Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-05-27

would take her from : life II which she
raa such risks.
Would the village rise n holy horror
at his mating with the circus-girl9 The
grandson Of minister He laughed
softly to himself. The villagers and his
ancestors would never trouble him IL he
could but win her.
Then with bitterness he thought:
ssyEhat have I to ofEer2 q great clumsy
fellow. ana not worthy q her. She
is far too good for me. And his
mother? he was her only child, and
il he were happy she would be content
he knew.
Early next morning the circus left
Quietton, but Lola remained behind.
She cried . little at parting with her
sister, whose care she had been from
child. In fact. the elder sister was ale
most like mother to the younger;
even her marriage had not weakened her
affection for her.
Mrs. Sturdy was TO receive weekly
stipend for Lola's board, which John
longed to refuse to receive, but did not
see how he could under the circum-
stances.
1t was q novelty to Lola, this quiet
life. She was lying upon the big chintz-
covered lounge and gazing out ct the
green fields and hequaint old-fashioned
! garden Of the cottage. And then the
knowledge that she could make John
Sturdy, such great powerful fellow,
tremble at her very touch, amused her.
How he waited upon her, never firing
even when she became tribe exacting
and perhaps q Bit cross. He had always
an excuse for her. Her arm panied
her, or it was lonesome for her. Till
his mother one day, taking his honest
face between her hands, said
s'John. John. my son, am afraid
you are lying up trouble for yourself
The Lord give you strength. 4"
'sYou win love her mother, for my
sake and-and her own ?"
Lola's arm mended rapidly, and one
evening she suddenly announced her In
tention Of leaving Quietton to join her
sister, who was still travelling with the
circus.
Swinging gracefully to and fro on the
little whitewashed gate at the end Of the
lane that led to the cottage, she leyeled
this shaft at John, who stood at her
side, wealth Of intense feeling darken-
ing his eyes.
'sGoing awayg' he gasped. mo.
Oh, Lola cannot spare you; stay
stay and be my wife. I love you so that
/ will do anything in the world to make
you happy. You remember Hawthorn
farm, the pretty place you said you liked
Sc much ? We will live there. Oh,
Lola, my darling is it 50 hard to love
me just little 2"
Holding out his arms yearningly, yet
not offering to touch this bit of . girl he
could have crushed in his strong grasp,
he awaited her words.
CHANGING shyly from under her dark
lashes, while q half-smile Quivered
athwart her rosy lips, she answered
''Do you really love me 30 much
Its nice to be petted, and Hawthorn
Farm il real pretty place, but il must
have bow-window, and alOgeIy flower
garden r.
At this he drew her toward him, and
kissed her so passionately that. perhaps
q little awed by this strong mans love
for her, she said hurriedly:
81 am afraid I do not love you enough,
and perhaps ! shall not make you
happy"
II am willing to risk IL, }" he MUIR
INJURED fondly. as he again clasped her
in his arms.
just Q month from that day Lola be-
came Mrs. John Sturdy. and they went
to live at Hawthorn Farm, where the
bow-window and everything the young
wife had expressed desire for awaited
her.
For . few months not cloud dimmed
the horizon Of this happy pair. Lola
Yves pleased with her newly-acquired
dignity and her power over her stalwaRt
husband. Then the novelty began to
wear OF. and the young wife waxed
restless, and Johns heart ached with
the fear that she was growing TO feel
like bird that had been deprived % It's
liberty.
Once when she had driven with him
to the neighboring town he noted the
quick color dyeing her cheeks as they
passed large circus-poster, and with
what eager eyes she scanned the red 81
tiers, and he made up his mind when the
circus arrived to visit it with her.
Bat unfortunately he was obliged to
be away that day on business. and il was
moi until late il the evening that he re-
turned 70 fnd "a empty home and few
hastily-written words, bidding him fare