The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-22

lifted her hand to his lips. He seemed nc
more aston;shed at her answer than he had
been at the spiritual visitation the night be.
fore.
When the boys came home that night they
found the professor radiant, Mr.. and Mrs
Kingsley beaming approval uponth dalGh
ter, and May herself submit hg 70 it all
the most curt uhsHxples@ pnS eve sev6 d .
any dimpled fac9+a4 oG1pot Ind Eof aug e
ana % doubt cfS1aIs1sa xShs
or only frightened by the boldness Of the game
she was carrying on, they could not tell. Al
soon AZ was possible they got her alone by her
self and fell upon her, metaphOricaliy speak
ing, with an avalanche of questions. 90
MAY, did he really ask you to marry hing
"But he acts as Il you had said yes"
s."Weli, 20 Tdtd. 'lT - III
; "By Jovev calculated Tom, perfectly con
"You know / told you, boys, that if ]
helped you in your fun, YOU must let me have
NBpt May! May! do you know he has al
ready asked fathers consent2 How will you
net cut of it! What storm there will be !"'
"She MEANS" interrupted Jen, who had
been studying her face attentively, Ito let II
go on till it comes to the finale, and then say
no instead of yes when the minister puts the
question"
Toms face was picture of mingled con.
sternatiOn and admiration. He had held q
very low opinion of the courage of girls up to
this point, but here was one who was willio9
to go beyond him.
"Did you think of this last night, when yos
wouldn't tell us what you were going to do?''
he asked, humbly.
''-' :. or course did"
"Only think, Tom, he believed every word
Of It. after all!'' put in Jem.
They congratulated each other upon hav.
ing perpetrated a successful joke; but still
their countenances wore a very uneasy ex.
preston.
"After all, May, it's little too bad" said
Tom, hesitatingly. The professor is q good
sort Of man, though he is such muff. We
ss spoil Of Hs but qst
what an awful row there'll be whs6 it coniel
! TITS too late to stop now,n said his sister
family, as if she were little alarmed herself
at the prospect. ia
get out Of the scrape.h said Jem, taking her
hand consolingly.-4N as
"shc'd better marry you right after the
other ceremony, then," answered Tom, omi-
nously. ''You'd better take her out of fathers
reach as fast as possible. He thinks every
thing of the old professor"
Well, why shouldn't we!' asked .Jem, with
confidence. = -
!tsjust as well now as anytime. May
won't mind"
And indeed May did look go relieved at this
proposal, after the fashion of child who has
unexpectedly grasped torpedo, that Tom be-
gan to think it would be the best way out of
the scrape after all.
To he sure they would have nothing to live
on after they we're married. except his sister,
little legacy, which would not 90 far, and,
beside, which could not be claimed for
a. year, till the young lady was of age. But
Tom had cheerful confidence in Jem's abtl-
They finally settled II among themselves
that this was to be the denouensent and after
ward tried to look as If everything was all
right
One of them at least failed ANONYMOUSLY.
Tom was attacked with self-reproach every
time he CHANGED to meet the professors eye,
and whenever the good unconscious msff
showed him any tri6ing kindness, would
rush out of the house as if he we're a con-
victed criminal. This went on tor few
months, Tom growing more and more con-
science stricken, May more and more silent
and timid, till at last the powers that be were
moved to set the wedding day.
They all felt a kind of relief ct this. The
joke which seemed SO ludicrOus at first, had
grown into species Of nightm are, which be-
strobe them all mercilessly. May submitted
to the wedding preparations with quietness
views with the professor; but as he had far
too great reverence for her to seek them,
this conduct did not attract attention. There
was much wondering and many comments
among the gOssips of the village over this
singular and apparently unsuitable engage
ment; but Miss May had always had. Ia repu-
tation for doing unexpected things, so at
last the wondering settled down into acqui-
escence.
By the morning of the wedding day, both
Jem and Tom were beginning to recognize
the serious aspect Of the drama to be enact
ed, and were not little nervous on entering
the church. In their trepidation they nearly
forgot to provide themselves with white
gloves, if there had not come q timely re-
minder from May. The service commenced
went on without interruption to the place
where the decisive question was put. Jem
to the professors response; and then the
question came to May. wilt thou have
this man to be thy welded husband.''
Jem was just rising from his seat, in All
ticipation of the impending scene, when her
answer came, in low, clear voice that could
"Yes."
The two boys were horror-struck. Was it
possible she knew what she was doinels Was
she overpowered BY fright!
Whether she was or not, they certainly
were; for, in spite of frantic impulse to cry
Out auU tTOCldlU Tic IltSCdkc, Guc ucCOTuW Oh
the place Kept them still till the ceremony was
over. Then they rushed to her side, needless
of order or cOnventionalitics.
"May! May!' whispered Tom, catching her
hand In his excitement, "are you crazy! Do
you know that you are married to himn'
The color in her face deepened as in late
sunset sky.
eyes, know it, she answered quietly, lay.
ing her other hand upon her husbands ann
and then lifting her beautiful flushed face to
her brother, land love him."
: Perhaps two more discounted young men
never stole out of church than we're Jem and
Tom as they slipped away unnoticed among
the crowd of people The former, indeed, was
savage, and declared that he would never for
give her.
But Tom, when he saw his sisters face lean
ing out Of the carriage for the last time before
they drove away, was moved to kiss her in a
grim, uncOmDrOmising sort of way; and see
ing the penttent tears gathering in her brown
eyes, to mutter to himself: cit was our fault,
after all. We acted as If we were sure she
hadn't got any heart, and no wonder she was
ashamed to show it,"
As for Jem, he finally retracted his heroic
resolves, and consented to a most amicable
truce between himself and Mrs. Prof. Rensel
after her return; but the two young men were
never quite sure whether the professor be-
lieved in that ghost or not.-Harper's Nigga
zi1p - q - 4 =. 80. =