The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-03-06
A LOVE STORY.

I sat spinning at my little wheel in
the sun, for the autumn day was cold.
when heard some one whistling. and,
looking up, there was young Squire
Turner, with his arms folded on the
gate, looking over When he caught
my eye he laughed, 1 blushed. and !
arose and made him q courtesy
He was a handsome gentleman, the
squire. and the hand from which he
pulled the glove shimmered in the sun
with pearls and diamonds, and he was
bonny to loook at with his hair like spun
gold in the October sunlight.
When courtesied he bowed, making
ms curls dance over his shoulders, and
Esid he: '<Pve spoiled cne pretty picture
I've made another as pretty, 30 I'll not
grieve. May come in?r
And welcome. sir" said l, and l set
. chair, for he was grandfather's land
3crd; but for all that felt uncomfort-
able, for was not used to fine company
He talked away, paying me more com
pliments than l was used to. for grand
mother, who brought me up, said,
Handsome is as handsome does" and
Beauty is but skin deep"
fruth. | had done wrong about one
thing. Neither of the old folks knew
that | wore Evan Locke's ring in my
bosom, or that we'd taken a vow to each
other beside the hawthorn that grew in
the church lane. never meant to de-
.ceive, but grannie was old and a little
hard. and that love of mine was such a
sweet secret. Besides, money seems to
outweigh all else when people have
struggled all their lives through to turn
u penny. and they knew Evan was a
POOR, struggling young surgeon.
fhOught I'd wait while until could
gweeten the news with the fact that he'd
begun to make his fortune
Grannie came in from the dairy five
minutes after the squire was gone and
heard he had been there. / didn't tell
keyhole to the door she came through
and have guess she heard them.
That night we had something else to
think of. Misfortunes had come upon
grandfather; but didn't foresee that
when the half years rent should come
due not penny to pay it with would be
found.
All this time Evan Locke and had
been as fond as ever of each other, and
he came as often as before to talk with
grandpa on the winter nights; and still
every little while our young landlord,
Squire Turner. would drop in and sit in
his lazy way and watch me knit or spin.
Once or twice he was flushed with wine
and over bold, for he tried to kiss me.
But squire or no, I boxed his ears for his
pains. and no softer than I could help
either.
could not help his coming, nor help
seeing him when he came, and did not
deserve that Evan should be angry with
me. But he was Eh, so high and
mighty, and spoke as though one like
the squire could mean no good by COM
ing to so poor place as the schoolmas-
ter's. - ~. =
He made me angry and spoke up.
For that matter, the squire would be
glad to have me promise to marry him, y
said L He thinks more of me than"-
May be you like him betterr' said
Evan.
Il don't say that replied l. But
bad temper and jealousy scarce ever
make me over fond of another / pray
i may never have husband who will
scold me"
other name for it
Well, Evan was wroth with me and
with him-not heart deep, though,
thought-and 1 did not see him. for more
than week. was troubled much
though. knew he would come round
again, and mayhap ask my pardon: Fol
before you are wed you can bring you
lover to his senses.
CO did not fraf offo,.
nor quite snub Squire Turner, who liked
me more than ever: But one might
grandfather came in, and shutting the
door. stood between grandmamma and
me, looking at me, and so strangely thai
I'VE both grew frightened. At last b.
spoke:
1--WE been to the squire's," said he
s-<For the first time had to tell him tina
could not pay the rent when due"
l opened my lips. Grandmal.ma'i
10 him.
they are right who call thee pretty
enough to wed himY
'.EhT cried grandma. Sure, your
mot wanderingY'
Squire Turner asked me for this las
of ours tonight Of all women in tn
world there is but one he loves as b
SHOULD his wife, and that is our Agatha.
roses on Christmas eve," cried grannie
~ knew the lass would be lucky"
But ! put my head on grandfather