The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-09-27

"alheu III easy pdtus, anu TTuuenCs
yearned over her like mother.
She sat now by the open fire, bend
ing her graceful head over some deli
cate work that Prudence would new
er have found time for; her red dres.
and the Pickering freight made hei
picture too lovely for that dull
room. aH alI
prudence, "she said, suddenly, "as
this is Joe's last night, i think I'll
go down and say goodbye to him."
"You might call him up here"
"No; / think I will go myself"
81 believe | haven't ever told you,
Dora, how much you pleased me by
giving up that childish way of going
on with him that you used to have
1t did very well for you to be fond ol
each other when you were little, bu,
Of course it is out Of the question
now" s-V
1t might have been the red dress
and the freight that brought such a
vivid flush TO Dora's cheek as she
listened and turned away. She ran
lightly down stairs and opened the
door Of the great farm kitchen. l
A young man sat by the dull fire,
looking into it as one does into the
eyes Of an enemy before the fight
an over,grown farmer boy, in home.
made clothes, with nothing about
him to fall in love with, least Of all
for the brilliant little figure that
stood waiting for him to look up
He was too intent on his own
thoughts to notice her, till she went
swiftly across the room, and taking
his head between her soft hands,
turned his face up to hers.
"Joe, bad boy, were you going away
without letting me know?"
The hard lines Of his face softened
and frightened under her gaze, till
one would not have known him for
the same man.
II thought should not see you to.
night" he said.
"You know better; you know
would have crept through the key.
hole for one last little minute with
you"
"How long will you wait for me,
Qora?"
"Till you come back"
"1f it were seven years, think how
long it would be-"
"If you love me as you make me
believe" said Dora, "you would not
go away at all, but work here until
you could build a little house, and
then we could rough it together"
"No, little Dora, that is not my
kind of love; my mother tried that,
and she lived a slaves life"
"Dora, Doral" called Prudence from
up stairs; "what on earth are you do.
ing down there?"
II must go now; 1 must truly"
said Dora, as she felt herself locked
in arms that would not give away
"If live without you for seven
years | shall be u homely old maid,
and you will not thank me for wait
ing for you"
He put her away then and looked
at her curiously, as if he had never
thought Of her prettiness before
"Do you know what your name
means?" he asked earnestly. 81 saw
it in paper that Theodore means
"Gift of God" and you have been
just that to me. If | had never seen
you, | should never have had a no.
tion about a days work or a nights
sleep. l will write whenever have
any luck, and come home on New
Years eve when l do come, and if
you wear this red dress l shall know
you have waited for me-" ag E
81 think shall live to wear it
when you come home, ifit is seven
times seven years, Joe, for women
are very hard to kill" said Dora,
slowly disappearing from the kitch-
en-.
"What have you been doing all
this time2" said Prudence, severely.
81 was only giving Joe some very
good advice"
"Well, hope he'll profit by it,"
$50 do l." said Dora, heartily.
'Tis as easy to say seven years as
one; and we read Of Jacobs seven