The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-06

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Annie StocktoeIps blue cues looked straight
into has o1on.
Thirty years ago Daniel Hardy was
employed as a teamster for a saw mill in
Posket, Vt. Born on q farm, his boy
hood came to an early end, for stubborn
nature yields her harvests in the Green
Mountain state only after severe strug-
gle, and even infantile hands are re-
quired for the work. Little knowledge
had he of such things as are set down in
books. A few years spent at the district
school when he was just big enough to
be IN his mothers way, and not strong
enough to be of service, had resulted in
his acquiring a passable knowledge of
the alphabet and various forms Of mis-
chief, and during his teens an occasional
term at the winter session had added to
his learning the rudiments of ''fggering"
and a certain ability to misspell most
words Of two syllables and many of one.
1t was while he was mere child that
the passion of his life took root in his
nature. Awkward and difRdent at the
best, he was utterly helpless when An
ME Stockwell's blue eyes looked straight
into his own. They saw each other at
school during the long, hot summer
months, when they doZed over their
primers instead of playing in the open
air. Little Dan looked longer at the
bench where Annie sat than at his book,
but when she turned toward him up
went his soiled and dog cared primer
before his face, and hot blood shone
through his sunburnt cheeks. Often
times Annie found big red apple or a
mellow pear in her desk, but Dan never
told who put it there, and when she
tried 70 smile her appreciation across
the school room. for she knew well
enough, ne looked steadfastly at the
blackboard.
So matters ran along for years. When
Daniel u school days were over he saw
Annie at ''meetin' and at sewing cir
cles and tea parties, and walked home
with her from all such gatherings as
came TO an end after dark. He even
went TO spelling bees in the old school
house and stood up to be regularly floor
ed by the first word put to him in order
that he might sit proudly by and watch
all the contestants drop into their seats,
one after another, until Annie should be
eft alone the victor.
At last day came when Mr.. Stock
well, having slowly awakened to recog-
milton of his daughters superior talents,
consented to send her to a boarding
school. Just what relations existed be-
tween Daniel and Annie at the time of
her departure it is difficult to determine.
They may have talked of marriage, but
it is more probable that, having grown
up side By side, they left the future to
take care of itself, each content with a
tacit acknowledgment of trust, as there
certainly was of affection, in the other.
1t was generally believed in Poszet that
they were engaged.
Daniel was at the pOstoffice when
Annie took the stage to go away. They
merely said ''good-by" to each other
there, but when the dust of wheels and
horses hoofs had obscured the clumsy
vehicle in the distance, and Daniel still
stood staring at it, the postmaster said,
with that kindly impertinence found I'M
disguised in the country, and thinly
cloaked by euphemistic phrases in the
city:
"Well, DanI. spose you n Annie'll
git married soon's she's done schoolin',
hay"
Daniel started, and his brown cheeks
reddened as of old. He thrust his hands
deep into his pockets, and, turning with
a deep scowl, replied:
"You go to thunder, Mr. Sparks"
Then he walked abruptly away.
At this time Daniel Hardy was 20 years
old, a grown man, whose stalwart frame
was vet angular and unwieldy by lack of
full maturity He was strong enough,
heaven knows, for any kind of physical
labor, and he never lacked for job.
That stern patience that is cultivated
bv New England farming was character
istic of him. and with it was a steadfaSt-
ness of purpose that even his neighbors
recognized. He never admitted anybody
TO his confidence. and invariably resent
ed intrusion into his affairs.
Annie was at school three years. At
long intervals she visited Posket, and
these were seasons of was about TO say
unalloved bliss for Daniel Tie phrase
would be strictly true of the first vaca-
ton. Boarding school life was so new to
her that it had not affected her thought
or her demeanor as vet, and her talk to
Daniel was of nothing but the strange
scenes and people and her delight at see
ing her home again.
Bv the end of another year, however,
a change was apparent TO all; not IN her
relations to her lover but in her appear
ance. her carriage and her speech.
Everybody, except Daniel, regarded 1t
as an improvements; he hardly knew
whether he liked it or not.
There were keener observers IN PoSket
than naniel Hardy. The good women
Of the village were quick TO discern
these changes and to understand them.