Nevada County picayune., 1886-01-14

Way 5 DusS ouu d 0tl"iSC too'llCoo grew up between them. He act ually seemed to avoid her. She thought, with woman'S sensitive. ness, tha she had been silly and foolish and that he regarded her as too trihing a piece ofhuman- ity to be worthy of his least atten- tion. so with equal coolness she studiously avoided him.
 Tie summer days slipped away. Autumn came and early winter, still she had received no proposals not one. Her young gentlemen l friends did not find it easy to make advances with her in spite of her , frankness and seeming pleasure in their society. The only person who really enjoyed her confidence was the Colonel, whom she regard ed as sort Of ather-confcssor. However, the fatal day came at l last. She and the Colonel had 1 been out tor ono of their numerous drives. They had been unusually merry, tue Colonel behaving much like a young boy. On bringing her home, he came in, ostensibly to get warm. Standing with his back to the fire and his hands folded be- hind and his feet wide apart he re- garded Hazel in an abStracted way as she threw of her wraps, drop ping her cloak on q chair, her hat on a sofa, dragging a scarf over a stand, and leaving q mitten on the floor.
 Suddenly bringing his haals to gether with a click and raising him. selt up cn his toes and letting him. self down again, ne said:
 "Come here, child, l want to tell you something.'
 i Hazel came over 10 where he was standing, and dropping into a chair, looked up with expectation in her eyes.
 The Colonel took a step, wheel ed around facing her, and said in a depreeating way: Il don't know how to tell you, l am not an cl0- quent man-uot much of a man anyWay--but I-I love you, have loved you since yoa were a wee child. Paihaps--I do seem old to you, but feel younger than l did at 20. l do so long to devote the re mainder of my life to you, darling. Could you--do you think you could be my wife"
 Hazel, at first dumbroanded and feeling a strong inclination to laugh and cry both, tried in vain to col lect her wits. Her first offer. And Gel. Baker, wi;h his queer ways and bald head standing there with the ridiculous quay CT in his voice! It was too much!
 No, she cried, sprinGing up. "How could you ever think would consent to such thing?"
 Then a sense of all his goodness and worth-minsIed with feeling of pity at his distress -camo ovel her, and clasping the palms of hel hands together, she said brokenly I"Oh! you are so good. l Ike you ain very sorry, but l am sure mol don't think I could make yon happy
 My dear child" he said with sudden courage, taking her clasp ed hands in his. "is there anyone whom you care more for.' No, oh, no!" she said, blushing and then suddenly paliug. There is no one.3
 Then let me have an opportuni, ty to win your love. 1 cant give you up, dear. The thought of you has entered so entirely into my life that l cannot go away without a little hope. Yoa do not hate me little one"
 No, mol" she said ir distress but I--"
 Never mind, don't try to cX- plain yourself or your feelings. Let everything be just as it always has. RemeWber that l love you and let me come and see you of. ten." Pressing two fervent kisses on her hands he shot out of the door and was off before Hazel had time 10 turn around.
 | She gathered up her. things and went straight to her room. Then she threw herself into a large wick, CT chair and began rocking herself