Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-04-07

will not matter to either Of you. Have
q little patience"
"She is in her twentieth-year," broke
in Lancelot, impetuously, "and plenty
old enough to know her own mind. It
is easy for you to talk about patience,
when you never had q love affair in
your life."
Ishould Judge that she knew her
" mind very well indeed" retorted
John, dryly. "Why don't you let mat
ters rest for a year or twop"
"a year or two! No, sir; I shall
have this thing decided. L really think
she loves me, but seems bent on keep
ing me in uncertainty, and uncertainty
is something that l never could bear,
and in this case it is a species of
cruelty"
A look almost quizzical came into the
gray eyes of the listener as the Young
man ceased speaking.
perhaps she is retaliating for the
many times you have teasei, her in
years long vanished" though the light
faded out of his eyes as his mind went
back to the old days, when his heart
thrilled as her tiny arms clasped his
neck with her tight little hugs, while
he carried her as gently as a father.
"No, | don't think that. Miss Jones
is too true hearted to lay up any old
scores on account of boyish sport. As
! SAID before, l think she cares for me.
but can't bear this suspense. She told
me less than q week ago that she didn't
think she should marry at all, and
for once she seemed serious on this sub.
lect. And she said if it would be anv
consolation to me that she would prom
Use that, unless she became Mrs. Alden,
she never would become Mrs. any,
body"
There was q little silence, during
which John Alden walked slowly about.
while the other stood and scowled help
lessly as though he were the most ar-
grieved person in the world.
SWELL" said the former, at length.
IL don't see as any one can help you,"
eyes, you car help me-"
"How SOP" queried John, stopping
in his walk.
SIN this way. They think everything
of you there, and Milly really looks
upon you as some old uncle''-John
winced-"and would listen to ANYTHING
you might say. Of course, I don't wish
you to make a proposition of marriage
to her in my behalf, for 1 have made
several of those already: but I want
you to go and see her; state the case
just as it is, and [ will abide BY the re.
suit. | am not going to lose her with
out q desperate effort. If she decides
against me, I am going to New York
and get some sort of a clerkship; if she
is reasonable, l will try farming"
The two men stood and looked at
each other in silence, Johns face as ex-
pression!ess as a mask, Lancelot fever
ish and impatient.
"Wil you do this much for me?:''
questioned the latter.
eyes; but it is rather a strange errand.
l will call this evening""
That evening John arraved himself in
an ill-ftting suit of Sunday clothes and
betook himself to Neighbor Jones's. As
the sturdy form moved down toward
the road, Lancelot sat al a front window
and watched him, muttering to himself
and total lack of gentility. :
elf | were as homely as John is 1 be-
lieve | would shoot myself. / don't
think he will ever marry" and then he
walked restlessly about the room.
AS John strobe up to the Jones's
domicile, Milly met him at the door
with a bright smile.
"How do you do?" she said, giving
him her hand. ssIt seems an age since
[ have seen you. Father is out in the
back lot, inspecting the condition of the
grass crop. He thinks OF commencing
haying next week, and will be glad to
talk with you On the subject. In the
meantime / will entertain you till he
comes. Come in,'' and she led the way,
still holding him by the hand, into a
pretty parlor, as bright and attractive
Us her own dainty self.
She disposed of his hat, and then
nestled in a great e%asy-chair with the
graceful abandon of a pet bird, while
John sat awkwardly fumbling with
some light trifes upon a table beside
him, scarcely knowing how to breach
the subject of his errand.
"Miss JONES'" he said at length, when
she interrupted him.
"Why do you call me Miss Jones?
why don't you call me Milly? I have
known you ever since l can remember.
Have you forgotten the romps we used
to have when I was q little mite of q
girl and you seemed almost as old as
you do now? What wonderful stories |
you used to tell me in those old happy
days. l should like to live them over
again"
"They were very happy days." he
said, so gravely that she was startled,
and turned her bright eyes full upon
him, though he was not looking at her
at all.
He was away back in the dim recesses
of the past, wandering again with a
little child whose love wound its ten
drills about his heart like the clinging
ivy about q sturdy oak.
IL have come tonight on a queer err
he said at length, rousing him
self. ''lt is in reference to a proposal
of marriage"
She grasped the arm of the chair con-
vulsively, while her color came and
went fitfully.
"What do you mean?" she said, al
most inarticu lately, as he paused and
from the window at the setting