The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-27
TIE SECRET OF A LOCKET. /,

Columbus Dispatch.
THE SECRET OF A LoCKET. /,
Another Tale which Tells as That Ais Well
That Ends Well.
Eighteen years ago thero weren't
many young men here in Forum, and
u courtship was an evont-mino had
hardly counted because George and
had dkept comrsny ever sinessI could
remember. lIo used to take me to
school OH my sled in the winter and
in the summer we'd go nutting-then
when VIC got older he'd take ME to
praycr-mccting and singing school, SO
when his fathcr took him in with Inn
wasn't even surprised to have hin,
say:
"Kitty, haven't VIC waited about
long enougL-let's get married Christ
mas night when all The green's are in
the church and then every year we'll
keep our anniversary with all the
world"
We were so close to each other,
somehow, that i Just said yes without
waiting to make excuses and find out
objections that l knew whero nothing
us girls often do, just to be coaxcd-
was glad to belong to him, body and
soul. and pve gone on being gladder
every year till now.
But that has nothing to do with
the wedding that's coming off this
Christmas! He asked mo one after.
noon i'll the Indian summer when We
all had IL picnic-'wo girls us Mrs
Whitney says, Laura Daintrc, her
cousin Louis, young naval officer
who was staying ut tho judges till he
should get his orders; old DIR. More.
dith's new partner, young DR.. Horton,
and some of the children that we'd
brought along to run crrands and
wash dishes. AS said before, there
were SO few men that We would have
been real put out if they-thc two new
oncs-had spent all their spare time
at any one house, as they did at the
Johnsons', if it hadn't been that CIV.
crybody loved Rose, except Julia. 1t
was queer about Julia, for she had al.
ways had the best OF everything ut
her aunt's. 'Giveit to Julia, mamma,
Rose would say, 4 have you and she
-''has me, too, l hope Mrs. John.
son always answered, but she g,lve
first choice TO julia, too.
John Horton was awfully in love
with Rose, he showed i'll every lool,
and word-but VIC were not 81, sury
about Louis, first it was Rose. have
seen him look ut her with all his soul
in his eyes, and then it was Ju.
lia; nobody could havo blamed
llim-not knowing her us we did
if it had been julia, for she was the
handsomest girl l ever saw in my life.
Her uncle used to call her "iire-fy," )"
and it suited her. That day it was
Rose, and Julia was us black us thun-
der. Sho tried to llirt with John, but
it was no usc-tllcn she sulkcd. l
didn t SEQ SO much OF tho men after
that-tle girls were i'll and out nll the
timc-becauso Twas mnkingmy things,
we hadn't so many reody-male things
then and brideladn u chance to take
q good many stitches with needles
threaded with love, as well as thread,
in getting ready Ono night, just
four days before Christmas, we were
all over ut tho Johnsons', when the
Judge came over with u telegram for
Louis-his ship was to sail at once
and he must 30 tomorrow. We were
all dreadfully sorry to lose him, and
as much shocked us ii VIC hadn't been
expecting it for weeks.
In thehubbub ofvoiccs Ig,lcss / was
the only one that noticed how quiet
both Rose and Julia were, but when
We were going l was the last out and
Louis managed TO leave his cap and
come back for it. In tho hall, in the
dark, he ran against Rose and heard
him say very softly: "NIiss Rose" (she
was tho one then, as l had always
thonght) "nre you sorry to have ME
go" She didn't shy word, but
presently heard her sobbing as if her
heart would break ana then Louis
whispering: ooh Rosie, my little dar.
ling, then you do love me-" Then
there cnme calls for "Louis," and he
kissed her again and again, loosenins
the little hands from his coat and
whispering: Tomorrow, darling, to.
morrow"
Tho next morning Rose was to 90
with me to do my last shopping and
| found her white as candle, but she
didn't say aword. Wowent to Myers
to have my earring fixed and there on
the counter was beautiful locket all
flashing with diamonds. Woman like,
! took it up and on the side was best
beloved and the date, under it was
lying on the counter the best photo
graph had ever seen OF Louis Dan-
tire. and u slip OF paper, to be put in
ready for Mr.. Daintro at 8 o'clock /
had promised Mrs. Johnson to go
back to take my last free dinner. as
julia called it, and afterwards Rose
took me up to her room; she had ~
headache, She said. We hardly spoke
to each other, and as the afternoon
went on Rose got as nervous as a cat
and could hardly sit still.
Tho sun was going down and the
room all full OF golden sunset light,
when Julia came suddenly init was
llcr room, too-starting when she saw
us. "lou at home. Rosc," she said;
"why, l told Mr.. Daintre you were
out with Kitty. lie was sorry you
wero not at home. left goodbye for
you and hopes to see you--in two
years" She was SO brilliant and
glowing, and Rose, poor little Rose
so white and bcwildercd. Well, we
didn't discuss the thing-it wasn't
such very pleasant subject And
Christmas SO ncar-my beautiful
Christmas-when l wanted all the
world to be happy! Well. the houso
was all trimmed UP with green's and tho
presents kept coming and l was so
excited hardly knew what l was
doing, and before 1 had fairly com.
pretended that it was my wedding
day it WAS night and the girls were all
there, dressed in white just exactly
Mi sNtI n al