The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-07-03

/ Wondering what the answer might be,
/ softly, hardly above a whisper, | gently
called EN- But she, engaged with
her daisy-chain and with her little ones.
did not hear, and paid no heed. So.
smiling as | watched her, a second time
| called little louder" Emf But she
did not hear. The daisy-chain and little
ones seemed to engross all her thoughts
and my voice blew past her with the
wind. How would it do, | thought. to
rouse her by confronting her? Ii she
would not hear, she should see. and her
eyes, if not her ears, be opened. With
some such fancy, | was just about to rise
and lntrude myself upon her presence.
when | noticed the figure of man
coming down the path.
| had no objection to children witness
ing our meeting, though | could have
spared even them; but third party. and
he a stranger, | did not want. SO |
waited till he should have gone. He
was young man, gentleman beyond
doubt, good looking, dressed IN gray
suit Of Scotch tweed, and bright red
necktie. His was a fair young face
He had promising mustache, which he
tended with one hand; and he was smok-
ing mighty meerschaum. Instead of
passing as | expected, when he reached
the wall he paused and looked at the
group within There was /. peeping
over the outer edge of the summer-house.
wondering what Kept him there. There
was he, leaning with one hand upon the
moss-green wall. There was she with
her daisy chain, and children at her
knees. Just as | thought he would be
moving on to my surprise he vaulted
lightly over the wall hiding behind the
very summer-house on which | sat
Then quickly and quietly, he passed
from tree to tree, as though he wished
to do SO unobseryed, until at last he was
behind where the unsuspecting maiden
sat
While | watched with angry eyes, he
darted from his hiding place, ran to her
from behind, drew her head back TO him.
and kissed her twice or thrice upon the
hips. The blood boiled within my veins.
| did not doubt that this was bastard
outrage, and that my darling needed
defender. In a minute vengeance would
have been done, and he or / would have
been lam low. But her answer showed
| was mistaken. ''Charlie," cried she.
with that sweet smile | knew so well:
Z" how can you kiss me before the chill
dren T"
why not?" said lie. Don't | kiss
them before you" And to prove his
words, he snatched up a little girl and
kissed her again and again, she laughing
at the fun. Then he sat down by her
side, and putting his arms about her,
drew her to him The daisy-chain
dropped to her lap, and she looked at
him as though he was all the world to
her. Darling" said he, not loudly,
but loud enough for me to hear, " / have
spoken to my mother about yon and me
to-day; and she thinks | am very foolish;
but since | always have been, and always
Will be SO, she thinks [ may as well take
you to be my little wife-though YOU
will be very foolish for letting me- >
Her answer was to lay her head upon
his shoulder and flash her blue eyes with
a still softer blue upon his face. "Char-
lie : said she, care you sure you love
me?"
Love you?" he returned, and he
meant it my darling, more than | can
tell"
and you are sure, she continued.
your ulOlIet Will nOU De angry
could not bear to anger her
''Angry?" said he, closing her lips
with kisses. why IN all the world
could she be angry with my Little Sweet
heart ?"
And so on The children looked on,
at what was 4 new experience to them.
What mattered? They would have to
learn themselves some day, though per
haps they were beginning early. And +
| had to listen to it all Who could have
shown himself, placed as | was, at such
a time? They cooed ana cooed, and
made loveas love has 50 often been made.
until the afternoon was spent, and then
they went And [ was free TO go as
we'll Was [ disillusioned? Partly.
though the fault was all my own. Once
[ knew her well. The knowledge which
for time was lost was onl y found again.
| have not seen her since For some
cause, her happiness stuck in my throat,
and | left Ryde that evening. | may
never see her again. Ere this, doubt /
less, she is another's wife. But when /.
think of her, even to this hour, it is as my /
Little Sweetheart