The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-08-21

brown hair was breaking from constraint
and tumbling upon her shoulders.
March's first panied thought was.
"She knew / would be in. yet did no;
mean to see me again tonight
| A second glance at the colorless face
and wild eyes awakened unselfish con.
Germ.
What is the matter? Who is hurt?"
she qneried. anxiously. Hester's reply
was shrek OF. laughter.
Nothing! Nobody. Only Tony has
broken his neck again. and Mr.. Gil
christ did not know that it Is an hourly
| occurrence in our family life. so he In
sisted upon taking me upstairs him
SELF
MIR. Gilchrist is very kindr Hetty's
tone was deadly mechanical; in speak.
ing she looked at nobody. Il sent
Homer down when ! heard you coming
| / am sorry he was not in time"
May had joined the group.
Il hope" she said, in her CHEEKY way.
"that none OF the rest OF your household
have come to grief to-day?'
Hctty turned to her with eyes tina,
| questioned silently-almost defiantly.
II mean. Of course. did the boys bring
home the proper quantum Of eyes and
fngers?''
Yes. oh. yes. thank you! they went to
bed tired. but whole, believe
That is fortunate. but remarkable for
Fourth OF July report said March.
Come, May! Good-night.'
lie had seen, without comprehending,
the intense relief that flooded the girls
| visage at his sisters second sentence,
also that she was feverishly anxious to
have them go. And the sound above
stairs, hushed by Testers shrill tones
was 1t low. angnished weeping? The
monrner was not Ietty, yet her dry eyes
were full Of misery. His big, soft
heart ached with futile sympathy. BY
what undiscovered track could he fare
near enough to her to make her conscious
Of this and Of love the greatness Of
which ought to help her bear her load of
troubleo
IIetty looks dreadfully" broke out
May at the garden gate. ''She is worked
and worried to death! l am amazed
that Mrs. Wayt allows it. To reduce a
girl like that to the level of q household
drudge is barbarous. She has no time
for society or recreation Of any kind. 1t
Is toll, toll, toll, from morning until
night. Mary Ann--the cook mamma
| got for them-says she never saw such
another young lady for sweetness and
kindness to servants as Miss Hetty,
but that she carries all the house on
them straight little shoulders Of hern.'
Hester tells the same story in better
English"
She repeated what she had heard that
evening.
March stopped to listen under the
king apple tree. where he had begun to
love the subject of the eulogy. While
May acclaimed he reached up for clus-
ter of green apples and leaves and
pulled 1t to pieces, his face grave, his
fingers lingering.
Heaven knows, May'-she was NOT
prepared for the emotion with which il
was uttered-'that l would risk my life
to make hers happy. hoped once, but
you see for yourself how she avoids me.
| could fancy sometimes that she 10
afraid of me.'
perhaps she is afraid of herself?'
lie looked up eagerly.
''Is that chance remark? You women
understand one another. Have you seen
any thing"
Nothing could or would repeat, my
dear boy. But there is mystery some
where, and can't believe it is the phe-
nomenon OF such sensible girls failure
to appreciate my brother. May l say
something. March, dear?"
Whatever you like-after what has
gone before
May be it ought not to have gone be-
fore-or after, either. For, brother,
this is not just the sort Of connection
that you should form. To speak plainly,
you might look higher. 'Strike-bu,
hear.' Netty is all that have said. and
more. But there is Bohemian flavor
1t,out the household. We will whisper
it-even at half-past ten o'clock in the
orchard-and never hint it to the peo
ple,' or to mamma! They are nomads
from first to last-why, can not say
They have lived everywhere, and no
where long. Mrs. Wayt Is q refined
gentlewoman, but her eyes are sad and
anxious. You know how fond l am 81
Hester, poor child! Still nameles!
something clings to them as whole
not quite faint, but tang! Especial!
to Mr.. Wayt. There! it is out! Let vi
hope the apple trees are discreet!
distrust him, March. He doesn't RIM
true. He is always on pose. He is ;
sanctimonious (which doesn't meal
sanctified) self lover. Such men ough
to remain celibate."
March tried to laugh, but not success
fully.
! Il dissent from-and agree to moth
ing you say. But He waited SO lon)
that May finished the sentence for him
"But you love Hetty?"
sYes. She suits me, May! As n,
other woman ever did. As no othe
!, woman ever will. have tried to rea
son myself out of the persuasion. blu
get deeper in. She suits me-eyer,
fiber and every impulse Of my nature
| seem to have known her forever ant
always to have missed her.
With all her pride in her family ant
ambition for her brother May had 70
mantle side to her character. Had sh,
liked IIetty less she would yet hav
pledged her support to the lover. Sh
told him this while they strolled home
ward and then around and around tn
!. graveied drive in front Of the Gilchris
: portico, and had, in return, the fu!
story Of his passion.
1t was that, by now, the strong over
flow OF an unhackneyed heart.
when marry my wife will have al
there is OF me-" he had said, long ago, Il
his sister.
lie reminded her OF it tonight.
"She is not brilliant society woman
Not beautiful, perhaps. I am not a com
petent judge of that at this date. Sh
has not the prestige Of wealth or sta
ton. But she is my counterpart"
lie always returned to that
When his sister had gone into tn
house he tarried on the lawn with hi
cigar. What freshness the fierce SUI
had left to the air was all to be foun
out of doors. AS the gray swathes cor