River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-11-28

He tried TO grasp her bands, but she
drew them away. saying excltcdly:
And this 10 vour greatest fault. II
yoa loved me tenderly might trust you;
but you love me, a. you say, passionate
ly, and /, who have looked on at life and
reflected. have seen that of all traps and
pitfalls this is the greatest Talk of the
bsa0e de diobie OF girls, that fits almost
with the fading of the bridal flowers,
that is no delusion compared with the
passion Of men; and yet in choosing
freedom rather than binding ones self
10 delusion. vou need not tell me that
choose what Is only negative. II is 50
discouraging. You have such hopeless
faults; and shall never like any other
man better than you, Jacob l know;
and so / shall never marry"
Yes, but / am not like thats know
that | shall marry he said, watching
the girls face closely. ut seems to me
now as If | should not, but l am only
man, masculine, Gs you say. AS long as
! am very busy l may keep up, but some
times they say it is not quite wholesome
in those ranches, and one is exposed to
AAA aAAA NtAtAtA- might DC AAAs anu
then when ! am homesicl and lonely
some good Western girl will take care
OF me, perhaps like me, even love me.
For her | might not have SO many faults.
She would not he 80 clever as you, or
have got things down so fine; and she
wouldn't know, poor thing, what tissue
of faults is covered by my unfortunate
name, that sounds so homely and simple
and good. So being sick and lonely and
wretched, and grateful to her, know
that | should be weak enough to marry
her. ] kno% that should"
YES" said Millicent, throwing down
beside her the bouquet of sweetbrier,
with passionate gesture, that's Just
what a mans love means. l shall be SO
glad that l didn't marry you, when l
hear of you throwing yourself away on
some wild Western girl that any man of
refinement would shudder to think of as
his wife. l didn't believe it of YOU"
and she ran down the steps of the porch
into the garden.
Jacob was up in an instant and follow
ed her; but she ran from him swiftly,
leaping over the fiower-beds and speed
ing across the grass, slim and active as a
nymph, her pink dress telling white in
the soft light of the summer night. He
had almost caught up with her when he
stumbled and fell over the protruding
root of an old tree. She fleeing breath
less, came suddenly upon her father and
mother, who, having returned from their
drive. had alighted from the carriage at
the gate, and walked across the lawn.
They stood now hand in hand. looking
up in the sky at the new crescent moon
"a charming picture Of the sweet COM
panionship of loving souls, who, uncon-
seious Of the passing Of the years, find
their own youth in ali the promises OF
nature.
3iillicent stood and looked at them,
with sudden tears yelling up into her
eyes. They turned and saw her, just as
Jacob came mp, somewhat confused at
the new situation.
Mrs. Fuller spoke first. why, Mil
lieent, is Mr.. Raus here2 thought ho
had gone"
"Why, yes, Jacob, we thought you had
gone, " said Mr.. Fuller with an unex-
pected sympathy in his heart for his old
friends son, awakened by Mrs. Fuller's
treating him as a stranger in calling him
Mr.. Raus. The good gentleman had felt
no sympathy whatever for him on ac-
count of Milli.ent's refusal. 1t had APP
peared to him a great impertinence that
he should propose to take his daughter
so far away
Jacob stood silent. Millicent took her
fathers hand, and, throwing one arm
around his neck, kissed him. This ac-
ton, which conveyed nothing but his
daughters affection for himself to the
old gentleman's mind, explained the
whole situation to Mrs. Fuller, who was
not unprepared when her daughter, turn
ing to her, clasped her in her arms and
said:
Yes, dear mamma, Jacob Is here;
and when he goes I go with him. l
have promised 70 be mis- wife, and you,
who know what il IS, will be the last OF
all to deny me that companionship
which makes you forget even the part
ing from your children"
Jacob was more surprised than any
one. He never knew exactly how it had
come about; he only knew that he must
have been very much improved by mar
riage, or his wife grown very lenient;
for no man ever suffered less from fault
finding than he, and the West was to
him a wilderness that blossomed like
the rose.-Scribner's Magazine.