The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-06-04

tired to the hack part of the house. be
cause Biar was ''steady company" ant
steady company was never infringet
upon by the family in general.
81 met her and Biar Gillett out walk
ing jest now" Lyman pursued. ''The.
say they're going together"
Louise looked ut him. Her thir
checks grew hot. and then cOl0rless
Stephen Pinney and his wife and thu
hired girl looked at her anxiously. and
the former addressed a remark to Ly
man Baker concerning the working 0u
of taxes on the road. He, himself, wa.
rosd-master. and he didn't calculate tt
have any Sinking this season. Louise
sat SILENT smoothing down her blacl
alpaca-Lyman had come before z 80
and saying nothing. But when he fin
ally gotnp to 60, she rose also.
'.Be you certain it was hima" sht
said.
"Who?" said the young man.
"Be you certain it was Biar?"
THAT l met walking with that CIR
that's to Baldwin's2 Oh, land! yes, v
Lyman responded.
Tho hired girl looked sharply a
Louise where she stood without moving
after Lyman had gone. She was not 8
cook nor a servant-she would have re
sented being called such; she was 8
''hired girl" She was on equal terms
with the family; she ate at the same
table. occupied the sitting-room when
not engaged in the kitchen, and entered
into the family discussions.
Il declare fort Louise" she said with
sympathizing asperity' ''if I'd take on
to worry. Biar Giliett amt the only
Teller in the wOrld-great spindle-leggc
thingw
Louise only looked at her silently. II
was beyond her power not to worry; it
was beyond her power to be any thing
but utterly lost and miserable under this
great calamity: and she was too simple
and honest to pretend to any thing else.
She had never thought much about her
feelings toward Biar Gillett, but now
she realized dimly that the pale-haired,
solemn-faced young man was in some
way necessary to her only happiness.
and that now it was probable she had
lost him. She did not give up all hope.
Sunday afternoon she put on her black
alpaca and her red and black shawl. and
stood watching for him in the front
window. She could not believe that he
would not come; and when she saw the
two-seated buggy coming down the
road. with Bars lanky form on the
front seat the dull weight at her heart
lifted. and left her in 4 joyful glow.
The mud was dried to-day; the wheels
of BARS buggy were black and shiney;
Biar himself had an unusual air of
smartness, and wore new hat-a wide
brimmed felt. But he drove straight by
without turning his head. The hired
girl had been watching from the other
window.
"Wal, l neverr' she calculated.
''He's going down to Baldwin's after
hr," said Louise unsteadily.
oval, there-r' the hired girl be-
gan. with some motive of consolation;
but she stopped then, pOwerless before
the look of suffering in the girls face.
She watched her with helpless sympathy
as she went upstairs to take off the black
alpaca.
Lyman Baker came in the next even
ing. and again three days afterwards.
On that occasion Mr.. and Mrs. Pinney
and the hired girl went out into the
kitchen; it looked as though Lyman was
going to be steady company. The
Young man sat in a large rOcking-chair
with figured calico cushions and GRO
chcted tidy. Louise had been sitting at
the table. with its stamped oil-cloth
10 rusn l- 81
with small pastc-board box before her,
whose contents she had been sOberly
lingering over. 1t held all that Biar
had ever given her, a plain silk hand
kcrchief, small tintype of himself and
a red carnelian bracelet. She put the
cover on the box and dropped it into
her lap when the visitor entered She
knew quite well that Biar had deserted
her; that he was drawn away and held
fast by the superior charms of another
girl. and that he was ''going with" her
steadily; that there was no hope of re-
gaining him. She had settled down
into a hopelcssncss which was worse
than the first sharp pang; and her de-
spair had developed a quiet passivity.
She was not troubled by Lyman Bakers
visit: she had not the jealousy for her
trampled hopes nor the self-assertion
necessary for rebelling against him.
even in thought. She accepted him rs
part of her misfortune.
Lyman broke the long opening 81
lcnce BY a remark concerning the
weather. He followed it up. after an
other pause, with piece of informa-
ton.
They say that Biar Gillett and that
girl to Baldwin's- her name?"
MANDY Sawyer" said Louise. rails
ing her eyes in quick apprehension.
''Ihey say they're going to be mar
ried. They say BARS been over to the
Center and got license. and they're
going to be married next sunday night.
after meeting"
"You don't say sou said the girl. But
she felt no astonishment The sudden
ness of the consummation was q fit ele-
mcnt in the crude young courtship, and
she felt it vaguely. Her hands were
unsteady, and she rubbed them up and
down the little paste board box. Then
she put it on the table and showed it
away. without anger. 1t did not seem
to belong to her now. Lyman Baker
looked at her undisturbedly. He knew
that she and Biar Gillett had been keep
ing company. but he had no suspicion
that she could have given Biar Gillett
more than passing thought. in the
face of his own superior attractions. A
sudden idea occurred to him-an idea
which was encouraged by recollcctions
of Tilley Dillingham; and the last so
ciable. He moved about briskly on his
calico cushion. staring ut Louise. The