Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-05-18
MY LITTLE SWEETHEART.

--
"Uncle Harry, may be your sweet
heartP'' asked Marian Sterling, lifting
her big brown eyes to mine, with all the
innocent frankness of her eight years of
maidenhood. .tr
'1ndeed you may l cried, STOPPING
to lift her to my knee.
"No," she said, drawing back, IF ]
am your rsweetheart Imustn't sit on your
lap, but beside you. You may kiss me,
though, all the same, and call me May,
and Twill call you Harry. Mamma says
you are not really our uncle, but we call
you so because we love you"
''Quite true,' answered; "but if you
are not to love me when you are my
sweetheart, shall retire"
10, but l Wilt You see, Agnes has
Tom Irving to love her, and Janet has
Tracy Hill. / tried very hard, but failed,
to get Tracy Hill to love ME; then
thought of you. and perhaps you would
bring me flowers, and tell me l added
to their beauty by wearing them, and
sugar-plums, and say my lips were sweet
er than sugar almonds, and take me to
walk and to ride, and always, always
be lovely to me''
"But," asked, gravely, "what are
you to give meP''
30, will work you pair of slippers
when I am bigenough, and I'll kiss some
of the sugar-plums, and letyou eat them,
and I'll wear the flowers, and if there is
any song you like very much | will prac-
tise it, and learn it, if the accompaniment
is not too hard
"All right It's bargain. You are
my little sweetheart, and your devoted
adorer from this day. cried. but it
seems to me, May, that for lady Of your
age you know q good deal about the
sweetheart question"
well, you see, uncle mo; you're not
my uncle any more.''
''Dear Harry suggested.
''Dear Harry, yousee there is the draw
ing-room, and there is the parlor; and if
Tom Irving comes while Agnes is in the
parlor, she says, Run up stairs, May,
fhat's good girl;' and when I get to
the drawing-room see Tracy Hill kiss
ing Jane, and he mutters, There's that
child again. and I run into the kitchen,
and Molly has John M Coy there; and I
can't help seeing them ALL" she added
niteouslY.
"Exactly. And I think you are very
sensible child to start acourtship of your
own. viii you allow me to drive you to
the grove this afternoon, Miss Marianp"
Iadded, with my very best society bow.
.'Thank you, dear Harry" she said,
with demure gravity. a will go with
pleasure"
So we commenced our Irritation, and
never had any man more piGuant,
lovelier little sweetheart than /, Harry
Montgomery. had for the three years [
remained at Maxwellbrig, the village in
(which the Sterlings were leading people.
Mr.. Sterling and my father had been
friends for many years, and when fin
ished my medical studies Mr. Sterling
let me know there was good opening
for me at Maxwellbrig, and warm wei
come at his house, where Mrs. Sterling
and the three girls made me lat once
alike one of the family"
My calf-love in its entirety and devo-
she had previous attachment, and !
was dolorously weeping over the fact
when Marian generously came to the
rescue.
4What pleasant days we do have, dear
Harry" she said to me, when we were
picnicing in the woods; "all the girls
think / have the incest beau in the world.
And nobody has any idea who it is who
helps ME with my French and German.
and shows me all about my Latin, and /
go up over their heads because you make
all my lessons so easy. It's not cheating
If i really study all the same, and do all
my sums and exercises myself, is itp"
mo-" | said truthfully, for the child's
own eager thirst for knowledge and hard
work gave me only the pleasure of SIM
plifying some of her lessons and defining
some of the 4'hard words"
But when had been nearly four years
at Maxwellbrig my father obtained for
me diplomatic appointment in Ger
many, and there was heart-breaking
parting.
4'It is not the drives and rides, and
rowing and flowers and candies, I'm
crying for" sobbed my little sweetheart,
''though Agnes pretends it is 1t is be-
cause I'm going to lose you. You don't
believe love you just for those things,
do you, dear Harryp'
s.No, my little love-" Isaid; "Ibelieve
yon love me with all your pure young
heart"
Il do! I do! You will come backp'
.sYes but shall find you grown-up
young lady, with dozen lovers.''
.s.No, I'll have no other lover. II you
marry, / shall die! And here is myivory-
type. and q curl Of my hair, and want
yOurs."
ireadily promised the exchange. and
vent to Germany, the ivory-typc and
aari set In locket the face promising