Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-08-31
LILY'S CHOICE.

into the distance. He was whistling
softly, and yet he seemed to be in a
deep reverie, for his great tender eyes
had a far-away expression in their
brown depths as he gazed out over the
sunlit meadows where the blood red
clover and the golden buttercups sway
ed under the soft, caressing breeze.
Suddenly an imperious voice broke the
silence.
b. Mr.. Holloway, please let me take
down the bars. Pm in hurry and
came the shortest way
The young man started; he had not
heard her approach. and there beside
him stood the very object of his
thoughts.
All, clover blooms and buttercups.
paled were your charms now! A 1.-THE,
graceful figure in the daintiest of cam
brio dresses, and underneath the wide
hat a sw set. girlish face, with velvety,
peach tinted cheeks and eyes as blue as
freshly gathered violets. Such was
Lily Lawrence. the prettiest girl so
the popular verdict ran-in all the
country round. A flush rose to Johns
sun-browned face as he quickly rose
and began to take down the bars.
Out for a walk, Miss Lilyp'
YES very briefly.
so you are fond of quiet strollsy
am, too
Lily drew herself up and looked at
the presumptuous speaker.
Really, Mr.. Holloway, don't see
what il is TO YOU
Then she stopped. Shedid not mean
to be rude, but truly she thought to
herself, it was high time she should
show this young man that his openly
: expressed admiration was exceedingly
distasteful to her. 1t had been going
on for some time, and everyone, even
Lily herself, had come to see that the
sun rose and set for John Holloway
where she was.
He must be intensely stupid not to
know how utterly Indifferent l am to
him, she thought.
But John was not stupid. He under
stood the unfinished sentence and as he
drew back without another word, to let
her pass Lily saw that he did and a
shame faced, compunctious look stole
into her eyes. For from the richest to
the poorest, everyone acknowledged
John Holloway's noble sterling charac-
ter.
Lily walked slowly along the road,
half determined to turn back and apollo
gise for her rudeness, until turn
brought her face to face with some one
whose handsome eyes met her own with
such a glad welcome that all other
thoughts were for the time driven CON-
pletely away.
1t was Richard Blake, the most ad-
mired and courted young man in the vii
lage.
'Ah, good afternoon, Miss Lawrence!
was hoping l would meet you
And the wavy black locks were
barred to the breeze as Richard courteous
ly lifted his hat and walked on beside
her.
What contrast to John Holloway.
And the contrast was great in many
other ways than Lily thought. But the
girl was but young to read character
and that Richard Blake was very hand
some and elegant none could deny-a
lover OF whom anyone might be justly
proud.
When Lily's home was reached, and
with another graceful bow Richard had
left her, she did not go directly into the
house, but fingered awhile among the
flowers that filled their little garden.
Her thoughts were very busy. She
knew that she had behaved very I'M
kindly to her old friend, ami her
memory went back TO the first time she
had met him. 1t was at picnic, and
she had fallen and sprained her ankle.
She remembered how the great fellow,
80 much stronger than his mates, had
persisted in carrying her all the long
distance back to her home. Since that
he had shown in more than a hundred
ways what she was to him, and know
ing his noble nature perhaps her heart
would have gone out to him before this
IL Richard Blake had not come back
from college.
But he had, and Lily fancied his gay,
debonair manners, and his entertaining
: conversation, and like many another
!. young girl had begun to take for true,
heart-deep love that liking which we
all have for things pleasant to the
Dfeht.
And so she shook off her reproachful
Feelings and went into the house.
why. mother dear, what is the mat
terp Crying, and | out enjoying my
self Tell me what it is, dear. Let me
share your trouble
Mrs. Lawrence lifted face smiling
through her tears.
yes, crying, Lily darling. but not
from grief. Sit down here beside me,
and let me show you what a load has
been lifted from my mind this morning
Lily. did not tell you, but some time
ago Mr.. Burton, the lawyer, came to
me and informed me that the holder of
the mortgage was in need of money,
and intended to foreclose. unless the