The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-09-25

town is bound to retain you in office.
ION my boys account, / regret it,
said Mr.. Varney, rallying his wits. II
have to be away from home more'n is
suitable under present circumstances.
The poor little fellow needs a mother"
Miss Olive rose precipitately, and
picked up newspaper spread to
shield her new carpet from the southern
sun.
"Father used to say it was thankless
business to work for the town." said
she, folding the paper with nervous
energy. her cheeks aglOw.
'.It's remarkable how You keep your
good looks. Olive" exclaimed the loung-
ing widower, in irrepressible admiration.
"You seem hardly day older than you
did fifteen years ago. I've changed
Outwardly more'n you have, but I've
just as warm place for you in my
heart rs had then"
An uncomfortable warm place it must
have been, provided Mr.. Varney's face
at that moment truthfully registered its
thermal condition.
"Thank you. I'm glad to keep otl my
old friends quaived Miss Olive, with a
cautious emphasis upon the pronomical
adjective.
but want to be more than one of
your friends, Olive, I want to be your
husband" urged her lover, holder
than in the days of his bashful indoles-
cence.
''Don't. Luther-you mustn't. I'm too
old to change nv mode of life."
''Old? How can you talk SO, Oliver
l don't feel old at forty-tive, and you're
only forty"
''Thirty-nine, corrected the lady, with
noteworthy zeal for truth. s'But dent
ask me to marry. Luther. I'm welded
to the old house. like the very moss on
the roof
''Do let me speak. Olive-do. l beg"
pleaded MIR. Varney, in the soothing
tone he habitually adopted with the fair
sex. rs if intimate companionship with
the departed Pamela had brought him
to regard woman as being to be paci-
fed.
Thus gently entrcated, Miss Olive
could but listen to the tai, of his youth
full love for her budding anew. and only
the more vigorous for its early nipping
She listened, not unmOved, though her
prudish lips belied her.
''Refiect upon it. Olive. Take time
to consider" implored the willy lover,
with an appealing gesture injurious to
his cause, for the appraised hand dis
closed ring that had been Pamela's
gift. Could She, Olive Meserve, accept
bereaved husband--she who had
vowed, in season and out of season, that
she would never marry anybody, least
of all widower? Hymen forbid! What
a stir it would make?
mo, no, Luther; let's not talk any
more about it, she cried. as if fOrgiving
an affront. ION no considerations
A wall from without cut short the
sentence. BloOd-stained and aflrighted,
Master Willie rushed wildly in, Shrek
ing. ''Oh. papa! papa! I've most cut
my finger off! Oh, papa! papa!''
"Dear, blessed little lamb" ex-
claimed kind-hearted Miss Olive, head
ing the procession to the kitchen sink.
ats his seventh birthday, and I gave
him jacknife. might have had more
Judgment" said the remOrseful parent.
bathing the ugly cash with clumsy ten
derness.
"Oh, papa. you hurt" cried Willie.
hopping on one foot.
''Yes, yes. sonny. It's too bad. but
papa can't help it," groaned Mr.. Var
ney. nearly as agitated rs the child. sole
survivor of five, and the apple of his
fathers eye.
Wincing at the mans awkwardness.
Miss Olive quietly supplanted him, di-
verting the boy with a highly dramatic
story while she deity bound up the ach-
ing finger.
what knack you have with chill
dren, Oliver" remarked Mr.. Varney,
pensively leaning against the pump.
81 learned something of surgery from
father" responded she, with brisk ir-
relevauce, checking herself in the act of
smoothing Willic's rutfled hair. Then
she cast despairiDg glance at the horse
tethered at her gate, where all the world
might see. Before shutdown it would
be rumorrd from Dan to Beersheba that
she and Mr. Varney were making a
bargain" Had he no regard for the
speech of people?
Lets 60, papa. I'm hungry" cried
the boy, opportunity.
run right along, sonny; I'll follow
in minute, was the craft reply.
But rs nimble wltted Miss Olive
straightway speeded after the boy with
three cookies, the discomfitted father
was forced to say adicu in his presence.
81 can't help hoping you'll change
your mind vet, Olive" was his parting
remark. Sonny, can't you thank the
lady?"
The unframed boy hung his head, but,
as his mortified father secured the check
rein, shyly whispered in Miss Olives ear:
Il like you, lady,"
Miss Olive was touched. What bonny
blue eyes the engaging little fellow had!
Just like his fathers. All, if she were
younger. less set in her ways. how she
could love him!-the child. of course
How she should enjoy making him balls
and kites. and teaching him to honor his
father. the best man in the world! Poor
Luther had had sorry life of it.
He deserved well-Ordered home. If
ever mortal did. but he might have
known wouldn't be so ridiculous as to
marry at my time of life," unused she,
going back to the empty sitting-room,
where the cat lay curled up on her un-
finished rug. I'm thankful Climena
wasn't round when he called"
In her dreams that night little Willie
leaned upon Miss Olives pillow -obbing
because 1.-The lady had been naughty to
his papa" and the next morning he
appeared in the flesh. his finger inilamed
by cold taken in dabbling in his aunt
Bowens horse-trough. Would Miss