The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-17
4 COUNTY, DAKOTA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER II, 1884.

By the arm and almost forcibly led her
back into the parlor. 'It Is clear you
two have met BEFORE" she continued,
assuming the Office ofinquisitor; "when
and where was it?"
"Shall I tell ?" asked Albert,
Amelia maintained ahaughty silence.
"You do not object, and, really, I see
no reason why you should. Mother,
you have often wondered that did NOT
marry. This is the reason" He point.
ed to Amelia, who still stood draped
in her long widows veil, clasping the
white-robed child in her arms.
II was not to blame" she said calmly.
"You wera to blame; you should not
have let your father influence you"
"You should not have disputed with
my father. He was older than you,
and of course knew better"
"That is an exploded assumption.
But I am not going to renew that dis.
cussion with you." Then with sud.
denly-awakened tenderness he advanced
and took from her tired arms the little
girl, who was nodding heavily against
her shoulder.
"There, sit down." he said gently.
After all these years we may certainly
let the old quarrel rest. was SO taker
by surprise that I did not do justice te
the tender feeling my heart has always
retained for you.
"Tender feeling-quarrel! What in
the name of heaven are YOU TALKING
about?" cried Mrs. Fargo, impatiently.
IL am going to tell you," returned
Albert, laying the head Of the sleeping
child against his breast, and beginning
to walk the floor. "How like you she
is, Amelia" he said, looking fondly
at her. "See, mother, this should
have been your grandchild. Yes, we
were engaged. You remember, Anne.
lia, the night I proposed? II
was After the bali at the col.
lege, and we were walking home toeeth.
er through the moonlit villcge street
You wore rose-pink silk, with tulle owe,
it, and the tulle was oil in tatters, but
you looked as lovely as an angel; and
You said yes without hesitation, like
the frank. sweet girl you were. All.
We were very happy"
"But you would always dispute with
papa about the proper treatment in fe.
vers, and the giving of calomel, and oil
that, said Amelia, sadly. Papa, who
had practiced medicine forty years, and
who of course knew 30 much better"
"Ah! don't speak of that" pleaded
Albert humbly, melting more and more.
wrought upon not by memory alone,
but by that inexplicable tenderness that
will flow out about o little head nestled
against the breast; n own that was
wrong"
"You admit it, at last!" exclaimed
Amelia, with on air of triumph.
"Wrong in disputing, 1 mean; not in
the principle.
you cling toyonr heresy9 Papa said
"What have medical theories to ds
with h.y loving you?" he asked, pausinp
before her and looking earnestly at her
"You married, to please you father, ar
old-school physician. twenty years old.
er than yourself. Did his medical ortho'
doxy make you happy?"
She did not reply.
'"Tell me-" he insisted, "were yor
AasppJ WILL uiu
"You shan't question me so," she re
piled, making a last struggle, "Give
ME my baby, I don't love to have any
one hold her but myself"
See how sweetly she is sleeping II
my arms, Amelia. have never he er
so happy since the night we walked
home from the dance together. Doesn'
your heart tell you you owe me some
reparation for oil the happiness yor
you have kept back from me?"
Amelia Auttered her fan and looked
at the floor. It was stained floor she
noticed.
"Let me keep the baby" he urged
"Let me teach her to call me papa"
A fuint smile curved Amelia's lips
but she did not look up. He bent or
one knee before her.
"Say yes again, dear, he whispered.
"Ill be so good to you both"
she bent forward as if to kiss the child's
fair temple, but Albert, perhaps misin-
terpreting her design, bent forward al
SO, and the kiss fell upon his mustached
lip.
Mrs. Trim and Mrs. Fargo, who had
tlptoed from the room few moments
before, were embracing each other in
the sitting room, with tears of irrepres.
sible laughter. Half On hour later
Mrs. Fargo returned to the parlor,
thoughtfully overturning chair as she
came through the hall.
"Well," she said, "if you two have
come to place where you can leave
of, perhaps you will come to dinner
eve are resolved never to leave off, =
said Albert, ''but dinner will not be
amiss."
"1'm afraid it will be very much
amiss," observed his mother. "It has
been waiting an hour"
'Never mind" rejoined Mrs. Fargo,
cheerfully, "wegl wash it down with
phials of Nux."