The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-11-21

chain and locket, the sole ornament she
possessed, and settled il among the
frills with satisfied smile. Tender
brown eyes, crimson lips. a low white
forehead framed in silken curls-it GER
tainly was pretty picture that looked
back at her from the glass. In spite
of fatigue, Ivy was looking her prettiest,
and knew it, and was 80 glad, for who
could tell but what he might come over
that very night?
However, she said nothing to her
mother OF any such expectation. But
as soon as tea was over, with some strip
of fancy work, she drew her own little
rocker before the wood fire on the Sit
ting-room hearth, and while her swift
| fingers evolved the mysteries of satin
stitch, point, and wheels, her happy
thoughts went straying over all that
brief, bright month when Joe Dalton
had spent his summer vacation in Red
leaf, and every spare moment of it in
close vicinity to the Sunderland farm
house.
Joe, be it known, was the 'Squire's
step-son. Only the year before the
Squire had married dashing, though
elderly, widow from the city, with two
grown-up sons. One of them Ivy had
never seen, but Joe had been in the
habit of paying frequent flying visits
from the city, where he resided, and, as
report said, was amassing fortune fair
ly fabulous for so young a man.
VI course he was an object of eager
curiosity to all the Kedleaf bellies, and,
on Sundays, when he walked slowly up
the aisle by his mothers side and took
his place in the 'Squire's great, square
pew, many pair of bright eyes turned
to gaze on his tall, graceful figure.
brown, curly head, and dark eyes full
of lurking diab'erie
But when summer came, and he
spent whole month at the Squire's, he
had singled out Ivy from the whole
bevy ofrustic beauties, and devoted him.
self to her with persistence that soon
set every gossip's tongue in motion.
Many were the invidious remarks from
the other fair damsels as to the flirting
propensities of "these city fellows"
which reached Ivy's ears, but, too
blindly happy to listen or to care, the
innocent child "took the gifts the gods
provided" and left the future to take
care of itself
And what a delightful month it was
How they had picnicked and frolicked
together through the long summer days,
and strolled through dewy lanes in the
dreamy twilight, and rowed on moon
lit nights down the shining river! And
then that last scene of all! Ivy's
cheeks glowed at the remembrance of
it.
She had gone down the garden path
with him to the little gate, and there,
under the shadow of the elms, and hid
den from the house by clump of
syringa bushes, they had somehow
fouAd saying good-by very lingering
transaction indeed. Ivy remembered
how he had held her hand in his tight
clasp till all the warm blood camc
billowino up over cheek and brow and
hen eyes fell beneath his ardent gaze.
Then, almost before she knew it, an
arm had stolen around her waist, a
pair OF warm lips were pressed closely,
lingeringly on her own.
"Good-by till Thanksgiving" he
laughed, and was off before she could
chide him.
He hadn't told her in just so many
words that he loved her, but how could
she doubt it? Hadn't every look and
act declared It over and over during
that happy vacation time? And then, if
he didn't love her, why that last tender
caress speaking volumes to her answer
ing heart?
Innocent little ivy!
But while she pondered these things,
3, y o'clock chimed from the eight-day |
clock in the corner, and, with a little |
sigh, she laid aside her company work"
and took out the blue silk for its finish
ing touches. OF course. she said to her
self, she had no right to expect him that
evening. He came home so seldom she |
was very foolish to think he could come |
to her the very night of his arrival, |
when the whole family would be want
ing him to themselves. But he would
surely be here to-morrow-Thanks
ing day. So she stitched away, pictur-
ing to herself the wide family room at
the 'Squire's, all the household gathered
about the blazing wood fire, Joe in the
midst of them, the stranger cousin at
his side, perhaps. Again she sighed
she was just beginning to know that she
was tired-and, folding the completed
dress, went YEARLY to her room, where
she was soon tossing in troubled dreams
it seemed that she and Joe
again stood beneath the old elm at the
gate, and just as he was STOPPING to kiss
her the unknown cousin appeared in
the guise of winged evil spirit, and,
'natching Joe in her long arms, bore
MIN away through the air, leaving her
alone and sobbing with terror.
But at last the morning came
Thanksgiving morning floods of
golden sunlight, and air so crisp and
oracing that it made ones blood Jingle
ust to breathe it. Ivy looked from her
window with bounding heart and thrill
ng pulses. In the glad light doubt 1
md misgiving fed away as if by en- ,
Earth was beautiful. It
vas JOY even to live.
She made haste to finish her light
morning tasks, and then daintily ar
aged herself for church. She was TO j
Valk. 1t was only mile, and the choir {
lad arranged to come early and practice