The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-25

ferred to do her own reading. 81 can
digest the ideas better,' she had replied
calmly to his proffered offer.
Sometimes they wandered together to
the beach, and as they watched the
treacherous white foam crawling over
the yellow sands, or the moonlight git
tering on the snowy caps of the inrolling
waves, he would venture on one of hia
favorite quotations, but he never hearl
in reply the familiar verdict that h~d
fallen on his gratified ears from so mady
a fair ones lips:
'sOh, Mr.. Landor, what a lovely ssn-
timent! How poetical you arep'
Instead, Miss Winthrop would be 0Az-
ing far out over the sea. with a look on
her face that he could never understand
but seeing it he involuntarily fell into
silence too.
Rambling over the cliffs, he would
have whispered soft nothings in her ear,
but, with the clear grey eyes looking at
him from behind those crystal barriers,
is was a harder task than he imagined,
SO he contented himself with picking up
curious stone and riskinG his neck to
procure rare specimens of wild flowers
that grew among the rocks, to please
the taste of his divinity, who invariably
thanked him with the frank smile that
was Miss Winthrop's greatest charm.
Now to us blind mortals, forbidden
fruit is always sweetest. and when Steve
Landor paused on his way from the
post-office to read his mothers letter.
he realised that he cared very much for
Miss Winthrop; and when he came
across her sitting in the willow rocket,
with her dark hair all rutfied by the
coquetting breeze, che determined to
win her, and flattered himself that it
would be no very difficult task; fol
who had ever said nay to Stephen Lam
dorp
miss Winthrop, will you take
stroll over the cliffs to Mermen's
Cavep"
1t was week later, and the girl, en-
sconced in shady nook of the hotel pi-
azza, looked up from the book she was
reading, and rose with alacrity
with pleasue, Mr.. Landor," she res.
ponded, "and we will hunt for some
more of that curious crystal. 1 sent the
specimen we found to Professor de Haas
and sould so like another for my own
cabinet"
Steve bit his lip This was not exact
ly the reply that he had expected, but
beggars cannot be chOoserS, so he walk
ed with her along the stony road in his
most gracious manner, and helped he1
down the rocks, half angry at times that
she did not lean more heavily ON his
protecting arm. An acute observer OF
human nature could easily have seen
that Miss Winthrop was more than suf.
ficient unto herself.
There was strip of glittering sand to
be crossed before N1ermen's Cave could
be reached and they stood still to watch
a white sail that in the distance was
skimming over the blue water like
snowy bird.
''Miss Winthrop" began Steve, sud-
denly taking courage now that the grey
eyes were looking out seaward, 81
brought you here to ask you question,
and | hope to receive a favorable an
swer. You have won both my admira.
ton and my love. Will you accept me
as a suitor?"
His tones were easy and assured, and
he already saw in imagination a glisten-
ing diamond on the shapely hand, his
gift
Miss Winthrop removed her gaze from
the white sail, and fixed it on her COM
panion's face.
There is but one objection, Mr.. Lam
DOR" she said slowly.
''Now for some girls whim,n laughed
Steve to himself.
Il guess it is nothing that cannot be
removed" he asserted with smiling con.
fidence.
cit is this, Mr.. Landor," she answer
ed, still regarding him with her slow
gaze: ''that do not love you"
If gun had exploded at his feetSteve
could not have been more completely
astonished.
''Will you inform me in what man.
ner l am objectionable? he queried
stiffiy.
''You are not Objectionable at ALL"
she said serenely, ''as companion, as
a friend even. A husband 1 have never
yet felt the need of, and, if l ever did, |
tell you frankly that your nature is not
deep enough to answer the craving OF
mine. The man | marry must BE-
strong-willed, self-controlled, cultured,
yet"
''Like the paragon Prof. de Haas"
interrupted Steve sullenly.
A tide of color swept over Miss Win
throp's face, and her eyes were turned
seaward again.
''Your insinuation is unmanly," she
replied icily. Professor de Haas is
can be nothing to me. He is already
engaged to a charming girl whom he
met in q suburban village under the
most romantic circumstances during his
summer rambling. / but this very
morning sent them my heartiest congrat-
ulations. The young lady has won
greater prize than she knows. Her sui
tor is a noble man, and possessed of
magnificent intellect. For myself, l
prefer single life.'
"But a woman was never destined for
that state," argued Steve lamely. ''Men
are the oaks, and women are the vines,
and"
Miss Winthrop was looking at him
again, and there was an actual laugh on
her face.
''Thanks,'' she said, sit is q most
beautiful simile, but l am not of q
cGnging nature. Even in my limited
experienced have seen too many women
on this earth who have to be both oak
and vine too. If YOU will excuse me |
will return to my book, Mr.. Landor."
''Pll never speak to a clever woman
again." muttered our hero wrathfully,
as he took his departure from the hotel
the next morning in very disgusted
frame of mind. '.Pd rather have little
Lefty with her pretty ways any day
When l reach the end of my journey,
I'll make her and mother happy by pro-
posing. After all, q fellow had better
marry a cook than a book-worm espe-
cially when the one is so stuck-up and
the other a little lovable thing like Let
ty. And the girl is awfully fond of me,
too.
The following morning Steve Landol
reached his native place.
GAS am not expected, I'll leave my
baggage for Pete to bring up in the dog
cart" he said to the obsequious porter,
land walk
He left the road and took to the woods.
1t was a short cut and he could thus
avoid going through the village. The
stately towers of the White House, his
home, were already in view.
Vaulting over low wire fence, he