The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-07-19


"For the first time had to tell him that
I could not pay his rent when due.
/ opened my lips. Grandmamma's
hand covered them. Grandpa drew me
to him.
"Thou art young, lass" he said, "and
they are right who call thee pretty. Say,
could'st like the Squire well enough to
wed him?"
"Eh?" cried grandma. "Sure, you're
not wandering?"
ESQUIRE Turner asked me for this
lass of ours tonight. OF all the women
in the world there is but one he loves as
he should his wife, and that is our
"I dreamt of golden rings and
bunch of white roses on Christmas eve, F"
cried grannie. ct knew the lass would
be lucky"
But put my head on grandfather's
shoulder and hid my face. The truth
must out, knew.
"Wilt have him, and be rich lady?"
said grandpa.
And when he had waited for an an
swer, I burst out with "No" and a sob
together.
"She's frightened" said grandmam-
ma. may, we must all wed once in our
lives, my child"
Then grandpa talked to me. He told
me how poor they had grown, and how
kind the Squire was, and had but to
marry him to make my grandparents
| free from debt and poverty their lives
through. II l refused and vexed the
Squire, Heaven only knew what might
happen.
"She'n never ruin her poor grand
papa" sobbed grandmamma.
All it was hard to bear-bitter hard;
but now there was DO help for it. 1 took
the ring from my bosom and laid it in
my palm, and told them il was Evan
Locke's, and that 1 had plighted my
troth to him. And grandmamma called
me deceitful wench, and grandfather
looked as though his heart would break.
Oh / would have done anything for
them-anythipg but give up my true
love.
That night 1 kissed his ring and
prayed Heaven that he might love me
always. In the morning it was gone,
ribbon and all, from my neck. L looked
for it high and low, but found no sign
of it. And l began to fear the loss of
the dear ring was sign that would
never marry Evan Locke. The days
passed on, and he never came near me.
"Oh, it was cruel in him." l thought,
"to hold such anger for hasty word he
had provoked; when spoke it thai he
must know loved him So"
And grandma would scarcely look at
me q know why now, and grandpa
sighed and moaned, and talked of the
workhouse. And / thought L should.
die of grief among them.
One day grandma said to me. at
seems that your sweetheart is not over
fond of you, not over anxious to see
you"
"Why not ?" said I.
"Where has he been this month
back ?"
"Busy, doubtless" said I, with a
smile, though l thought my heart would
burst.
Perhaps you know all about it."
said grandma. "You are going with
him, maybe"
"Where?" said I.
She went to the kitchen door and
beckoned in woman who sat there
Dame Coombs, who had come over with
eggs.
81 heard you rightly" she said.
"You told me Evan Locke and his
mother were making ready for voy-
age"
"They're going to Canada. My son,
a carpenter-and good one, though I
say it-made the doctor box for his
things. The old lady breads the new
country. but she goes for the doctors
sake. There's money to be made there,
they say. That's what takes him."
81 told you So" said grandmother.
"I don't believe it." said l
"They've sold the house, and gone to
Liverpool to take ship; and you may find
the truth for yourself, if you choose to
take the trouble" said Dame Coombs.
"I'm no chatterbox, to tell falsehoods
about my neighbors. F" And she went
away in wrath.
And still | would not believe it till /
had walked across the moor and had
seen the shutters fast closed and the
door barred, and not a sign of life about
the place. Then 1 gave up hope. ]
went home all pale and trembling, and
sat down at grandmamma's knee.
Its true" said /.
"And for the sake of so false lad
you'll see your grandfather ruined, and
break his heart, and leave me, that have
nursed you from babe, widow"
/ looked at her as she sobbed, and I
found strength to say:
"Give me to whom you will, then,
since my own love does not want me-"
And then I crept up stairs and sat
down on my bedside, weak as though I
had tainted. / would have thanked
Heaven for forgetfulness just then, but
it wouldn't come.
The next day Squire Turner was in
the parlor as my accepted lover. How
pleased he was, and how the color came
back into grandfather's old face ! And
grannie grew so proud and kind, and all
the house was aglow, and only sad
But couldn't forget Evan-Evan whom
1 had loved so-sailing away from me
without word.
L suppose they all saw I looked sad.
The Squire talked of my health, and
would make me ride with him over the
moors for strength.
The old folks said nothing. They