The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-02-17
BOUGHT OFF.
By G. AIANvILIE FEM.


Tn afraid was very foolish, but if a
woman is not trusting toward the man
she loves, where is her love? In those
early days, before time-and trouble have
made me the faded old-young woman
that you see, people said / was pretty,
and was very, very glad. Not from
any weak, coquettish reasons, or from
fondness of admiration, but simply on
account of Harry, who liked me the bet
ter, know, because i had a handsome
face.
People tell me l was foolish to care for
him, and that l had better look else
where; but my choice was made, and,
though my own father and mother shook
their heads at me and said 1t was a mis-
take, l pleaded so hard on his behalf
that they ceased TO find fault and so
matters went on.
was in service in those days in a
place that my mistress made quite
home for me, and I should have been
very happy indeed but for my loye-affair
with Harry His troubles were, of
course, my troubles, and when he used
to run across from the town twice a week
TO see me, and tell me about how harsh
and bitter his father was TO him, used
TO have many a good cry ON i'is ac-
count
''I'm about the unluckiest fellow un-
der the sun, Kitty" he used to say.
Father says Tn no good, and the
sooner 1 go across the seas the better"
But, Harry" I said, "why not be
patient? Your father Is old, and has had
endless troubles: it makes him peevish
and fretful You should bear with him.
Do, pray, for my sake try"
3 III al 2
Everything 1 make in the workshop is
wrong. no matter how it's done, and the
more pains / take, the more he grum-
bles."
whispered such comfort as / could.
and, full of pity for the man / loved,
sympathized with him most thoroughly,
thinking that he was hardly dealt with,
but still urging patience aud. forbear-
ance with those who, perhaps, were
unduly tried.
One summer evening 1 had permis-'
sion to 90 out, for Harry was to fetch
me, and take me to his home to tea and
to spend the evening. I was verymuch
flushed and excited, for dreaded meet
ing the old people, his father IN partic-
uIar, who was always so stern and harsh
with Harry.
1t was a delicious evening, and all
seemed so bright and beautiful as /
walked across the fields with Harry that
mine seemed to be quite a new existence,
and laughed merrily when he turned
to me and began to say that my cheeks
were quite flushed, and that he was
very glad, because he wanted me to look
my best and make pleasant impression
upon the old folks.
Harry's father was carpenter and
builder in a small way of business, and
a tradesman seemed so high above me
as a servant that. as Ireached the house.
the color faded from my cheeks, and
grew quite pale as I felt sure that
Harry's people would think was not
good enough for their son.
And so itseemed, when l entered the
snug parlor where tea was set out, and
the evening sunshine was making the
china and silver spoons glisten on the
| jetty<bIacl1 tray. Everything, from the
flowers to the furniture, looked so
| bright that for the moment 1 could do
nothing but admire the place. There /
was, gazing m "a half-shrinking fashion
at the stern-looking gray old man with
such keen blue eyes and at the gentle
sweetfaced old lady who came TO meet
me at the door. 80.
They were both very kind and polite
to me, butsit seemed as if they hardly
liked my coming, and were distant and
cold. OF course this made NE nervous,
and L sat there trembling inspite of the
rather boisterous way in which Harry
: kept on talking and sbantering me for
being so quiet and dulk
: "Why, MOTHER" he said. "she's
generally as merry as a ascricket, and
= goes. about the house singing like a
4 lark" - - F~s~s : = y sa-~-
----s' Let the young woman bide, Harry,
said his father quietly. s.She's eating
her meal, and behaving nicely enough.
What more do you want?"
81 don't want her to be glum. as a girl
with the toothache,H said Harry. s and
i want you to see her as she really is. F"
'tWe can see plainly enough, Harry,
said his mother, In rather a cold way /:
and, of coairse, all this made me- more
uncomfortable than was before. go that
when, twice over, Harry began joking
and making fun of me again, / looked at
him so appealingly, silently asking him
to leave of, that old MIR. Smith noticed
1T and frowned while an hour later,
when / was qhietlys talking to Harry s
mother as 1 sat by her side doing some
needlework, Harry was really so fool
ishly bent on making me chatter and
sing or laugh, that old Mr.. smith. who
was smoking his pipe by the window,
said sharply:
eHarry, lad, L think you7ought to try
and get some more brains before thou
takest wte.|
l looked appealingly at Harry, but be
jumped up in passion, snatched his