The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-02-22

ii all the time either. They was talking.
Your pictures there, you know. His
used to be on the other page, but he
coaxed Vic to put it somewhere else"
"Why?" / asked, ceasing to watch
for the coming of my divinity, and turn
ing toward the small boy with awakened
curiosity.
"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"
Ny heart gave bound. She did
love me, then. Poor Charley
Sand what reply did your sister make
to that ?" asked.
"Oh she said nonsense, but she
took the picture out-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
poor barefooted boy alying fast asleep
in the road, and his only friends dog
-one of them big fellows, you know"
Eyes, yes" interrupted, rather i'm
patiently; 81 know all about it.
Ned, evidently somewhat offended,
was silent for about three minutes, and
then began again. "Oh, my didn't
they talk that day Vic sent word to
everybody else that came that she was
out. Wasn't that whopperG I was
Struggled up on the sofa over in that
dark corner there, and they didn't see
me, and 1 heard every word they said.
Wouldn't Vic have boxed my ears if
she'd caught me?"
81 wonder what they talked of, L
said to myself, with jealous qualm-
to tell the truth, I'd been a 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
piness was at stake, made up my mind
if possible to find out.
"Ned," said 1, 81 saw a splendid
knife the other day-six blades"
"Six blades !" repeated Ned, his eyes
sparkling.
eyes, or five blades and file, I don t
remember which. 1t was beauty,
though, and if wasn't afraid you'd cut
yourself with it, I'd buy it and give it
to you"
"Cut myself p said the small boy,
with infinite soon 81 amt baby"
"Well," said 1, "the knife shall be
yours" And then L continued, in a
nonchalant manner: "What was it you
said your sister and Mr.. Thornton were
talking about2"
81 didn't say nothing" said Ned.
Whenu you bring the knife ?"
"You shall have it tomorrow" L re-
piled. "Did they say anything about
me, for instance?'
"Oh, lots !" said Ned, starting off
rapidly. Charley said, ooh, Vic,
you'd never have given me up if l hadn't
told you how rich he was. What fool
I've been L might have known that
that would have been too much of a
let me see: Lead us not into tempta-
ton temptation for such girl as you
are. Good heavens |! 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. Good heav-
ems 7 he says, how selfish and cruel
you are I'm sure 1 don't know how 1
can love you. Are you going to marry
himY' And Vic says, / am >"
Oh you are, thinks the attentive
listener.
"'I 1t would be awful silly she says, "
the small boy rattles on, "'for us to get
married. l might think / was happy
for little while, cause b'lieve love
you as well as could love anybody, and
then I'd be jolly miserable, for L must
have q seal-skin jacket and new switch,
and hair like mine costs like Oh
no; that's what she said to ma this morn
ing. 1 mean she says: For / never
could be happy without a fine house, and
carriage, and all sorts of nobby
things, and ever so much more / can't
remember. And 30 be good boy,
she says, and console yourself with
May Newton. She likes you, I'm sure,
and she is n sweet little thing, and would
make you an excellent wife,"
&c don't believe she ever will, then, "
/ mutter between my teeth. $50 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 loves-Arthur
Bell '"-0m Arthur Bell -"syes, she
loves hin. as dearly as do you, and has
loved him for years. 1t 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 i
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.
asa heart on the rebound, L thinl
you mean, Ned, 1 say, with astonishing
calmness.
"Well, perhaps I do" assents the
small boy, whistling a couple of bars OF
Yankee Doodle" thoughtfully. "Any-
how" ending with false note that
makes me shudder, "Vic stuck to il
she'd marry you, cause You was so slap
bang set EN- 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
| a ,,non bia curlv head and strode on