The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-02-08

- Watson. and all were forgotten IL re-
!. freshing sleep Yes, Marian slept; the
pretty head resting against the old pine,
n her hands crossed on her lap, while the
sr shadows began to creep over the hills.
er The wood music had ceased even the
=. birds were still.
And there, as the suns last ray had
?: disappeared. Harold Watson stumbled
upon the sleeping Marian. A look Of
as exultation came over his features as he
a saw who it was look not pleasant to
see. He stopped down beside her and
o took one Of her litt}e hands in his. He
si lonced TO swake her with kiss, but did
not dare. He touched her gently on the
shoulder.
III She half opened her eyes, and by some
strange fatality said scltIy, HaroldP'
:. ture of the mans face, but he controlled
himself and said, "T am sorry t.
/; disturb you, Miss Marian, but it is grow
ing late, and l thought you would accept
of my escort home"
Marian. now fully awake, blushed at
- the glances of admiration cast upon ner
by those black eyes, as she related how,
being tired, she had fallen asleep.
so, laughing ana talking they wendea
their way through the wood. They were
, nearly to the home of Marian, when
they met Ed, who explained that he had !
seen Marian's Aunt who told him Marian |
had gone into the forest and had not vet /
returned, so lie had come out to find her. !
He said that lie was glad to see she was
in good hands, bowed to them both. and |
walked on.
Harold Watson thought within him,
self The fellow is jealous" while
Marian had the same thought, modified,
she felt, with 4 little thrill of JOY. How
nice II was to have somebody think of
her when she was not with them. Then
sgain, she felt some compuuction when
she thought how he had looked
But they had reached the gate, the
good~bye's we're TO be said and 8Ir. Wat
son was to leave the next morning and
with his dark eyes looking into hers she
thought she really was sorry to part fran
him.
As she slowly went up stairs to smooth
her hair she shed few tears; she did not
know exactly for what. h
Down stairs in the cosy dining room
Aunt Mary sst waiting Tor her niece.
Eighteen years before her sister-in-law ,
had died, leaving for a substitute her .
little daughter. Her husband soon fol- {
lowed, and was laid beside her in the
little cemetery, where Aunt Mary often /
took little Marian. Thus Marian had
known no other mother thsn her Aunt. I
who was kind, yet,strict New England t
sPinster-who believed in the old time q
doctrines, and despised new tangled" c
ideas a
Marian vas ahaut oiasl,t r,aers Of uea /;
when an event occurred which outlined
her path for the future. v
Across the garden by which her home d
was enclosed stood large vacant house, 2
which had been unoccupiedtfor years. a
Suddenly there came through the viii S
lage the rumor that il was to be taken by q
strange family. They were coming i
there to live and work the vast farm. (
And for once Madame Gossip was right Il
4 -
great house shone out like 8 beacon
smoke curled up from the chimneys, and C
the garden showed signs of cultivation. h
One bright morning as Marian took T
her seat in the little village school she !
glanced across the aisle timidly and saw d
a strange face and two black eyes looking d
admiriugly at her. And from that day o
at recess she adored the young lad, who u
was not slow in making her acquaint- l,
ance. 4
When he was old enough, had been s.
through college, and had seen little Of \
the world, she became his promised wife C
But the course OF true love does not il
always run smooth" 1t did not in the o
case Of these two young peoples hearts, a
who though trying to be true to each
other, were not true to themselves. d
Yes! there sat Aunt Mary, with her l,
grey hair banded neatly down, thinking |,
sadly of the time when she must part \
with Marian. The day was not far dis t,
tant, only month, and Marian would v
be bride
The old fashioned clock in the corner Fl
struck seven, as Marian entered the e
dining-room, and took her place at the fc
table opposite her Aunt. A silence fol- h
lowed, SIS with bowed head they asked
for grace. Y
The ticking of the pendulum, and the T
purring of the cat, were distinctly heard. G
The sweet smell of wild flowers in the q
vase upon the table, pervaded the room, d
as the evening breeze played with the g
thin muslin curtains, and stirred the soft
hair on Marian's brow =
Aunt Mary looked axiously at her \
niece's swollen eyelids and flushed
checks, and sighed as she thought it was >,
a quarrel that had made her darling sad. :,
Are you not well,' dear? she asked, J
tenderly. b
=" Yes, Auntie. am very well, but 1 :,
am little tired" answered Marian. .
Did you meet Ed? sent him after a
you, was 50 worried" .,
% Yes, Auntie, we met him just before Z
we reached the gate" :,
We Marian Why, child who do 4
you mean by wep 7
Mr.. Watson. / met him in the forest 4,
and he asked permission to escort me
home" =
A frown came over the serene counte- :,
nance of Aunt Ma as she hurriedly :
said, Marian l do not trust that man !,
He is too worldly. No one around here :,
knows anything about him who he is :
or whence he came" ;,
But here she was interrupted by loud :
knock at the door" Marian rose to an =
swer it. =
1t is needless to say it was Ed. coming o
to make peace, which was soon declared, +
as arm in arm they walked up aud down h
between the sweet briar hedges and
talked of that inexhaustible subject, the
future. y
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