The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-02-20

Harry" lowering her voice little" il
were to have occasion for troussedw
do you think I for once might have nv
own wayr
9Assuredly, think SO"
Well, then, 1 believe l can get what
want within six weeks"
Why Lillie?" and Harry locked al
her in amazement. Who is it? Why
didn't you tell me you were engaged
Or do you mean to set your cap fol
somebody, SO as to be able to dress as
you like?"
"Harry, you're a goosel Of course
Pm not engaged? Nor would I be SC
wicked as to marry for dress. You
know Pm never going to marry-or, il
do, it will be for nothing but love
But I'll tell you what we can do. Let
us pretend that aoe are engaged. Then,
of course, must have an outfit. And
then, when everything is finished, we
can pretend we have broken the engage.
ment Won't it be fun? Now, you
know you, promised to- help me out OF
my troubled Oh, never before did / re-
alize how conyenientitis to have young
man cousinl'
Harry's look of wonder had died
away, and he was now laughing as heart
lily as Lille.
Ma" said Lille that evening, as she
hung over the back of her mother s
chair, +" if l were going to be married,
what would you give me"
Elizabeth, such young girl as thee
should not talk of such a thing" re-
piled the old lady, glancing gravely
through her spectacles at the precocious
child.
"But, ma, Pm engaged"
"Surely not unGil thee has consulted
thy parents, and awaited their consent. y
"Oh, 1 guess you'll both consent and
give me handsome outfit. It's Harry"
Not until this announcement was
made did the old lady eyince any sur
prise. She gazed into Lilies face for a
moment as though to make sure she had
comprehended Alright, and then, with a
slight smile, remarked:
6 Oh, child, what nonsensel He's thy
cousin"
No nonsense at all, ma. Pm en-
gagged to Harry"
And she persisted until the parents
were satisfied that it was tue. Harry
had the same story to tell, and SO the
old people looked upon it as settled.
But, to poor Lilies horror, Mrs. Jones
would not hear of the wedding as near
event, but spoke of it as something to
happen in three or four years. -Four
years to a girl of twenty is half a life
time,
"Oh, Harry, what shall I do? will
have to go dowdy for three or four years
yet-just think land, in the meantime,
/ may see some one could love; but he
won't dare to come near me, because he
will think I'm engaged! Oh! Harry,
help mel"
81 move that we go together to them
and say that, if they won't let us have
the Wedding as soon as possible, well
elope; and, indeed, Lille, seriously, it
wouldn't be such bad idea if we did;
we'd better do that than be caught"
Again Lille trembled.
ooh, suppose they won'tl Will we
really have to? We must keep our
word, 1 suppose, but l can't confess" /"
and she burst into tears.
Don't cry, Lille: Phi see if I can't
coax them to give us wedding right
away. If they won't, why, We can elope.
Pll take you up to Sister Sallie's, and
she will keep you in secresy for awhile,
and Pll keep out of the way; and then
they'll be so anxious to find you they'll
consent"
"Oh, Harry, what wretched mess!
1t would break their hearts, and we
would be mean, despicable cheats. l
don't see any fun in it, and, if dared,
I'd confess.
A week passed away, during which
time Lille dropped and Harry looked
worried. Mr.. and Mrs. Jones began to
be alarmed.
:" We want the wedding just as soon
as possible" said Harry, almost feeling
the desperation he was trying to show.
/" Lillie'll die, and I'll go to California
before many weeks, at this rate; so ]
think you'd better give in. )"
And, finally, the perplexed old couple
concluded that they would.
The way in which Lille frightened
up was wonderful to see; but her first
word of jey was not to or of her be-
trothed, nor was it an expression of re-
lief to her feelings.
"Now, ma, let's talk about the trous-
seau."
"The whatT
"The wedding outfit the new
Clothes"
Alas, poor Lilliel
"Why, Elizabeth, l wasn't aware that
thee needed any. Thee has a good
stock at present, and thee can marry
Harry in thy gray sill"
That hateful gray siIk-the ugliest
dress she ever had, she thought, besides
being as plain as one of her mothers
gowns, it was SO uncomfortable in fit
that she felt that she had double cause
to hate it.
The poor child threw herself on the
sofa in a perfect passion of tears, ex-
claiming:
"Well, if l can't have what | want, I
won't be married at all p
Elizabeth, such violence is unseemly.
If thee loves Harry, why should thee
care for thy appearance? And I am
satisfied that there is real love between
thee, for thee was very anxious to have
the wedding as early as possible"
Just then Harry was heard coming in
at the frc-t door, and Lille sprang up
and ran to meet him. Noticing her
tears, he instantly prepared himself to
hear new trouble.
Even amid her sorrow, Lille could
not help observing the new tone in his
voice, and the doubly tender way in
which he drew her to him, as he asked
the reason of her grief.
"Ma says she can't see any reason
why need any new clothes. She says
1 can be married in my gray silk dress P'-
this last as contemptuously as any thing
can be said. ooh, Harry, is there no
escape from these worriesH'
And, as he clasped her closer, she felt
that there was. What it was she didn't
know, but sense of rest came over her
and she was sure that Harry would
make it all right.
Into the parlor they passed, where
Mrs. Jones still sat with her knitting