Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-02-06

81 ana literally serious rs the grave.
You've made my stay at Oakland very
pleasant; you've given me glorious
drives and sails and I'm no end obliged.
But in regard to this new favor you
propose to confer upon me, no, no, Tom;
l must decline it, thank you"
Favor! Really, Daisy, / fail to see
how I've provoked that sarcasm.
"Let's not talk about it, Tom. All,
we're nearly home"
"But, Daisy, must talk about it."
pleaded Tom, seizing her hand. "Do
you mean you never can care for mes
oh, Daisy, Daisy, don't say it!''
His manner was eager, his tone peril
Gus sweet, though now at the door, lac
made no movement TO slight; 1t seemed
as if he could not let Daisy go till she
had promised to love him.
Don't be absurd, Tom, cried she,
almost beside herself with the fear lest
she might yield in spite of everything.
an never marry you-neyer! never!
Why, Tom Raymond, I'd as soon marry
that hen-coop!
To do Daisy justice, she hardly knew
what she said. Bent on convincing her
overwise lover that she was not his 10
be had for the asking, she hSd hurled
the hen-coop into her sentence simply
for emphasis. Ii wounded Tom beyond
all expression. To offer himself TO
young lady as a husband, only TO be re-
jected by her as hen-cOop-this he felt
was too much for human nature To
bear. without further dallying lie
helped Daisy dismount, and drove away
with curt adieu.
wretched Miss Daisy gazed after him
with lack-lustre eyes, feeling rs spirit
less as glass of yesterdays soda water.
How angry he must have been to have
left her to unlock the door for herself.
And, oh, dear, what allied tie key!
Would il never, never turn? oh, for
strong fingers Toms fingers! Pres
emily il dawned upon Daisy that there
must be some obstruction in the lock.
BY the aid Of the moon she peeped In at
the key-hole and saw the trouble. In
locking the door OIL the inside Aunt
Abby had forgotten to remove the key I!
Daisy pulled the bell frantically till the
pealed echoed through every room,
pulled it till she broke the wire, but no
sound of answering footsteps came. Far
away in the north chamber Aunt Abby
was lying on her good ear, sleeping the
sleep Of the innocent.
"She never hears anything when
she's on her left side" groaned Daisy,
"and she may not turn over for the
night. oh, what shall doS What shall
| do2"
She tossed pebbles against her aunt's
easement. and shouted her name again
and again then desisted In sudden ter
ror. What If the tramp were still lurk-
ing in the eighborhood, and should APP
pear at her call! She fitted around the
house like a midnight ghost, only to
fnl every door and window fast. She
looked i'm at the lighted dining-room,
and the appetizing lunch awaiting her
reminded her that she was faint and
had eaten no supper.
Hungry and hopeless at midnight In
the country, where tramps were, and
where police were not! Here was sit
uation for a girl delicately reared and
naturally timid! The only light TO be
seen in The village was at DR.. Raymond's
quarter of a mile away. Daisy knew
il must have been left burning for
Grace and Tom. Grace could not have
been home long, for she and Jack had
come the long road by the mill.
"If | can only get there before che
lamp goes out!" murmured Daisy,
speeding along the street. What could
she do better than to beseech the Ray
monds to shelter herr She knew no
other family so well, and, besides, no
other family was awake. After what
had passed, she shrank from meeting
Tom, but she shrank far more from
meeting the tramp whom her excited
fancy was perpetually evolving from
the shadows. What with fear and haste
she reached the threshold breathless.
Pushing open the hall door, little va
grant that she was, she stole In upon
Grace, busy in securing the parlor shut
ters.
"Hush, Grace; don't scream-don't
rouse anybody" she cried in a hysterl-
cal whisper. | thought maybe you'd
let me sleep with you. I'm locked out"
locked out, poor dear!'
Eyes; III tell you all about it pres
emily. Can't go upstairs lrstI I'm
20 tired -
you're white rs a sheet, birdkiD.
Run up 10 my room. III fellow as soon
as Tom comes in. He's at the stable
feeding Lady"
'Ladyt"
Hasn't Tom told you Of his little
Lady, the lovely filly Uncle Ezra has
given him? She came while We were
at 'Pinafore.'
ellis little Ladyp'
"Papa thought Uncle Ezra would bet
ter keep her till Tom was graduated
but uncle pets Tom, and he said Tom
might as well have her at once"
Daisy heard the closing Of distant
door, and fec to dream dreams too con-
fused for record.
As she was tiptoeing out OF the house
In the early morning she came upon
Tom, looking glum and sleepless.
gI ho,, vonr ma -don Tom for what