Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-22
NOT SO EASILY WON.


THarper's Bazar.l
"You seem comfortably sure of her, Tom.
"Well, why not, my dear Jack, when I've
only to ask, and the little lady's minei Pm
immensely taken with her, but I've hung
off about
The dip of advancing oars drowned the
rest of the sentence, but Miss Daisy Camp
bell, in her hammock behind the alders, had
heard enough TO destroy her peace. Fearful
of betraying her presence by the movement
of finger, the girl lay rigid as marble,
watching with strained eyes two fragra Mt
blue wreaths of smoke gliding past her re-
treat, till through an opening in tho bushes
further up the brook she caught feeting
glimpse of birch canoe beneath the smoke,
and Of the smokers, two gay, sunburned
youths, with guns and fishing rods. Tom
Raymond sat in the stern-tall, handsome
Tom, who had but now boasted Of an easy
conquest of herself. In that moment OF
wounded pride and fierce Indignation, Miss
Daisy thought that she could have cheer.
fully seen him drown.
"'Oh, she's a daisy" hunmcd Jack
McKeen; and as the mocking tenor smote
her ear the quivering listener thought she
could have seen Jack drown too-the saucy
idle tell-taleI Why need he proclaim to the
birds of the air and the fishes of the water
that the lady in question, Toms little lady
to be had for the asking, no other than her.
self, Mrs. Blunts city niece, little Daisy
Campbell' How indelicate, outrageous3
And yet the song hurt her far less than
Toms words If Tom, Tom Raymond,
could speak so lightly of her, why might no,
Jack sing what he pleased, and all Oakland
listsnl So that was the way Tom was in the
habit of talking about herl She had heard
before that young men by themselves were
excessively free in discussing their lady
friends, and now she had proof of the fact
Unmannerly, detestable creatures, espec
cially Toni
"'Fve only to ask, and the little lady's
luine, those were his very words" moaned
bapless little Daisy, hiding her hot face
among the hammock cushions in an agony OF
humiliation. She had always felt that il
Tom had fault it was self-conceit, but she
wouldn't have believed he could be SO con.
ceited as this. What had she said or done
to warrant his boastful assertloni She would
challenge Aunt Abby, she would challenge
Toms sister to say that she had ever beer
silly with Tom. If there had beer
any Stiffness it had not beer
on her side, unless-truthful Dais5
WINGED at the recollection - unless-well,
perhaps she did let Tom hold her hand an
instant longer than necessary the day he
helped her over the fence, and she wished
she had not clung TO him in the thunder
storm But at Is what girl likes to be
prudel Though, for that matter, had shs
not more than once during their summer
acquaintance snubbed Tom for trying tt
make love to bera Still, he'd only to ask,
and the little lady was his. That was hi
version of the story, and he had gloated over
it to Jack. Daisy lifted her tousled brown
head detiantly, and sat bolt upright
"I won't be crushed-I will not" she cried
aloud, dashing her tears right and left. "I'T
go to 'Pinafore' tonight, just as if I'd over
heard nothing, and if he chooses to ask fol
the little lady, why, he may. She's sure oi
her mind at last She'll have her answer
ready"
Springing from the hammock, Miss Daisy
walked with martial tread through the gar
den into the kitchen to help Aunt Abby h
shell the peas for dinner.
"You must have been lying in the sun,
child" said that lady, glancing up from the
pan in her lap ats bad for your eyes, and
bad for your complexion. l don't believe
that's good place for the hammock"
ats a horrid place" responded Daisy,
falling savagely to work. "rm going to ask
Abram to hang it where it waj before"
Abram was the intermittent help of the
Blunt establishment, who carried on the
farm and came night and morning to milk
the COW. From the day she became visitor
in the household, he mad been Miss Daisy's
slave, and now that Mr.. Blunt was tempor-
arily absent, the honest servitor took it upon
himself to look in at odd hours "to see to Miss
Blunt and that posy-faced little niece of hern
needed doing for"
MAYBE fresh buttermilk will help that
sunburn,n pursued Mrs Blunt, still misin.
terpreting the cause of Miss Daisy's height
ened color. sd try it You'll hate to go to
the Falls as red as hollyhock."
Despite her chagrin, Miss Daisy smiled at
the misuse of pronouns, knowing perfectly
well that if she were to look like a fright
her aunt would regret it more than she.
For sensible woman, without undue per-
sonal vanity, it must be admitted Mrs.
Blunt had a most complacent enjoyment Of
the beauty of her stylish niece from the city.
II hate to leave you alone so late in the
evening, auntie," said Daisy, throwing a
handful of empty pods at the chickens by
the door stone I'm afraid you'll be nervous
"Nonscnse, my dear; I'm not one of the
nervous sort l always stay by myself
nights when your uncle goes to his lodge
meetings If get tired and sleepy, lock
the doors and go to bed When lie on my
good ear can't hear a sound, you know, and
your uncle can come in without waking
ne"
"But how does he get inl'
h tolr la--, H., f<xr t1a
front door. There's the extra one over the
clock. You'd better have it tonight; then,
if don't feel like sitting up for you, / won't
You won't be likely to get home before II"
By twilight Miss Daisys turbulent crimson
had softened into sea-shel pink. Aunt
Abby flattered herself that she had never
seen the child handsomer than when, in flmy
draperies she floated down the piazza steps
to Tom Raymond's waiting rheton.
"The infatuated boy looks as if he was be-
holding an angel from heaven" mused the
pleased lady, who dearly loved Tom. But
Tom. Daisy, did you take the keyP
"Yes, auutie; it's in my pocket"
"Pocket! can they put pockets in sea
foam!' laughed Tom, tucking the linen lap
robe about the young lady's billowy tounces
1 leei my sell iuite ihtuequdsc W the Cdle VI
this fluffy elegance, Mrs. Blunt, do assure
you"
"But it's his; he has only to ask and it's all
his" thought Miss Daisy, scornfully, as she
bade her aunt gay good-by.
In the whole region round about there was
not a lovelier drive than this five miles be
tween Oakland and Oakland Falls. Taking
it by moonlight, on a perfect July evening,
with a fascinating young lady by his side,
and spirited horse obsdient to his will,
Tom Raymond mentally acknowledged that
the conditions were favorable for enjoy
ment He had been planning this tete-a-tete
for days; indeed, he had gone SO far as to
formulate certain momentous speeches to be
delivered on this occasion, but with strong
est desire TO lead the conversation into sentL
mental channels. he was continually
bafiled by an intangible something in
Miss Daisys manner. He spoke Of lovely
bird he was mounting especially for her
self ard she discoGrsed of the swallows il
Aunt Abby's chimney; he limited at mans