The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-02-14

married, Loltle. Dear, DuC Also 10 NEE
the incest fellow in the world-next tt
Arthur"
Nonsense, Lettie. you know that
do not care for such as that" said Allie
flushing.
"But you ought to. Do you intend te
be an old maid?"
"Yes!" firmly and decidedly.
- "Cross as two sticks--sour as crab
,.9ple! Oh, yes, / can see you now-a
wlinkled, withered little witch, with 8
whisp of hair about as big as my finger,
and shoulders bent almost doublew
Allie laughed, stole a glance at her
slender, but straight, we'll rounded fig:
ure, her bright soft eyes, and youthful
face-then relapsed into gravity.
'"I shall never marry, Lettie."
"Why not?" impatiently
because cannot desert my mother!'
Nobody but brute would ask you to
do that! exclaimed Lettie. Indignantly
II am sure Roy Stuart would not"
"Who?"
"Roy Stuart"
rs that his name?"
eyes. What do you think of it?"
"Altogether too romantic"
"Psbaw! 1t is q fine name, and just
and handsome, I think, with beautiful
grey eyes. Moreover, he is good and
ncble. He is Arthur's best friend; and
just think how nice it would be to live
here near together! am sure this pure
air would strengthen your mother"
"Do hush. Lettie' You talk as though
I had nothing to do but signify my will.
ness, and the gentleman would propose"
. said Allie, rising and walking to the win
dow, somewhat disturbed.
The bride.e elect turned her engage
ment ring round on her pretty, plump
finger, half-smile on her face.
Her schoolgirl friendship had sur.
---r- 81 time and absence, and she felt an
sh desire to see her friend as hap
she herself.
- he is tender, loving creature. She
d mother. She must get that fool
notion of self-sacri6ce out of her
d, or her life will be spoiled" unused
girl, silently.
lille met Arthur Wooton, her friends
aManced, that evening; but not thus quiet
lywas she destined to meet his friend.
The second cay after her arrival she
was persuaded to 60 out riding with
Lettie. Now she was not an experienced
horsewoman, and unfortunately her
horse had not been exercised for two or
three days; and when beyond the limits
Of the village, he was disposed to take
control.
"Pray be careful! / am afraid
he will run away!" exclaimed Lettie il,
alarm. "Dear me, if be should"
"Don't mention it!'' gasped Allie,
growing pale, and pulling hard at the
rein.
Well, be didn't exactly run away, but
when they came near the banks of a
river he jbolted, and could not be pulled
up until he stood in the middle of the
ford.
His luckless rider did not stop then,
for'when he halted SO suddenly and un-
expectedly, she pitched 'headlong out OF
the saddle into the water.
It was not really a dangerous fall, but
OH how ridiculous and notifying!
There she sat in the middle of the
; stream, bare-headed and dripping wet,
when young man, attracted bv Lettie's
shrieks, fastened out of the woods, his
gun in his hand.
Flinging down gun and game. bag, he
wated in to the rescue of. the unfortu-
! nate Allie.
! ""What an absurd mishap! Don't ask
me to ever ride again, she said, shaking
!. butcher dripping habit.
THANK heaven, you are unhurt!'
cried Lettie,. gratefully. "And thank
Roy for coming to the rescue" she
, added, with flash of mischief in her
eyes.
! Allie glanced quickly up into the gray
teyes she had heard called beautiful,
then blushed deepest crimson.
That was how she met Mr.. Stuart, and
though she told herself it made no diff
ference what kind of an impression
she made on him; she could not think
of her dishevelled, half-drowred ap-
Epearance with anything but disgust.
"Gracious heavens, whata fright" she
4murIhured, when safe in her own room
she went, girllike, to the mirror the
Efrst tbi93.
] Determined that the second impress
sion should be better than the first, she
ade careful toilet that evening, and
appeared at her brightest and best.
Mr.. Stuart, who proved to be az intelli.
gent and agreeable as goodlooking, de-
voted himself to her entertainment in a
quiet, unobtrusiye way.
Lettie's wedding preparations went
J .nerrily on, and the bridegroom's best
friend sesmed to be deeply interested
in them. He certainly called ON the
Iarveys. as often as he could. and
RlNoNOI JAlAOu W E0ch Out dl4C0s
As time passed on she grew almost
frightened at herself, she felt 80 changed
|6o unlike the sober-rninded, resolute
Ilgirl OF former days.
II am losing all the practical common.
tsen$e I have gained In two years, and
going back to the romantic dream OF
younger days. must stop. / must 20
filome she thought" with troubled sigh.
But Lettie married, and went away On
p short tour, and still she fingered, fer
She could not get away for the urgent
entreaties Of the family to stay and help
&rrange Lettie and Artbur's house, and
Her mother wrote for her to prolong her
visit. tx , y. .-.,s. 49,.
Half laughing, half yexed, she con-
kented. 72Ss5s -
Nstseems asst the whole world has
Eotspired against me, mother included.
Rl,etsWonse bhe say il she knew7 But I
stI1 not be . coward and run awayp
blnshing furiously. 5;.s # 9ts s. .
rs was exciting, delightful employ
nent furnishing q house. Som times
he would make Relieve it was her own,
and many sweet thought fitted through
her mind while she helped Ito arrange
The pretty rooms. sfsSs
kr6tuart had hiS1 share ol the work.