Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-24
A MISUNDERSTANDING.

A MISUNDERSTANDING. Why Sylvia Told Her Escort She
 Loved Another.
 Going to the literary to-night9"
 Bob Benham nodded. "Who are you taking?"
 Sylvia Merigold."
 "Ohr' said Reuben Bassett. The single word was uttered so de- spondently that Benham looked up as his cousin in 8 manner half question ing, half quizzical.
 Blushing like 8 girl Reuben met the glance.
 "You seem to have all the luck, Bob!'' II don't think it's so much luck as pluck" averred young Benham with laugh.
 The mirth of Christmas was over. The milder exhilaration of New Years Day was also thing of the past. January was contemplating abdication in favor of February. The day was bitter and brilliant. The glitter of the frozen snow and the intense and cloudless blue of the sky made ones eyes ache. It was Saturday, and the main street of the little country town was crowded | with teams, saddle-horses and ponder ous farm wagons. Just outside the post-ofice-whioh | was also 8 general store-Benham and Bassett had met, They were typical young Western farmers, high-booted, slouch-hatted, roughly-clad. But their attire belied their prosperity. They were singularly alike in appearance. Both were tall and heavily built. Both were beardless, and had the same reg ular, if rather heavy features. And both spoke in the same deep, quiet voice. But while Benham's whole man. ner and expression indicated jaunty self-conhdence, Bassett's were gentle to the verge of timidity. Look here, Bob, said the latter, sud denly, 'are you in earnest in that quar- ter?"
 "Why?"
 "Only this: had an idea you were engaged to Lillie Dix, that pretty little schoolmarm back in Illinois"
 "Yes," answered Bob, simply and squarely, "I Am."
 "Then why," demanded Reuben. in quick evaporation, "are you taking Sylvia Merigold around?" | "For several reasons." avowed Ben- ham, promptly. "In the first place she Is 8 nice little girl; in the second, the Merigolds are our nearest neighbors, in the third, she has no one but me to take her anywhere. Her folks don't want her to go out with the Corey boys, and she likes amusement So take her. But not in love with her and she's not in love with me-"
 Reuben looked relieved, but not con vinced.
 "Does she know about Lillie?" 'No, but I'd just as soon she did. I'm to be married in the spring"
 "That SOP" cried Reuben, with 8 de- lighted smile.
 They shook hands heartily.
 "So you needn't trouble yourself to be Jealous of me!' declared Bob, holding pleasantly. "Why in the world don't literary with you? I shan't stand in your way"
 "Oh, she wouldn'tv'
 "How do you know?''
 "She never has word to say to me"
 "As far as I've seen, you never have . word to say to her! You are dumb as an oyster when you meet her. And notice you hardly ever ask her to dance. What you need, Rube, is nerve"
 Reuben laughed, thrusting his hands deep down in his overcoat pockets.
 "Perhaps so!'
 ssTell you what" said Bob, suddenly struck with an inspiration, "you go to the literary tonight and take Sylvia"
 "Ir' with gasp.
 "Youl We can fix 1t in this way: I'll call and tell her that have to go to Grossland tonight, and that you will take her in my stead. How's that?''
 Reuben had grown radiant.
 'Grand-for me. But she," stammer- sng sadly, "she wouldn't like it."
 sTry," suggested Benhan, dryly.
 Some further conversation they had on the subject. Then they separated. And Reuben's heart was lighter and more hopeful than 1t had been for many Q day.
 The crowd melted away. The town street was deserted. Dark and cold the night closed in. When capped. coated and mufded Reuben Bassett jumped into his cutter and drove of in the di. rection of the Merigolds his pulses were beating rapidly. How would she re- ceive himl Would she be angry and re- fuse to go?
 But Sylvia, calmly dressing in her own little nest of a room up under the caves of the old farmhouse, had no thought o1 being angry and no intention of refus- ing to go.
 Jingle! janglel jingle!
 She was just completing her toilet when she heard the cheery sound. She stood on tip-toe and glanced at herself in the mirror, Q black-bound and ancient piece of furniture, which, truth to tell gave back 8 rather distorted reflection ! 70 (