Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-08-17

up little figure is sitting bolt upright in
the hammock, and pair of widely
distended black eyes are glaring at him
from mass Of disheveled red hair.
Rage and modification at being
caught in such n predicament rs this
crowd out all sense of the humor of the
situation in Miss Bittie's mind; and in
the midst Of this feeling she realizes
! forcibly that in the face of such ridicu-
/ lous beginning the esthetic role will
| have TO be abandoned ON the spot.
- Miss Earle, / believe begins the
enemy. "Pray pardon my intrusion ut
this hour: I am John Howard, rs you
may have guessed. / decided to take
an earlier train from the city, but am
/ afraid my in0ppOrtune arrival has in
convenicnced you
"Why, bless my soul. wife, here's
/ John Howard breaks in the hearty
voice of Mr.. Earle, as he advances from
the driveway; and in the midst of their
greetings Bittie, glad to be relieved of
/ the unwelcOmc guest, beats q hasty re-
treat II know one place
where I can be by myself. and | shall
\ either SAYS Bittie TO herself next
morning, an hour. before breakfast, rs,
book in hand. she goes through the
orchard, in the direction of quiet nook
under an aged elm. just over the wall,
nj the opposite corner of the orchard. a
rock has fallen from the wall and lies
against the tree, forming q broad. low
seat. and over and around this and the
wall and tree a wild grapevine had
grown thickly, making the place a sort
of natural bower.
As she walks slowly along. holding
her dress carefully up from the dewy
grass, she reviews in her mind the pre-
vious evening. and the impressions she
has received from her first few hours
acquaintance with her fathers guest.
She finds these impressions somewhat
different from what She had imagined
I they would he. She has to admit that
there is nothing despicable in his APP
| pearance; To- be sure he is not Ray
mond Lafontainc; he is rather an older
man thirty at least. hut his erect. we'll
made. muscular figure has about il an.
/ air of manly strength, which no girl
\ ever vet failed to admire: and this air
/ of strength is still further sugge stcd by
\ the upright. rather naughty carriage of
/ the well-shaped head and the firm curve
| of the lips under the brown muStache.
\ Not NJ al prosy is he either, she is
forced Co confess; for the keen gray ewes
proved they could sparkle with merri-
mcnt, and the firm mouth relax for
hcarticst laughter and gaye.t wit. and
there were actually dimplcs i'm the man 5
cheek and chin that made him positively
handsome when he laughed. As for his
! clint Hn. fharfs Vgg1,fVfr g...Ir. .t.
I the gray buisness-suit he wore. though
he could not be said To be fastidiouSly
dressed. Altogether he might not have
/ proved n very dis agreeable companion. If
II had not been for papa and mamma 5
/ ridiculous matchmaking. As IL is. she
hates him on general principles. and
they will find she in not to be thrown
ut any mans head in that way. This. as
she mounts the wall and comes down
with an emphatic bounce on the other
side face to face with John Howard,
calmly seated on her rock. hugging his
knees. -
lie smiles pleasant Good morn
] ing;' but, seeing her look of annoy
ance. rises hastily and SAYS: II am
afraid ann trcspassing. Is this favor
itc spot with you?"
LIT belongs TO me exclusively. No
one ever troubles me here She an
Swcred, brusquely. "Who told YOU of
it?' feeling it quito too bad of mamma
To let the invader into the secret of her
sanctuary.
"No one; I found il one dav i'm n
morning ramble, and il was nv favorite
retreat after that. The world seems ~
far away here; there is nothing To- bc
seen but the long, sleepy slopes and the
far of. haZy hills. and one can read or
think 80 easily here. do not wonder
YOU resent intrusion"
She had been unfolding Il blanket
shawl and spreading il over the rock
and surrOuding grass rs protection
from the morning dampncss, and rs ne
turns To 20, Bittic. feeling. perhaps.
somewhat ashamed Of her rudenesS.
and u little Modified by his evident ap-
probation Of the delights Of her darling
corner. says. slowly: you need not
80 unless you like; | am disposed Ia
pardon you for tho sake of your good
taste
Thanks: / shall certainly not wait
for second invitation" nj the same
time seating himself about three ward.
away, ON decayed, unwholesOme-look-
ing stump, strongly suggestive of ear
wigs.
"Oh. don't sit there, you'll spoil
your-that is-this is nicer. YOU know. .
patt!ng the shawl coaNingly. ut the
same time feeling heartily disguised
with herself for having made so many
ovcrturcs 10 the enemy.
VERY much nicer, / should saw
Howard remarks. as he seats himself on
he shawl ut her feet. and leans hi,
broad shoulders against the stone wall
land infinitely more sociablc. What
are YOU reading?" by way of opening q
conversation.
She hands him well-worn copy OF
Lucille and he turns the leaves rap
idly, stopping Mt the supurb description
of the sunrise:
at rose
In its sumptuous splcndor and solemn rcposc
The SUPREME revelation of light. Domcs oi
Realms Of rose. in the ORIENT And breath.
while the great gates OF Heaven rolrd back
The bright herald angel stood stern in N,
Thrice holy Eosphcrusi Iights rcign hogan
In the Heaven. on tho earth la the heart OF
The dawn on the mountains! the dawn every,
Whcref
Light silence! the fresh innovations of mir
- earth, and % Cthor! A butterfly breeze
| floatcd up. huttcrcd down. and poised blfth,
on the trees,
Through the rcvcllng woods. DER the sharr
ripplctl stream.
Up the vale slow uncolling itself out OF the
dream.
Around tho brown meadows adown the hill
| slope.
rhr spirits Of morning were Whispering
"Hopei"
Bittie catches her breath. as the rich.
thrilling voice ceases. "Oh, how came
yyu 20 lind that! Isn't it perfect? What
must Il be TO be poet; to be able Ia
pat into words the feelings that over.
whclm one ut such scene as this?'j
and her eyes dwell lovingly on the dis.