The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-04

busily mending away at a torn gray coat
| put the basket on the table, forge
what came for, and remarked that
was q warm day. | had on a light shaw
and the fire crackled merrily on Mrs
Brownlow's hearth. She looked at m
over her specks and | looked steadil
out of the window while / united m
bonnet strings.
"O," she said, when she had looked a
me closely for half minute, "you hav
been running, see by your red face, s.
of course you are warm"
| did not tell her that it had takoi
three-quarters of an hour to "run"
| quarter of mile.
After awhile she found she needed
button that John had told her lay in hi
room on top of his desk.
Just run up and get it for me, there's
a dear! 1t will be right on top, for Johr
never forgets."
So up | went, slowly, step by step
feeling as though l were walking on my
head. | hated to go near his room. and
yet | longed to see it. What if he
should come home and find me in it
The thought lent wings to my feet, and
in moment l stood before the desk
On its smooth, polished top lay the but.
ton. and laid my fingers ON it. The
desk was open and a number of papers
and thick books lay scattered about on
it, and as my eyes fell downward | came
as near fainting as | have ever done in
my life. Percy, Percy, Percy" scrib-
bled all over visiting card and John
entirely scratched OUT snatched the
button and flew down stairs. did not
hear word dear old Mrs. Brownlow
said after that. All could think of
was the card that lay on DIR. Johns desk
and of a large sheet of paper that lay at
home in my bureau drawer with "Dr.
John Brownlow," and-and sometimes a
very feminine substitute for doctor
written all over it in my own irregular
chirography. There seemed to be pins
and needles in the chair in which l sat,
and l never knew how got out of the
house. l only came to after had care
fully torn up and burned, bit by bit, the
paper had treasured for so long.
DR.. John came over the next day, and
we went off together for walk. He
gave me great deal of highly INSTRUCT
i've information about some flowers / had
picked, calling them by all sorts of in
Latin names, and said
yes and no like an ignorant school girl,
and was evidently expecting to find
in the road We were coming
back, and suddenly he stopped talking.
There was dreadful pause. Like min
ny. | could think of nothing to say. and
at the same moment exactly / stopped to
the right side of the road and pulled
reed, and he stopped to the left side of
the road and pulled reed, and then we
both laughed a little and blushed great
deal and walked on.
Percy" The name sounded very
sweet and my heart beat madly, after
use of all this? You know mother told
me she sent you up for that button yes
terday, and you must have seen--.
Little girl you saw the card that lay
5here?"
He paused for an answer, but we kept
,n walking. / could not have stopped
Tor the world. Yes"
percy, sweetheart, you were not
angry?"
He took my hand in a simple fashion
and tried to see my eyes. | turned my
head away. No"
He put his arm around me-his great
strong ARMAND drew me gently to him.
Il love you. Little girl, will you tell
ne that, too?"
| lost my head completely. With
Wild cry broke from him and rushed
iown the road. never stopping until
'eached the back stoop of our house. He
Ill he came up.
Goodbye, Percy" He only said that
after we had stood side by side for a long
,ime. His tone was just as always, only
here was ring of sadness in it that
vent straight to my heart and sent the
lot tears to my eyes. / knew he had
lot understood me at all, and, indeed,
t would have been difficult matter for
my one to have done that. i was not
for any thing might do to-
lay. | loved him, and he had said Il
owe you," and was foolishly ashamed
md gloriously happy. just threw my
rms around his neck and looked into
lis loving eyes and kissed the dear lips,
md then | slammed the door in his face
md flew to take refuge with my old
,lue-satin friend.
The next evening there was ball at
Mayor Wentworth's. Tom Woods was
,oing to take me. He was an old friend
If mine, the only one of all the many
men with whom l had tried to ''be
who had not made love to me.
liked him heartily, and we had grown
friendly. DIR. John would not
20 able to come until late in the even
ng; but, though he did not dance, i had
long time ago, to save
Iance and sit it out with him. At last
10 came and smiled in a happy and con-
ented way, when / showed him the
lanco that / had saved; it came just
.fter a galop with Tom Woods. Tom
vas one of those splendid but violent
lancers who always manage to get some
hing about them unhitched or dis
'rdered. We had not gone round the
oom twice, when / startled him with a
,urst of uncomfortable laughter.
so, Tom, for pityssake, come outside
Your cravat is skating round on your
ollar, to inspect the back of your head"
so, bother, never mind though, that's |
Ill right. Well just finish this dance,
f you please, and then you can fix it for
nc. / mean, you must, because my coats
o tight l can't raise my arm two inches.
yanitas vanitatum, ia ra ta, whatever it |
S."
The dance was over, and we looked |
bout for some place whore VIC would be