San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-08-30

the parlor talking with Hetty, when O
trap halted at the door, and Tom
asked her to take a ride.
Again, when Dick requested hen
to take row on the lake, she said
she was very sorry, but she had an
engagement with Tom.
miss Brown, that-Tom seems
to take up all of your spare time,
exclaimed Dick.
Excuse me, Mr.. Thortley, not
quite all. l believe l am at your SER
vice when not otherwise engaged. "
returned she.
".Humph! you are pretty much
otherwise engaged, most of the time. "
And turning upon his heel, Dick
would leave Hetty.
This soon became common, and
finally Dick was determined to end
all by asking Hetty for her hand.
"Nliss Brown, will you walk with
me along the lake shore this EVENING""
asked Dick one evening after tea.
l. i don't know"
III course; it's another engage
lent. No matter; l return to the
,ity in the morning." interrupted
Dick
"You are wrong, Mr.. Thornley,; 1
have no other engagement. To prove
it l will go to the lake with you"
She put on her pretty wide
brimmed Gainsborough and walked
by his side to the lake.
1T is pretty" she said, gazing out
upon the lake, which reflected each
shining star and feecy floating cloud
upon its mirror-ike surface.
Pretty! yes, beyond all others l
have ever looked upon"
Something in his tones caused
Hetty to look up quickly; and she
blushed as she found his eyes gazing
straight in hers.
"Hetty, II love YOU"
There, it was said. The die was
cast, and Dicks heart jumped up into
his throat.
Mr.. Thornley, -"
There now, Hetty, don't Mr..
Thornley, me. Can you call me Dick?"
Il might, that is if 1 had known
you longer"
"You call that-farmer Tom"
"Oh, Tom and I were children to-
gether. That makes difference, you
see."
81 suppose so. But, Hetty, tell
me, do you love me?" asked Dick,
trying to take her hand in his, iber-
ty which she did not seem to be dis
posed to permit.
"I---I---let us go back now, Mr.
Dick said Hetty.
81 love you, Hetty. Will you not
give me just one small ray of hope?"
I'll don't know" responded she.
Dick seemed very much in earnest.
Tom had never, during all the years
Of their association, spoken of love.
She, like other girls in common, had
deal of admiration for a brave man.
And Dick Thornley, seemed a valiant
to Hetty, since he had
dared to tell her that he loved her.
who does know, then?" asked
Dick.
"I-cannot say; please let's go
back home now" uttered Hetty.
evil we row the boat, the little
boat down there, up to the stream
which fews by the house?" said Dick
pointing to a small boat near them.
eff you WISH" said Hetty.
They got into the boat, andpushing
It out from the shore Dick piled the
bars.
A silence fell upon them after the
BOAT had gone a short distance.
Dick was doubtless thinking how he
could make two pounds do for two
persons, when it barely suficed for
one.
Hetty was thinking that this would
I'll be very nice, If it had only been
Tom instead of Dick.
They reached the inlet to the lake,
where the small stream poured its
,rystal waters into the lake.
Dick turned the boat around hor-
'or!---the frail affair struck against a
ock, and in another instant they
we're both precipitated into the water.
Dick, as he went over, managed to
,rasp hold of the boat, and Hetty, as
uck would have it, found herself seat
d squarely upon the rock. +
"AIiss Brown" said Dick, 1--WE are
n a predicament." I.
"l'm wet through and through.
lou are just too horrid 10 upset the
'oat, cried Hetty. /.
Strangely enough, the thorough