Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-12

"Marry you? Why, no, Vane, OF
course won'tl You must have taken
leave of your senses. i always told you
i intended to wed man with blue
eyes and golden hair, and yours are
dark. Besides, you are twenty-seven
and medical student, two things l
never could tolerate in the man honor
with my heart and hand.p And lovely
little Lottie Rexdal laugheda a very wick
ed little laugh as she pushed the end OF
her red silk parasol into the soft soil
under an old apple tree, at the same
time glancing saucily up at her COM
panion, scholarly young man.
"Why do you ask me?" she resum-
ed.
''Because I wanted to be made fun
of, to be ridiculed by the little girl
love,n replied Vane Winton, smiling
sadly at the pert young lady perched
on the back OF a rustic garden-seat, her
brown frizzes falling roguishly into her
dancing brown eyes. afskJ
'Now that doesn't sound a bit like
our own grave Vane, who studies medi-
cine and cultivates an ice cream COM
plexion."
'An. ice cream complexion% asked
: Vane. little mystif1ed.
Eyes; that's Lottie Rexdaps term for
students compilations. You book
worms study away until your faces
take on the hue of that sweet COM
pound,n answered the roguish girl.
i'If you would only be grave for n
while / might talk to you," said Vane.
"Yes; you know I'm such rogue
that should put you to the bushes a
thousand times day." chimed in Lot
tie.
"Iam willing to run the risk.n
s HAh! but / shall not agree to any
such sacrifice. Marry some steady, SEN
sible girl. Alice May will be here in
one hour. Be polite, and captivate her.
Miss May is so highly cultured and
grave that she will surely not be less
than sublime in your eyes. I'll tell
yOu-"
But Vane did not stay to hear more.
He walked off leaving gay Lottie Rex
dal laughing merrily.
Lottie was the ward of Vane Win
toms kind father. She had been
orphaned at very early age, A maid
en- aunt had then adopted her. When
Lottie was but ten, and her education
not half completed, her kind relative
died. But before that she had sent for
Mr.. Winton, her girlhood's lover, and
made him promise to receivet the little
orphan girl. The kind man consented;
and 30 Lottie became an inmate of
Vane Winton's home.
Vane was the only child of wealthy |
parents, and at the time when Lottie |
came to his fathers househe was away
on the Continent.
When he returned three years after
wards he found his ''ward-sister," as he
had called her in his letters, away at |
some school for girls. So it happened
that Vane and Lottie had never met |
until six months before. Vane was a |
fine scholar, but he had never studied
any profession. Now, at the age of
twetny-seven, realizing perhaps that
stit is never too late to mend" he was
fitting himself for the ministry.
Vane was trying to study at his home
that summer. Sometimes he found it
impossible to do so amid the tempest
aroused by mischievous Lottie Rexdal.
She threw open the unused piano, and
made the house ring with her clear,
bell-like notes. She filled the library
with flowers, tossed up Vane's books,
and even scribbled on them. She rode
every horse on the place, romped with |
prince, the great shaggy dog, tore her
dresses. went bare-headed, and turned
the wide hall into q skating rink.
She was utterly spoiled by both Mr..
and Mrs. Winton. At first Vane had
been shocked. But the more he studied
her original character, the more he be-
came reconciled to it. Tolerance gave
place to admiration, and that, in due
time, to love. He had always felt o
vague longing to discover . !, woman in
whose character he hoped to find origi
nality and freedom from affectation.
If he could only teach Lottie to love
him, what a splendid woman she might
become! si,ia5 4al,a,saa sn,s
Il He would wait patiently and hope
fully, he reasoned, as he walked away.
Taking a volume from his pocket, be
sat down on O bench under an elm, and
began to peruse it. Soon merry laugh
caused him to look up, and he saw Lot
tie riding down the lane on her milk
white Floss. Very bright and piqpant
she looked In her riding habit as she
drew rein beside him. ,lt. a.t -.,..
HSir Owl, I'm on my way to meet
Miss Alice now; and while Pm gone |
shall expect you to comb your hair,
part it in the middle, put on clean
collar, pin flower in your button-hole,
and act very aesthetic and dude-like."
And, with a merry laugh, she rode
away. KS AZ y,t fs,att,
For weeks after Alice Mays arrival
the house was filled with company.
Vane devoted himself almost entirely
TO her, leaving Lottie to amuse her
self AT the frequent picnics Alice
shone as the chief star of the occasion.
She might be gone all day, but returned
with her elegant costumes as perfect as
when she started, while Jottie would
loose her parasol and fan, and tear great
holes In her dresses, and come home
with her face and hands as black as
gypsy's. 4Il lSlfl0
'p When Vane and Alice went riding,
Iottie would show off Floss and Jump
hedges, thus provoking earnest remon-
STRANGE from Vane. Then the brown
eyed witch rode faster than ever, send
ing back gay peals of laughter to the dig
nifled couple whom che left TO bring up
the rear. iulE8t3pH 8palGela III
I Oflate Vane thought he detected a
certain recklessness In Lottie's freaks.
When going up the mountain, where
1t was so steep that he dismounted to
lead Alice's horse, she galloped on, put
ting whip to- Floss, who rushes up the
rocky ascent, tearing up pebble and
turf, over the wide chasn, and along
narrow lodges, where q single misstep |