The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-08-07

little figure disappeared up the lane.
II hate awful to disapp'int her, but Brow
er's Hotel to day'd never do. She'd meet
the engineer, sartin."
With the sunset back came Winifred.
Gone were the tears, and her face was as
bright as ever. "Buttercups and DAISIES
Oh, the pretty flowers!' she sang, as she
came in the garden gate. Grandmamma
beheld her with secret joy.
"Was you very lonely, Winlfred," she
asked.
''Not very" replied Winifrcd.
And every day after the little brown
girl came dancing and singing home, as
happy as happy could be. until the two
weeks came to an end. That night she
said to tho old lady: ''Thc linen is as
white as snow, grandmamma, and it
smells Of clover, and I'm so glad it is to
be mine."
"Aye! my child," replied the widow,
''you'vc come to your senses and you be-
gin to see what fine present it'll be for
you when you're married."
ooh! granny dear, l wasn't thinking
OF thai" said Winnie, suspicious blush,
nevertheless, mantling her face.
"Havc you seen George Topnot latcly?"
asked her grantlmamma, sudden
thought darling through her mind.
"Oh! granny, granny, how can you?"
said Winnie, rcproachfully; "Gcorgc
Topnot, indccd!" and then !. smile called
out the two dimplcs that hid in her
checks. ''To-morrow l shall bring the
linen hnmc. For I'm little Buttcrcup-
dear little Buttcrcup."
"Eh? What's that about buttcrcups,
Winitrcl?' asked grandmamma. II
hope none Of it looks like buttcrcups,
cause it must be yallcrcr than ever if it
does"
"No,no, gram laughed the girl; ''it's
as white us the leaves Of the daisies. l
was singing bit of Il song picked up
somewhere"
And the next evening, II little earlier
than usual, Winnie made disappearance,
and with her a handsome young man
They carried the clothes basket, heapcd
up with snowy linen, between them,
while Boy-bluc, his neck adorned with a
wreath of wild flowers, gambolcd about
them, apparently on the tricn,lllcst terms
with the stranger.
"Blcss and save us!' said grandmam-
ma Van Dorm, holding up her trembling
hands i'll great establishment, "who is
ths?'
"Elbcrt Vahlcn, civil extremely civil
engineer, at your service, ma am, sail
the saucy fellow, setting down the basket
and taking off his panama, revealing !,
head covered with auburn curls as he
did So
The old lady sank into IL chair that
fortunately stood on the porch, and look
ed from one to the other in bcwilt!erctl
manner. "Thought you'd gone home"
she gasped at last.
"Glad to say you were mistaken, ma am
My friends left day before yesterday, but
remained for the pleasure of helping to
bring the linen, all splcndidly bleached,
home to YOU"
Don't be angry, dear grandmamma. -
plead Winnie, knccling before her, s'and
III tell you all about it. The very first
day went to the mcadow-thc fourth,
you know--Elbert-that is Mr.. Vahlen-
came near shooting me-
eyes, indeed, grandmamma," said MIR.
Vahlen. I had been tramping about
looking for my old muse, Kate O'Reilly,
now Mrs.Williams, who 1 knew lived
somewhere around here, and whom 1 had
not seen since was the dearest, sweet
est little boy that ever lived and lost nv
way. Having lost my way I proceeded
to fire off my gun, which I was carrying
in honor of the day, iii hopes that some
one would come to my rescue. To nv
horror, scrcam-a woman's scrcam-in-
stantly succeeded the shot, and fastening
in the direction of the sound I found tins
darling little girl, still smaller girl
clinging to her dress, clasping her hands
in a terrible fright and as white as, ycs,
whittier, than the all sorts of things that
were spread on the green, green grass.
My ball had whizzcd past her and lodged
in tree few feet away I called my
self any number Of opprobious names and
I'll shoot myself then and there if she did
not forgive nc"
"And I did forgive him, granny DEAR
said Winnie, earnestly, "bccausc it really
wasn't his fault, you know. He never
dreamed there was any one but himself
IN that lonely spot, and Boy-bluc liked
him right away and Mrs. Williams came
over the brook-shc heard the gun, too
and oh my, how she did kiss him. And
he knows cousin PAMELA we'll and she
never said a word to him about me-
though she knew he was coming to Cher.
ryland, and you'd be so glad to see him
being friend Of hers. And he was very
tired and hungry and gave him half my
lunch
Homemade bread and butter, not.
cheese and cookies" said Mr.. Vahlcn.
"And Mrs. Williams sent Jancy with
pitcher of milk and some custartl mic
And the next day he happened along thai
way again looking for tic Gigan-Giyan
| teous-'
'Gigantcus Harmonious pcbblcbus, ,
said Mr.. Vahlcn. "a wonderful ston,
which am told is sometimes found II
this part OF the country, and which l an
anxious to possess.
l. "Did you find it. sir!' asked the 81,
lady, recovering from her establishment a
last. - y
| mo, ma,am can't say did. but. ,
dropping his jesting tone as he took Win
MES small brown hand in his, 81 fount
something infinitely more precious. A
face as pretty as the wildwood flowers
q soul as purc---a heart rs innocent a:
a little child's. n nut-brown maid sweet
CT than all tho lily maids have ever met. ,
Wen thousand what d. yc-call- ems" OK
claimed Widow Van Dorm, almost using
IN her excitement ono of the favoritc cx
CARNATIONS Of her husband. "And is thi,
the end of all my care? And me think
ing all the time how well I'd contrivct
and what a good, healthy appetite the ga
had"
| "Bcttcr short-cakc and tomato marina
ladc never atc," said the young man
Sand now, sir, Continued the old lady
her eyes beginning to twinkle, shaving
provided you with your lunch for !, fort
nit, no doubt you'd like to have me te
ask you to suppcr?"
eff you please, ma'am. But first con
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