Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-12-15

Don't you UNDERESTIMATE And You can see
the pigeons just as well by yourself while
! do my work.
"whAt funny little things you are max
ing!- Mark said, pretending 10 inspect
her work for the first time. Hewanted 70
see Sibyrs eyes again, and, IL possible, TO
make her blush little. He was not used
20 being treated so earelessly by young
ladies.
They are baby-clo,hes," Sibyl explain
ell, going on TRANQUILITY with the little fan
mel pet,icoat she was patching, "for our
poor women in the village"
She did not blush at all, or look at him;
and little pause ensued.
"Bnt." Mark began then, wouldn't you
rather be Quit is such heavenly eve
niny-ihan sitting in here over this sort
thingi"
II have been out all the morning; and
somebody must do the mending. Aunt
Anna has her Indian letters to write this
evening"
"If / were one of the Goys,'" hazarded
Mark, little Grossly, 81 suppose you
would not refuse TO come out T.
Ard then sibyl did raise her eyes, and
searched his face with the pretty sur
prise he had already called up more than
once.
II have not refnsed,' she said. "You
did not ask me-"
ii thought You understood, of course,
how much should like you to show me
the gardens and the pigeons"
But l did not. / thought you only
wanted to know why l would not show
them to you. am afraid'-laughing,
and shaking her sweet little fair head
"you will often think me very stupid; but
the boys always spoke so plainly that l
have got into the way of expecting people
to say exactly what they mean."
81 will always try to do so in the fu-
ture. And I will begin at once, to show
you how much l have taken your lesson
to heart Ahem! Miss Kennedy, l am
beginning to feel very jealous of these alb
sent heroes, and l am exceedingly desi-
rous of sharing few of their privileges"
~ cont quite understand" replied
Sibyl, hesitating, though smile was
frightening her serious brown eyes. sand
really Mr.. Breton, don't think you do
yourself, though, l am sure you mean to
be good-natured."
at is so very hard to understand" said
Mark. dropping his voice little, 'that l
should want to walk with you in the moon
lighi?"
"No-oh, no, can understand that, be-
cause l like walking in the moonlight
myself! But have told you already that
aunt Anna thinks l had better not go
about with you quite as much as l used
to with the others. And, besides. have
been turning it over in my own mind too,
and really could not treat you like a boy
you are quite different"
different? Taller, do you mean, OF
what2"
"Oh, older in every way! l did not
think so at first; but see it now. You
looked so thoughtful, almost miserable at
supper; and you did not eat very much.
Dick and Fred were always hungry-like
ami"
Mark could not help laughing but,
suddenly remembering the cause of his
gloomy looks, and lack of appetite, he
sighed too.
"Perhaps, Miss Kennedy" he said, get
ting up and relapsing into his Edgar-of-
Ravenswood manner, ''you will understand
one day what I am suffering, and then you
will not wonder that sometimes look as
feel-very wretched!"
He walked off with his good-looking
young head in the air; and Sibyl, consid-
erably astonished, as we'll as interested,
looked after him, letting her work fall in
to her lap.
1t was not often that Mark found time
for even such little talks as this. Sibyl
had q great deal to do in the village ev-
cry day. She was Lady Annals right
hand, almoner, nurse; she was almost as
good as curate to Mr.. Lansing, who
could no longer afford to have any one to
render him any assistance in his duties
among the sick and the sorrowful So
that it was chiefly at meal times the young
people met each other, and then Sibyl had
so much to talk about that was of gener-
al interest-at least to the Rectors family
that Mark could not always get a word
in. He noticed, moreover, that Percivars
chair was set as regularly as his own, and
that Percivals vacant place was always
adorned with few fresh flowers, no mat
ter how busy Miss Kennedy might be.
TT u.
against the chair. 1t actually came be-
tween him and his studies at times-that
orSibyrs pretty way of talking to it or
patting it as she passed with her slim
sunbulnt hand.
"Miss Kennedy, may make a confess
sion?" he said one lucky Wednesday
morning, when the bells of st. Bartholo-
news were ringing for the Litany Ser
vice which was always held on that day.
s'How fortunate that happened to over
take your
He had been watching for her from his
study window. and had leaped out to fol-
low her. leaving his mathematical prob
lens to solve themselves.
"Why should you want to confess to
met" asked Sibyl, laughing and frankly
dividing with him the knot of violets she
was fastening into her slender belt. II
think you had better go to uncle Lansing
if you have got into any scrape. The
boys were always getting into some mis-
chief or other about the place.
''That would be no use at all. Mr.. Lam
sing could not help me in the least I
can't confess to any one but you"
II wonder what it can be about?" said
Sibyl.