The Press., 1889-08-01
significance of his act he stopped and kiss ed her month

IslBnlHcanc0 OI ms act ne stopped ana KISS ed her mouth.
 It was strange new happiness that Ralph felt as he held her in his arms. The first shock of surprise was immediately followed by the revelation breaking ill up- on him that le had himself, all unwitting- ly, invited the confession of love which filled her heart. He saw his dreams of life consecrated to art vanishing like morn ing mists in the summer atmosphere Of this newborn love, but the tumultuous throbbing in his breast left no room for sorrow or regret.
 l "My beloved he whispered, and the stars looked down upon the unfolding TO- mance-the same romance they had be- held for ages, and will behold in ages to come-the eternal drama of love.
 The next morning Ralph walked into the ofice where his father was busy preparing hls saddle bags for visit in the country.
 "Father, 1 have something to tell you. I have arrived at decision"
 About what, Ralph?:
 .''I have given up the thought of becom- ing an artist. I shall not leave Willow Creek now. I will stay here and go on studying medicine, as you wish. I am engaged to be married, father"
 ''God bless my soul I congratulate you, my boy,' said the doctor, warmly grasping his hand "Who is it, Bessie ?"
 "No, not Bessie; Althea Ramsey"
 "Althea Ramsey the judges niece? Why, you sly fellow, didn't even know 1 you knew her."
 Ralph was silent He turned and look ed out of the open window to the eastward, across the valley where the yellow grain was waving, far beyond the low wooded hills bathed in the morning light, and saw in imagination the blue waters of the Mediterranean, the orange groves of Sor- rento, and all the groves of the Vesuvian bay. Between him and this beautiful vision there came the face of dark k-eyed I girl-her words of last night sounding me, my lover; promise you will never leave me-"
 The doctor was eyeing him keenly. ''Look here, Rllph, this doesn't seem like you. Have you gone and done anything rash simply to bind yourself to resolu- tion you dare not trust yourself to keep to please me, Ralph ??
 "No, father have thought only of my own appiness-mine-and another's." "Well, if that's the case, I'm heartily glad of 1t, said the doctor. I'll stop at the judges as l come back and see if I can have look at my daughter-in-law that is to be-
 Jo McGregor stood in the doorway of his store one spring morning, looking up the street toward the little brick church into which all Willow Creek was pouring.
 "Ain't you goin' to the weddin', Jo ? , called out Hi Stockman, the grocer, from ) his place next door. ''No,' said Jo, II let the two boys go , they're friends of Ralph's, you know, an6 Pm tendin' the store It was the black r eyes of that Ramsey girl that settled al Ralph's high notions, continued Jo. ''lts wonderful what this fallin' III love will do anyhow. Mebbe, though, as folks say r Hi, its best it happened so. Like as no ) If he'd gone over to Europe-but look } they're comin' out of church,"
 THE HORSE EvENED UP.-"One of thu , funniest incidents that happened under my observation during the late war;" saii Col. Mosby, Occurred in cavalry igh in the Shenandoah valley along in 1864 In the midst of sharp cavalry engage ment with Sheridan's men, in a charge near Berryville, there came crushing like : whirlwind into our lines Yankee soldie : on big black horse. A score of mel tried to stop horse and rider, but the olt blacks blood was up, and he went on cleal through our lines before he was unde control. The rider was sent to Libb, prison, and we mustered the black charge , into the confederate service. A few day later we charged some of Clusters men and I'll be darned if that old horse didn return the compliment by carrying con federate into the federal lines, and heve came back. ."-NeW York Tribune.
 
 All frst-class grocers sell Brussels soap.