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

lifted her hand to his lips. He seemed NO
more astonished ut 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 y1entAeb dsQGh-
ter, and May herself sYhp,tt bg 70 it NJ
the most cur, ~ kpl = pr ev4 &c 80
'' % SssSs 81 I'll
t,or only frightened BY the boldness Of the game
lsshe was carrying on, they could not tell. As
soon ~ was possible they got her alone by her
self and fell upon her, netaphorically spepft'
MAY, did he really ask you to marry him!'
eyes"
:: "B II he 4. .ets :: i 4 yoq bad s,'d yes"
"By Jovep' CALCULATED Tom, perfectly con-
"You know / told you, boys, that If 1
helped you in your fns, You must let me have
SBjt May. May, do you know he 'has al
resay.sked fathers, consent! How win - 70
"She MEANS" Interrupted Jeup, who had
been studying her face attentively, "to let it
go on till it comes to the fnaie, and then say
no instead Of yes when the minister puts the
question"
sternation and admiration. He had held i
very low opinion of the courage of girls up to
this point, but here was one who was williog
to go beyond him.
ibid you think of this last night, when you
wouldn't tell US what you were going to dos"
he asked. humbly.
'sss on course did,"
"Only think, Tom, he believed every word
Of It, after all!' put in Jem.
They congratulated each other upon hay
ing perpetrated q successful joke; but still
their countenances wore q very uneasy ex-
after all, May, It's little too bad" said
Tom, hesitatingly. 1.-THE professor is good
sort Of man, though he is such q muf We
won't spoil your fun, of course, but just look
what an awful row there'n be whs it come
quit It's too late to stop now,s said bis sister
family, as if she were little alarmed herself
well s1yxay, May can marry ins, and 50
hand consoiingly. -
"she'd better marry You right after the
nously. You'd better takeher out6f fathers
reach as fast as possible. He thinks every
!. Well, why shouldn't ~ sked ,Jem, with
confdeece. - a:
? . !t'sjust as well now as anytime. Nay
won't mind"
Aud indeed May did look 60 relieved at this
proposal, after the fashion of q 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 cure they would have nothing to live
on after they were married. except his sisters
little legacy, which would not 20 far, and,
. year, till the young lady was of age. But
Tom had cheerful confidence in Jem's abt-
tiles, and as great confidence In hie sister.- b
They finally settled r. among themselves
that this was to be the depomenlent and after
ward tried to look as II everything ~as.a1l
right.
One of them at least failed ignominiousIy.
Tom was attacked with self-reproach every
time he CHANGED to meet the professors eye,
and whenever the good unconeeipQs nSM
showed him -2nys trifhng kindns8, sWoSld.
fnsh out of the house as if he were con-
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 xt this. The
joke which seemed so ludicrous q first, had
strobe them all mercilessly. May submitted
to the wedding preparations with quietness
very unlike her. She avoided solitary inter-
views with the professor; but as he had far
too great q 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 aud apparently unsuitable engage
ment; but Miss May had always had.a repu-
tati0n for doing unexpected things, 80 at
last the wondering settled down into acqui-
escence.
BY the morning of the wedding day, both
Jem and Tom we're beginning to recognize
the serious aspect of the drama to be enact
ed, and were not a little nervous on entering
the church. In their trepidation they nearly
gloves, if there had not come a timely re-
hinder from May. The service commenced
went on without Interruption to the place
where the decisive question was put. Jem
and Tom listened In the utm0st excitement
10 to Ms s1s
this man to be thy welded husbands'',. 4
Jem was just rising from his seat, in an
ticipatiOn of the impending scene, when her
answer came, in low, clear voice that could
he heard distinctly in all parts of the church:
"Yes."
The two boys were horror-struck. ewssTits
possible she knew what chs wa. dOinaas Was
she overpowered BY fright!
Whether she was or not, they certainly
were; for, In spite Of frantic impulse to cry
OUT anu PROCLAIM inc mistake, tne O6cOrum OF
the place Kept them still till the ceremony was,
over. Then they rushed fQ'hef Bide, heedl6as
of order or cOnventiOnalities.
May! May! ~ whispered Tom, catching her
hand In his excitement. "are you crazy! Do
you know that you are married to hims"
The color in her face deepened as in . late
sunset sky.
"Ycs, know it, she answered quietly, hay
ing her other hand upoK hef husband' earma
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 pem and
Tom as they clipped away. unnoticed smoh9
the crowd of people. The former, indeed, wae
savage, and declared that he would never Tor
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, uncompromising sort of way; and see
ing the penttent tears gathering in her brown
eyes, to mutter to himself: 1t vas our fault,
after all. We acted as IL We were sure die
hadn't got any heart, and no wonder she was
ashamedto show it."
As for Jem, he finally retracted his heroic
resolves, and consented t. most arnicable
truce between himself and Mrs. Prof. Rensel
after herfeturn; but the two young men were
never quite sure whether the professor be-
lieved in that ghost or not--:Hayper's Aasa-
zine. - - & - & X 80 .
FOREIGN GOSSIP - XII :