New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-08-29
HOW COULD SHE LOVE HIM.

Sleep smoothing down the IDS 81 weary W eyes
HOW COULD SHE LOVE him.
Who will deny that 4 little self-esteem
is an excellent thing? Without it per-
son is pitiable object; he collapses
like a pricked puff at every rebuff,
and is as unpanoplcd for the asperities
of the world as a snail without its shell.
DR.. Hugh Melton probably had fair
share of this desirable article in the be-
ginning, but his deceased wife had COM
pletely eradicated it.
He firmly believed that his waving
chestnut hair, shot with lights of wan
dering gold, was a brickdust red; Sarah
had often said so.
1t was an article of his creed that he
was as ugly as an ogre, and as clumsy
as hippopotamus. Sarah had instruct
ed him in this belief.
He looked at himself through the de-
parted Sarah shrewish spectacles, and
found himself very undesirable hus-
band for a lovely girl like Lizzie
Smith.
Sarah had often said that she had
thrown herself away when she married
him, and if he was not fit match fol
her, how dare he aspire to Lizzie, who
surpassed her as a mayfower does a
hollyhock?
May-saucy minx-in the Western
town of Parsons steals the roses from
her sister June, and as she keeps April 8
violets as we'll, reigns month Of
lavish bloom.
There is not hollow in the rolling
prairie but has its lap full of the rosy
Montana verbena; not meadow but
can match the blue above with its vio-
lets beneath; not hedge-row but is as
full of bloom as it is of bird-songs.
Mrs. Ledley's dining-room was a con-
paper, and pasteboard boxes.
From this chaos dainty May-baskets
were rapidly emerging, while the clat-
ter of girlish tongues kept time to the
click of scissors.
Isn't that just too sweet for any.
thing?" said ten-year-old blonde, as
she proudly surveyed a completed
basket. "I'm going to give it to Der,
Harris. May have one Of your moss
rose buds for it, Lizzie?'
mo; I'm sorry, but I can't spare one
of Them" returned Lizzie Smith, jeal-
ously guarding her five perfect pink
buds. ''Dr. Melton loves roses, and he
shall have everyone of my buds"
.'Selfish thing!'' said May Lansing,
making dash for Lizzie's treasure.
A sparring-match was imminent,
when 3 little peace-makcr came to the
rescue with spray of white heliotrope,
and the belligcrents subsidized.
.'How many baskets are you going tc
hang, Lizzie?'' enquired May, whose
anger kindled and burned out as quick.
~ as fire fed with straw.
''Only one. / don't believe in pay.
ing attention promiscuously,' said
this twelve-year-old book-worm, who
had the dictionary at her tongues end.
I believe in loving one only, and in
cleaving to him." she added, adapting
Tennyson to the exigencies of the oc.
casion in q sentimental tone, oddly al
variance with her dimplcd childish
face.
AS Lizzie hung her basket on DR.;
iiMelton's door-knob that evening, rang
the bell, and ran away, she looked sew.
eral times to see if the doctor was il
pursuit, for she would not have object
ed to pay the traditional forfeit of kiss
if the one she had elected to love and
cleave to had been fortunate enough to
capture her; but it was only Mrs. Ros-
coe, the doctors housekeeper, who came
to the door and witnessed the flying lit
tie figure.
"There is something for you, sir-a
May-basket that was left last night, y
said she at the breakfast-table direct
ing DR.. Melton's attention to gay lit
tie boat, overfowing with cargo Of
rosebuds, pansies, and geranium leaves,
that was sailing on the red sea of the
tablecloth.
''For me?" wonderingly enquired DR..
Melton. "Who would give me May
basket? Perhaps it is foryou Mrs. Ros-
coe?''
''That's likely story!'' shifted Mrs.
Roscoe. ''Who would hang a May
basket for a grizzly grey old woman
like me?''
'.But it can't be for me, protested
DR.. Hugh.
''Of course it can't" said Mrs. Roscoe,
with another sniff of sovereign sarcasm.
''It must be for the cat! Ideclare fort
it, doctor, can't bear to see hand
some, smart, middling-young man like
you have such q misurble opinion OF
himself!''
t'Me handsome?'' said the doctor
deprecatingly. "Sarah always said
eyes, l know what Sarah always
said, broke in his champion indignant
ly. Wasn't she my own niece? And
didn't l know all the ms and outs of her
domineerin' ways? She was one of the
women that think they can hist them
selves up by putin all the men folks
down as low as they can get 'em. Not
but what l think folks ought to be hum
BILE that's all right, and accordin' to
Scriptur'-but when humbleness goes
to seed, it raises big crop of airishness,
and there no kind of market for such
crop. Ihate to think of the way you We
been brought down. You haven't any
better opinion of yourself than if you
were striped clown at circus. But !