / never met such an entertaining
small boy before; but won't wait any
longer. Give my respects to your sis
ter"
Don't you mean your love?" asks
Ned, with wide-opened eyes, and adds,
confdentially, ooh! come now, you
needn't be bashful I know all about
it, you know"
{" 1 don't mean my love-" say, most
emphatioally.
''And when'Il you come again ?''
Impossible to tell"
"But the knife the one with six
blades, or five blades and a file p
"Iu send it tomorrow morning
early"
you're trump l'' exclaims the small
boy, cutting a caper. "And, [ say,
when you marry Vie and ask me out to
your country-house to spend my vaca-