The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-12-10

umph in the fact-she had found
Mrs Briscomb's hired man remarkably
agreeable and-nice. She should tell
Mrs. Briscomb about it the very next
time she saw her.
I She did not see Mrs. Briscomb again,
! however. Eben came over with the
butter and eggs. He brought them in
small quantities, and came often con-
sequently; and he came when he had
no butter or eggs to bring And Miss
Stone, quite necessarily. saw good
deal of him. He came with Mrs.
Briscomb's carriage sometimes. and
Miss Stone could hardly have avoided
driving with him occasionally.
She thought, at the end of four
weeks, that she must certainly 60 10
see Mrs. Briscomb and tell her how
delightfully."- her own hired man had
proved her theories.
Eben was, to say the least, extreme
ly interesting. He was bright and ap-
preciative; he was pleasantly humor-
Gus on occasion; and he was very well
informed on a surprising variety of
subjects.
Miss Stone pictured long succession
of studious night vigils. She could
hardly wait to tell Mrs. Briscomb.
1t needed only a distant locomotive
to bring matters to a climax. Eben's
horse saw it as ne and Miss Stone
drove over the track one evening, and
reared and plunged.
Miss Stone screamed family, and
chung to the hired mans arm, and
when they were safe on the other side
the hired mans arm was around her.
Twill you let me take care of you
always, Miss StOne-Gertrude" he
whispered, in stereotyped phrase. Il
know you will"
Miss Stone turned a pretty, yearn-
ing. dubious face upon him.
What will people say?" she MUIR
INJURED.
II thought you didn't care" said the
hired man, in tender reproach, loosen
ing his arm.
Il DON'T don'tr' cried Miss Stone.
pulling it tightly again. You are all
/ want. / don't care for any body.
And we shall live out here on a little
farm of our own?" she said presently.
well, perhaps - summers" said
Eben.
What shall we do winters?" said
Miss Stone, wonderingly.
We'll, thought of going into the
newspaper business" the hired man
rejoined. lightly.
And she laughed in fond enjoyment
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 guard
| ian.
She told herself vehemently that
she did not dread the process in the
least: she was certain that ii would not
make the slightest difference what any
body said.
She felt a little odd as she walked
up the street from the station. The
Egberts drove past in their liveried
carriage. The neSly married and ex-
cessively stylish Nicolls met her smil-
ingly. Lottie Hall and her rich young
| fdnce bowed 10 her from a dOg-cart.
Well, she didn't care what they said;
she would marry Eben though the
whole world should rise up TO oppose
it.
1t was the Daily Reflector building
which put her in mind OF Eben's joke
about the newspaper business.
The afiluent publisher of it stood on
! the steps talking TO a gentleman. He
was an Old friend of Miss Stone, and
he hurried down 20 speak to her.
LIN fer some shOppirg?" he said.
by the wa; we were just speaking of
you. Mr.. Russell tells me has met
you. Mr.. Russell, here is Miss
Stone"
Mr.. Russell came down the steps
with his.hat raised. He was lmmacu-
lately arrayed in pale summer suit,
knotty, silver-mounted stick, a high
hat and polished shoes.
He was in no wise different from the
dozens OF young men passing at the
moment, but Miss Stone stared at him
in speeches.. motionless bewilder-
ment, and Mr.. Russell stared back at
her.
1t was not till the publisher had
bowed himself away that they spoke.
"Eben!" Miss Stone gasped.
"Gertruder' Mr.. Russell rejoined.
He had recovered himself, and was
smiling down at her.
al didn't know ysu were coming to-
day.
"Who-who are you?" Miss Stone
murmured. family.
well. I'm the Young person you're