Daily Republican., 1888-03-27
LOVES mAsQUERADK.

WY, my GEAR boy" was the re
ply, II did not know you had seer
her said the old lady wonderingly,
well, my acquaintance with her Il
rather short. confess. l only saw
her talking with you this morning.
heard her say that If she ever fell II
love IL would be with a farmer. ant
that she was tired of everything con
nected with city life. l am unfortu
nately from the city, but l am coins
10 transform myself into a country
man and hire out as q farm hand Il
Miss Stone"
And he unfOlded his plans for win
ming the young lady. and had soon en-.
listed his good natured aunt on hii
side.
Miss Stone was very much nleased
with her new hired hand, Eben, as
he called himself. He did not eai
with a knife, and his grammar was
singularly good for farm hand.
She did not wonder, when he drove
her home one night, that he
should talk a good deal, and he was
certainly very respectful
"You are fond OF farm work and
the cuuntry3" Miss Stone was saving,
Very" Eben rejoined, with much
enthusiasm.
"You were brought up on farmP'
she added.
"Well, no--not entirely" the hired
man responded
"But you chose farm work because
you are fond of It," said Miss Stone
warmly. "ln that respect we are ex.
aclly alike; I love itl | suppose, /" she
added gently, "but you were Obliged
to choose something's
"l-yes, I--support myself" Eber
responded, with his eyes on his COM
panion's fair face,
at is nothing to regret indeed it is
not !" Miss Stone declared comfort
ingly. 81 admire anybody who is in
dependent and ambitious; they're the
only people do admire"
"Oh, that is very good in you," the
hired mali murmured, tucking the
robe more closely about her.
And 1 suppose you haven't had
many advantagesr" Miss Stone pur-
sued with sympathetic softness.
well, Pve had-some schooling"
the hired man admitted
at isn't go great a loss," said Miss
Stone earnestly. "Msny OF our best
and creates, men had very few educa
tional opportunities" 1t sounded
some what trite when she had said it,;
but the hired man was looking at her
with warm gratitude. "NothinE is to
be regretted that incidence and lack of
principle r.
''You are very kind" Eben said in
soitencd tones.
The moon was just rising; the dai
slea in the fields shone white under il,
and The scent of the fresh crops filed
the air.
Certainly the hired man was not to
be blamed for driving past Miss stones
gate when they had reached it, with q
glance at his companion which was
the perfection of respectful Difference
All that night she kept dreaming
about this natures nobleman whom
she had met, and she thought OF going
over TO Mrs, Briscomb's and telling
her what wonderful man he was.
The next dav shc asked Eben to
drive her over 10 her aunt's place.
Fate must have had something to dol
with the carriage being upset and
Gertrude falling plump into his arms
and then and there he told her how
he loved Yer, and was promptly &C.
cepted ave need only live on the
farm in GUNNER" said Ebcn myster-
Iously.
"What ahall we do Wlntc. .s?" said
Miss Stone. wonderingly.
"Well, I've thou" ~ or c.p,oe ,ntn tho
,.slness," the hired man
rejo'n.d lightly.
And she laughed in fond cnjo yment
of the JOKE.
The remark occurred to her three
days later. She went into the city to-
do little shopping, and to break the
news OF her engagement to her guar
dian.
She told herself vehemently that she
did not dread the process in the least;
she was certain that it would not
make the slightest difference what any
body said.
Sill she felt little odd as she walk.
ed up the street from the station. The
Egberts drove past in their liveried
carriage. The newly.married and ex-
cessively stylish Nicolls met her smil
ingly. Lottie Hall and her rich young
fiance bowed to her from dog cart.
Well, she didn't care what they said
she should marry Eben though the
whole world should rise up to oppose
1t.
1t was the Daily Reflector building
which put her in mind OF Eben's joke
about the newspaper business.
The attiuent publisher of it stood on
the steps talking to gentleman. He
was an old friend OF Miss stones, and
he hurried down to speak to her.
''ln Tor aome shoppingf" he said.
"By the way, we were just speaking
of you. MIR. Russell tells me he has
met you. Mr.. Russell. here's Miss
Stone"
Mr. Russell came down the steps,
with his hat raised. He was immaou-
lately arrayed in pale summer suit,
knotty, silver mounted stick, o high
nat and polished shoes.
He WAS in nowise different from the
dszens Of young men passing at that
moment, but Miss Stone stared at him
in speechless, motionless bewilder
ment, and Mr. Russell stared back at
her.
1t was not till the publisher had
bowed himself away that they spoke.
"Ebenl" Miss Stone gasped.
'Gertrudep Mr.. Russell rejoined.
He had recovered himself and was
smiling.