The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1880-05-01
IHEDEMOCR1T
SAYU.RD,a Z. May I.
CIlRIs4IES DECLARATIoS.

CI1h1cLti@ - HL11%<' 4Aa = = va
Christie Earl sits on the little
porch before the kitchen door par.
ing apples. On her lap is pan Of
the red and yellow fruit, while by
her side stands another almost
full Of the delicate white sesments
cut by her quickly flying fingers.
No ,lronc is Christie, and before
long her sclfimposc,l TASK is done,
and, pan in hand, she rises and
goes into The kitchen.
"What done already, Christie?
l tell you what, Prescott Doane will
have a smart little wife !"
It's Christic's aunt Hannah
who speaks; the rector's maiden
sister, who las cared for l!er niece
ever since her mother died and
left her a tiny babe in her loving
charge.
percllcs her timinutive figure upon
The kitchen table, ant! pushing
back the cloud Of ripling curis
from her sparkling face, she Hash
ell a partly laughing and partly
idignant gIatcc at the speaker.
@Auntie, that will he the last
help you will &C, from he, no mat
ter how hurried you are, if you
don't desist from always dragging
Prescott Doane's name into the
conversation. I'm sick Of hearing
about him! As 10 my ever heing
his wifc-tllat's entirely out OF the
question"
Aunt Hannah shakes her head
reprovingly.
@You Shouldn't speak so, dearie,
for you know it has been talked Of
ever since you were children, and
your fathers heart is set on the
match. Besides, where could you
find a finer or handsomer man
than MIR. DOanc, and it is easy to
see that he worships the very
ground you walk on.
A willfm light springs into The
girls brown eyes.
"That's Just tlle trouble, auntie
he's loo handsome. Handsome
men are always coxcombs. Now,
the man l love will have TO be noble
and heroic; lie must do something
in the world which will lift him
above The world.
Christic's voice, clear as a bell.
saying these words III her most
emphatic tones, lloates out through
tho open window, and two gentle
men sauntering through the garden
heard distinctly.
To 60 back a little, Prescott
Doane's father Ind been d bosom
friend OF DR.. Earl's, and when 10
one q son had been born, and to
the other, four years later, 2
daughter, the parents had said,
Eve will.bring tllem=upztor5 each
other =.z.5#5.z...
As they grewzupatlie children
lad gether,ZlOving=eacll
otherlwith the innocent affection
n brother and sistcr,.w hilc.the
! old people looking on had smiled
well pleased.
So things went until, in hcl
fourteenth year Christie had went
to boarding school.
A year later old Mr.. Doane had
died, and his son and heir had
gone abroad. This summer had
been the first time the young peo,
pie had met for five years, and
from the very moment l'rcscotts
eyes had rested upon Christie II
her fresh girlish loneliness, he lad
shown himself eager aud DESTROYS
to fulfill the half testing agree
ment which had been made SC
many years before.
But Christie hndproved rerverse
Though he had tried his best
Prescott had never succeeded il
winning one sweet glance from hcI
bonnie brown eyes. And now rs
no overhcars her words, lie almost
determines 10 try 10 longer to VIII
one who is apparently so indiiler
ent 10 him.
The rector reads the young
mans thoughts in his face. Turn
ing, lie lays his hand on hi:
shoulder.
"Chccr up, Prescott! 'Faint
heart never won fair lady, | know
OF no one whom | should so gladly
welcome as a son MS would you,ant
mark my words, my little daugh'
Ter Christie will find your wortl
sooner or later"
And so, thus encouraged, Pres
colt takes heart.
Tine goes on, and Prescott, be
ing a favorltc guest at the rcclory
often secs Christie; but she still
remains as cold us ever.
One afternoon, as they arc al
assembled in the pleasant dining
room around the table, DR.. Ear
draws from his pocket Il note
which he hands to his daughter.
''lIerc, Christie; Ruth Gleason
gave this TO me for YOU"
Christie reads it through.
"0h, papa, how splendid ! II il
an invitation jos picnic at Ok
Heights, tomorrow. May 1 go
Ruth says she will sion for me"