Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-05-29

I'll yoar a
1 o inquired n~onchG1antiy.
9t1met MEo - ask hee,n aid Pm
SI1oukna - ctheY ds6 70 fry
~ young Iady goes % : city
1nese : sweetheart. d6e can't attend
1aa.Ass q aacther kind" aaid N
Bendes, faeetiousiy.
~Did Nh Lama 70 - NEST . wee
heaFt ehfn ~ aGhed,. with N air ~
lit didn't signify h the least.
aAAe ,went 81 appointment Mr. De
-, 70 meet ! young man, too. ] don
- why it shouldn't b kept from you
.IndssdI Did Min Vaughn tell y
sslget ~. It's ! dead secret, but
lsaked ont"
"6o Il seesna."
HIAura's something Of . 6irt, like Il
rsst Of ~. There va young Sample, Il
clsfgyman-in fact, its her nature
- o. With The Now 1--we bsfore shes Q
with The old"
aNm Bender, Mis- Vaughn il
| frjead Of mine" MD Devens, repr5vine
N. while DO thought bitter things of him
seif, ard made desperate resolves.
1And Pm sure Laura and I've Away
eot on we'll together. But it strikes m
Chat W must be tOlerably familiar wit
. young fellow when he signs himsel
Jack and nothing more. Shouldu'
you ay %, Nj. Devenss ! shouldn'
Ike Prue 70 Be ON such terms with any
but : declared lover myself."
docs Mim Vaughn show You her love
IstteFsf. be asksd, already caught In
tho maxe.
"Not muchly, M. Devens. But mu--
der will out, yo0 know. / believe my
elf that il : dangerous innovation 70
teach servants reading and writing, ~
tho vanshns do. No good comes of it."
Mr.. D0vens experienced : strange dis.
trust straightway. Not being versed in
the wiles Of women of the Bender type,
he mistook her airy insinuations for law
and gospel. Laura had played false,
had taken advantage Of their little quar-
rel 10 encourage arival. Should he not
return the compliment By bestowing his
attention on some other damself Natu-
rally Mis- Prue became the recipient Of
his Temporary favor. 1t was Prue who
drove with him through the lanes that
Ied to Laura's school-house, where they
we're pretty sure to meet her coming or
yoing, and zee the quick color deepen in
Ter cheeks and forsake her lips; it was
Pruo who played Backgammon with him
the lighted parlor, with the curtain
IF the window looking out upon the
premises raised and the interior
and it wa poor Laura, in the
darkness of her own room, who watched
The pretty game, with q tightnees at
heart and tears in her eyes.
"What . blessing postal cards are, to
b sunel" reflected Mrs. Bender, as she
ct the pair. "Now, If that one
hadn't been thrown in my teeth, 20 to
he would have been spooning over
It Vaughns this very minute"
MI. Devens, blinded by his feelings,
failed TO perceive that the situation
peculiar; he never guessed what
! topic he afforded at the sewing society
and the Bethel meetings, nor how much
he provided for the neighbors
Eyes and ears. He never once stayed to
qucsti0uaSow his behavior affected any
Dne, but Laura. Prue was used to firt-
Ing with Tom, Dick and Harry, and she
had never received . wound.
cts kinder natural and handy, living
under the same roof" said old Mrs.
Goodhue, looking over her spectacles al
the spectacle. 81 Spose Prudence and
her ma cosset him within an nch of his
life. The way to q mans heart Is through
his stomach; you must pamper his ap.
petite or flatter hissanityy and the Ben.
ders are equal to the occasion, / reckon
"Its propinquity," remarked Miss
Blue, who read mental philosophy and
and represented feminine culture
in Chester. When Laura left her school
again and again to the tender mercies Of
Ellen Dow, and repeated her excursion
to Boston, Mr.. Devins never failed oil
being made aware of it. On the third
occasion, indeed, he c~ondescended tt
follow in the smoking-car, persuadine
himself that he really ought to hunt W
college chum. He was awarded by
seeing Laura meet . handsome young
man on fremont street, who turned
about and disappeared with her inside o.
the studio building. Mr.. Devins did mo-
hunt up his chum that day. Through
Mn. Bender's application to her neigh
bora affairs 1t came to his ears whenever
Miss Laura received q bouquet by ex
pres, and be once discovered q bunch o.
yi0lets blooming in a wine-glass in heI
window, which he well knew neveI
blOomed in q Chester greenhouse.
One evening he was congratulated OF
his engagement to Miss Bender.
II am engaged to no one" he said
with . sudden giddiness about the head
a. If the ground shook under him.
"Nof Well, folks do ray you oughte
be, If you amt" returned the disap
pointed gossip.
"Indeed! Folks seem to under
stand my duty better than their own
He walked homeward, half-benumbed
revolving the subject drearily. Had b.
indeed gone beyond his depth unawares
he asked himself. Was Miss Prue mis-
taken, like the rest, with regard to hi
feelingss Had he misled her in hi
blind selfshncs? Ought he to MARY
without love because 8 folks talked. A
be drew hear the Vaughn's, in the failin,
light he perceived two figures family
outlined; . woman had Just closed tn,
garden gate and stood within; q man de
parted, yet fingered with the other
hand shut in his own; the tall hedge ha.
hidden Nj. DevenA In . minute NOR,
be would be in sight. He wished Meth
or 70 listen to nor encounter his rival
n0r to surprise them love-making. H,
took : step backward, still behind til,
hedge.
Tomorrow, them" said the mascu
line voice with tender information, 81
shall be the proudest. happiest =" De
vens found himself actually bending al
his faculties to hear, but the sentenc.
escaped him. ~ should be glad to in
viteA handful Of friends to witness nv
succe1," pursued the same voice, al
You do not object"
~ object!" said LAura's silver trebl.
81, who owe You % much and can re
Goodbye" A little silence followed
then-could Mr.. Devens believe his owr
earsf The jackanapes had kissed Laura
and she had not rebuked himl He turned
hot and cold alternately; his hear,
seemed throbbing in his throat. III,
~1~mnoI <r->~l AZ -.A 49, -,