Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-01-26
brown hair a timid pat and said, "Don't


to this stranger, for weak and trembl-
ing as she was, she rose and fed, leav-
ing him alone, to go about his usu.-l
way.
The tears were almost in his own ewes
as he tramped up the street, quite for
getting to leave a long-looked-for invi-
tation at Mrs. Fitz Simmons;' he felt
so warm and strong with sympathy
He could feel even then where her head
had touched his shoulder; she would
have to bear it all alone, poor little
thing! He set his teeth when he thought
of George, and that individual would
have been somewhat astonished at the
ideas in regard to him, held by one who
was total stranger.
He scarcely glanced at the house for
the next two or three days, for fear she
would think he was remembering. Fri
day came at last and the Baptist Weekly
was thankfully welcomed.
His heart beat fearfully as he went
up the steps. Perhaps she was i'll, or
gone away forever-no; there she was,
much as usual to all outward appear
ance, though he fancied there was pale
ness still ON her face and the traces of
quiet tears beneath her eyes.
To stranger there would have SEEM
ed no difference probably, for she was
always quiet; but he grew to fancy there
was a wistful sadness now-a-days in her
dark eyes, that deepened when she
smiled. He longed to comfort her as
mother might have done; to take her in
his arms like a child, and share with
her his own young strength.
The Cranes were two, dull old fogies;
a girls heart might break and they not
know it, but then she would not have
them, that he knew. She was brave
little lass and only he knew how she
bore her hurt alone.
He went to Ne. Is very seldom now
except on Friday, although he never
passed without thought Of her. One
cool day, for it was getting late in the
TALL, and the October frost had come,
when she opened the door, the old
spaniel started for the opening with
such clumsy and unexpected velocity,
that he tripped the unsuspecting post
man and both started to roll down the
steps together. Willard rescued HIM
self half way down and gave the old
dog parting kick, that sent him terri
fled and yelping, into the garden. Poor
Fido1 said the girl commiseratingly.
He laughed with half ordnance of
pain as he picked himself up, saying,
- | think you might save little sympa-
thy for met
You are not hurt?n she replied,
looking at him with such world of
comparison in her eyes, that he would
have liked to kiss her on the spot, as he
told her long afterward.
He felt lame and bruised for several
days, but secretly blessed the old dog
for giving him any claim upon her
thought. He began to think how he
might follow up his interest.
She must be lonesome STAYING indoors
with that tiresome old aurt; he did not
know that she was tiresome, but of
course She was. Probably she would be
glad of something to read, not of the
Sunday school order; he would send her
something, she would never know He
had never read many novels himself,
and when the woman at the periodical
store recommended everything with gen.
erous indiscrimination. he took half
dozen and concluded he would look
them over himself before he sent them.
He was glad he had done so when he
came to some of them; most of them
were not SO bad, as nauseating. He
wanted something he could imagine her
reading every page of, and pleased
in doing it. lie did up two of them at
last, and wrote her name upon the
in his best hand. He had
written it considerably before.
She took the package the next day,
without question, but he trembled lit
tie inwardly and did not repeat the ex-
pertinent
He hit upon another device for seeing
her frequently by subscribing for the
Morning CALI for Deacon Crane,
which he delivered for three months
with great regularity, much to that
worthy's mild wonderment.
He had never been to church much,
but now he began to haunt the Second
Baptist when he found she was a regu-
lar little church-goer; and when in
Christmas week they had their annual
bazaar, he astonished even himself by
ON the festive scene for three
nights in succession. On the third,
patience was rewarded; she came, and
after some rather awkward vancouver
ing he managed to get an introduction,
by means of n loquacious elderly ac-
quaintancc who knew everybody and
talked ut them in a high shrill key.
'.Mr, Willard Burleigh'' suggested no
familiar idea to the girl, who, as it hap
pened, had never heard his name but
the face as she looked up. was one she
knew. For an instant she was puzzled.
He looked down on her with mischiev-
Gus twinkle in his gray eyes.
you do not recognize meP' he said;
perhaps if l should carry Baptist
advocate in my hand, the resemblance
would be more perfect.
TO think should not know your
She cried, with little blush. "You
must think me very stupid. 1t was
tie uniform | think; and besides one
does not expect to find a friend in each
new name
There is one person, who will always
MAINTAIN the usefulness of church fairs.
Nothing very wonderful was sand by
either of them, but when she had de-
parted under her uncle's elderly escort,
he turned to Sue Wetherber and some
of the ''sociables' with a wild exhilara-
ton of spirit, apparently due to their
society but whose cause they did not in
the least understand.
He wondered sometimes if he was
naturally a desperate hypocrite, as
when, with much deliberation, he OBJ
tanned 4 couple of tickets to concert
under the auspices of he Y. NJ. c. A.
and then asked if she would not use
them; he had some for his friends.
OF course she said yes" innocently
and went, with the small and owlish I'M
Gle Crane
She looked very pretty in her low
brimmed hat and daisies; but silks and
satins would become her just as we'll
She saw him and nodded brightly. and
then apparently told her uncle where
he was, for the old man beamed be-
ncvolently in that direction with his
weak shortsighted eyes
The morning calls were a little longer
now; as long as he dared to make them.
He was apt to hurry away from the
other girls. at the thought of the shy,
frank smile that waited his coming.
SO it went on. till one night, when
they were coming home from church
together walking beside her now, some
reference in the service brought to the
minds of both the old girlish love and
sorrow He stopped reyerently; she hest
tated moment, and then went on softly
Il a