Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-05-22

made" people had commspted these half
dozen years. "She might have been
mistress At Searle Hill e she'd had 4
mind to risk marrying . poor man.
Folks get their come up once in this
world sometimeA" with the usual charity
cOmuneutat0rs bestOw upon the motives
of otheA Nobody had known the true
cause of Hitty's refusal to marry Searle.
It had been the town talk, to be sure-a
riddle which no one had solved. She had
nor ever confided her reasons to her
lover. He would over-rule them, she
feared, would call them absurd, and only
make her task more difficult, and per-
haps grow to hate little Tom-and ONE
time Tom might need his good will, who
couldteA? Anson Searle had not borne
his dismissal with the fOrtitude of IN
early martyr, but he had sworn he would
never ask hertwice TO marry him, and he
had kept his word. But, perhaps, after
bis anger cooled, and he watched her
saddeniDg year by year, some surmise
that her behavior had not been dictated
by caprice or any petty motive grew
upon him, and obliged him 70 rtnder her
the tsrdy justice Of appreciation. And
q pretty return Tom had made her
specializing with his employers money,
and threatening the family pride with
diagrsce. Unless 5000 were forthcom-
Ing, thsse was only . fortnight between
him and ruin. And Tom was only
twenty-five. They must ave him.
Miss Kitty was only to stand by her
guns; where there wass will there was .
way, and she followed the only way she
kneW. IL Nj. SearlA fumbling about
for the reasons Of Hitty's conduct
toward himself, lad q length stumbled
upon the clew-having an intimate
knowledge Of hss fathers will already
and IL be had not been quite heroic
enouehtoforgive her for preferring Toms
welfare 10 his own, he must have found q
grim satisfact16ny in tse turn that fate
had ordered, in seeing the Thorne prop
sFty shrinking day BY day, till there was
|hAsdlY enough to butter their bread-till
ILL., Wae plain that Hitty's sacrifice had
been for n0ught. Bet when did ever
sacri6ce prove futile /! Though il fall Of
It's direct purpose, doe6 it not enrich the
soul rot only Of the one who sacrifices.
but Of oil beholders?
It Was near twilight Of m autumn
day that Miss Hitty put on her worn
bonnet and went slowly, with acertsin
reluctance, up the hill Howard the Searle
mansion; she pulled the brazen knocker
timidly, and stepped into the house that
might have been her own like any beg
gar. The dead Eearles looked down
ffon the walls of tho oaken hall With
cold questioniDgs in their pursuing eyes;
in The great d~fawing-room the wood IRE
snapped with . good will, and giinted
gayly upon bronze andormolu, upon the
quaint mirrors set in garnets, upon the
yellow ivory keys of the old piano. An
son Hearle rose to receive his guest with a
flushLof surpsiee.
81 it-vos-H ittyr he cried.
"Yes, You did not expect mers
Expect you! No. Have / had rea-
SON 70 expect your
Eve sometimes expect without rea-
son. / have come-expecting you to
grant me : favor"
"A fayorr' y
!" Yes II strikes you oddly that l
should be brought to beg q favor of you.
does it mott But there u NO other fsend
upon whom ] can make even 20 shadowy
I claim - upon you. Do yOu think /
would ask anything Of one whom / have
Afved so-0 ili-if l were mot in ex-
trenityy"
III hope you win ask anything OF me.
a6In{ditsy-nythink you wants
!" have become mercenary, Mr..
eeaFlA want money. iddy and 1
kayN-SAA 49, ns -A ---