Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-06-04

For all that on the homeward drive she wished
herself back in the hall. IL was 30 hard
TO meet Toms like gaze with In
difference, TO school her warm, hayward
heart against his tenderness, 30 precious but
Yesterday At first she strove bravely to
maintain her former vivacity, but her liveliest
sales fell unheeded. The slogan was In tho
air. Daisy knew Tom had something particu-
lar to say All, we'll, for that matter, 80 had
she. Clasping her cold little hands together
resolutely, she waited in silence.
~Dasy, Two been thinking"
Dangerous symptoms, my young friend;
lot the doctor prescribe"
"Im going back to the medical school next
weak, Daisy"
$50 soDny" in a tone of cool regret
And want to ask You, Daisy"
'rve only TO ask, aud the little lady's mine,"
prompted haunting memory, kindling in Daisy's
eyes dangerous fire.
Notwithstanding his Wanted assurance,
Tom hesitated over the vital question, fdget-
ting with the reins till the horse rebelled and
stlrtsi off ut canter. Having soothed the
animals ruiiied feelings, Tom began afresh
"Daisy?"
'Woll, Mr.. Raymondg"
enc ", Daisy, you promised to call me Tom"
odd II It isn't half so pretty name as
Mr. Raymond"
I'm glad Il you likemy name, Daisy. Iwish
you'd ta,a, it ~ keep"
''You'r re too generous, Tom I'm not a strong
Mr. Raymond
Don't tease, Daisy. You know what mean.
I'm just dying to make you Mrs. Raymond,
my beloved little wife"
~ should have to die IL you did, Tom Be
loved little wives are always under tomb
stones"
'Do be serious, Daisy You must know I've
been in love with you from the first day l saw
you.
"Ah," thought Daisy, with curling lip, 'if
hadn't played eavesdropper what happy
little simpleton might bel" Serious, Tomy"
she said aloud; ''Tm literally serious as the
grave. You've male 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, ne, Tom; l must decline 1t, thank
you"
"Favorl Really Daisy, fail to see how I've
provoked that sarcasm"
Lets not talk about it Tom. All, we're
nearly home"
''But, Daisy, 1 must talk about it," pleaded
Tom seizing her hand "Do you mean you
never can care for me! Oh, Daisy. Daisy, don't
say it'll"
His manner was eager, his tone periously
sweet; though now at the door, he made no
movement to alight it seemed as il 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 "Tn never
marry you, never! neverl Who, Tom Ray
mond, I'd IA soon marry that hencoop."
To do Daisy justice, she hardly knew what
she said. Bent on convincing her oyerwise
lover that she was not TO be had for the asking,
she had hurled the hencoop into her sentence
simply for emphasis. 1t wounded Tom be-
yond expression. To offer himself to a young
lady as husband, only to be rejected by her
as a hencoop-ths he felt was too rluch for
human nature to bear. Without fursoor daily
ing he helped Daisy to dismount ssd drove
away with n cnrt adieu
Wretched Miss Daisy gazed after him with
lack-lustre eyes, feeling as spiritless as q
glass of yesterdays saltwater How angry
he must have been, to have left her 70 I'M
lock the door for herself And, oh dear!
what alled the key? Would IL never, never
turn Oh, for strong fngersl Toms flrgersy
Presently it dawned upon Daisy that there
must be some obstruction in the lock by tho
aid of the moon she peeped in at the kevhole
AMI saw the trouble. In locking the door on
the insida Aunt Abby had forgotten to remove
the Key. DAISY pulled the bell frantically till
the pcals echoed through every room, pulled
TIL She broke the wire. but no sound OF an
swering ;O1;2 -pS 'ame. Far away in the
north chdmhe' - Abbey was lying on her
good ear, sleeping ,io steep Of the innocent
''She never hears anything when she'r on
krleF- side" groaned Daisy, "and she may
Tot turn over for the night Oh, what shall
do? What shall doy"
She tossed pebbles against her Aunts case
ment, and shouted her name again, sud
again: then desisted in sudden terror. What
If the tramp were still lurking in the neigh
borhood, and should appear at her call! she
fitted around the house X a midnight ghc at,
only to find every door and window fast she
looked VS. the lighted dining room, and the ap-
petiZing lunch awaiting her reminded her that
rhe was faint and Ia eaten no supper.
Hungry and homeless at midnight in The
country, where tramps were, and where pcice
we're mott Here WAS IL situation for girl cell
Cately reared and naturally timid! The only
light to be seen III the village was at DR.. Jay
rtond's,a quarter of mile way. Daisy knew y
rust have been left burning for Grace AID
Tom. Grace could not have been home l,nE,
for she and Jack had come the long road by the
rtll
"If can only get there before the light goes
cut" murmured Daisy, speeding along tn Q
street What could she do better than TO be-
seech the Raymonds 10 shelter her? She knew
no other family 81 well. and, besides, no other
family was awake After what had passed,
she shrank from meeting Tom, but she shrank
excited fancy was perpetually evolving from
tho shadows What with fear and haste, she
reached tho Ill teshod breathless Pushing
open the door, l.ttle vagrAnt that she was she
stole in upon Grace, busy in securing the par
lor shutters.
"Hush, Grace; don't scream-dont rouse
anybody" she cried, in historical whisper.
81 Thought maybe you'd let me sleep with you.
I'm locked out. "
"Locked out, poor dear!"
eyes; I'll tell you all about itpresently. Can't
go upstairs first?
f'Youre as white as sheet, birdkin. Run up
to my room I'll follow as soon as Tom comes
in. He's at the stable feeding Lady"
"Lady?"
"Hasn't Tom told you of his little Lady, the
lovely colt Uncle Ezra has given him? She
came while we were at Pinafore."
"His little Lady"
"Papa thought Uncle Ezra would better Aecp
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 fed to dream dreams too confused for
record.
AS she was tiptoeing out of the house in the
early morning she came upon Tom, looking
glum and sleepless.
beg your pardon, Tom, for what ssid last
night-about the hencoop, you know" she
| whispered, In dimpled confusion. 'It was aw-
| fully naughty. take ID all back I"
sand will you take back all the rest, Daisy?'
! implored Tom, cheered by her bushes.
SHush! Can't STOP Tom," said she, with
an evasive laugh. II must take myself back
now to Aunt Abby"
"You must do no such thing. Daisy Camp
bell." said Tom, stoutly, his clouded mind pre-
cipitately illumined by the coquettish sparkle
in her eye. "By your leave, madam, / shall
| take you back to Aunt Abby myself, and shall
ask her to lock you in next time and keep you
for me. Come, the carriage ID ready. Well
ride with the little Lady"
i n ~