The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-04-24
FABLE TIE THIRD.

THE WIPER AND THE COUNTRYaAN.
Patience Blacllthorn went halfway
to the village TO meet her lover on his
way back from Ituochestar, The we'd
ding bells were already singing in her
heSrt. No; whatever father and neigh
bors might say, she could not believe
that nc'er-do- well Dick was really bad,
when all the world was so good and so
gay. And how good above all things
and creatures was her own husband
that was to bel How true and thought
full and strong he was-what rock to
lean upon and what an anchor TO mold
by. What a good wife she would be to
him; if she did not love him so much.
the burden of gratitude he had laid
upon her would be all too great 10 bear.
But Love knows nothing of debt; he
cannot be even grateful, he is so all in
all when he is truly true.
What made him so late? Once she
thought she saw him in the dstance,
and tool, out her handkerchief TO wave
But, she was tritie short 5: GIFTED, and
presently perceived that she had mis-
taken hat and coat for the man; and
the wcarer presently turned out of the
path towards Legs Croft by way of the
church, and struck off. towards the
crossroads by the Half Moon. I'm
afraid he thinks ME Little cold, "
thought she. ..But never mind that
he shall not think so forever" But Mt
last she had gone SO far that her eager
ness to meet him would seem little
too warm and eager, all at once. So
ct,f In tna
thinking happily, while the rocks cawed
home, and listening to the sheep-beil
tinkling far away. But still he did not
come. And at last she could only de-
eide that his buyings must have kept
him in Manchester. and that he was not
coming home at all before morning. l.
was disappointment, for she had gone
forth SO full of love and JOY. But still.
men must be men, and have their work
that makes small women jealous and
large women helpful and wise. Pa
tience Blackthorn, though small, was
one of the large.
She fully expected, however, to see
him turn up for breakfast, and prepared
special provision for man hungry with
an up-and-down-hill walk from Hun
chester to Legs Croft. When she did
not come she looked for message pres
emily: and when that did come then for
a surprise and start,e. She would be
going about the place and would light
upon him hard at work, as if nothing
had happened; and then there m, Sht be
sham fallIng-out. for the sake OF what
would follow. Then. wien he did not
come 10 dinner. sac began to fear that
he had sent message by some chance
iJler, who had lost it b. the way. For
she had head on her shoulders, and
never jumped to uncomfortable conc!u-
sions un,ess compelled. Besides. Ste
phen was Stephen; there could be
nothing really wrong. or without good
cause. No doubt he had sent that
message. and no doub. would outstri2
his errand-boy.
Nevertheless, she would not 20 down
the road to meet him, just to-day. She
did not like to seem running after him;
and he must stand his trial for negii-
gencc. even though he was acquitted
beforehand. And it was perfectly easy
to keep her resolution until the days
work was done and tn, first occasion
for breaking it had arrived. So, as
she would break it. she struck COM
promise. She would 60 along the path