The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-15
"But T hardly think"--

quiet" "
'Miss Bette doesY' Ihesitated. There
was a lump in my throat and a singing
in my ears; was deucedly afraid of the
mad beasts myself, but then she wanted
to go, so added: "Well, perhaps after
all they may DO a little Quieter soon.
And, Tom, you do-ah-really think
them safe?'
"Certainly I do, and Bet does, too.
She's not a bit afraid" That decided me.
''Tom Jones' spoke with deep solem-
nifty. knew that moment what they
felt who saw the tumbril ready to bear
them to. the hungry knife of the first
revolution-"Tom Jones, I will go, of
course. But, Tom, pray do not use that
horrid abbreviation of your cousins
name. There are some subjects too
sacred for the proclamation of slangy con-
densation, and your cousins name is"-
"Bully! You'll go then?'' interrupted
the irrepressible Boomerang. "Pll wheel
'em round the block and bring 'em in
cool, you-Bet."
He bounded down the stairs, sprang
into the sleigh, seized the reins, and, as
the men jumped from the horses heads,
was off with furry of snow and q
hurrah from the crowd.
am not dab at the classics, SO will
not say how, having plunged like Cur
titus into this gaping sleigh ride, now
sat like Marius, amid the ruins Of my
wardrobe. But did tumble all it's con-
tents into the middle of the floor and
then sat among them, hopeless Of cram
ming into my small valise half enough
for this all important Xmas visit! But
she wanted to go! was to risk my
neck for her sake-by her side. Delicious
thought! So just as the bells again
jingled at the door jumped upon my
distended portmanteau, sprung the lock,
and answered Tom with yell as wild
as his own.
Now, perhaps I should explain that
Tom Jones and I had always been chums.
Residents of the same village and chill
dren of intimate friends, we had thumbed
the same algebra, robbed the same Or
chards and been fogged by the same
pedagogue. In fact, we had never been
two weeks apart until his appointment
to West Point, five years before, had
separated us. Toms persevering industry
in running bounds to ''Cozzens," and his
assiduous course Of Benny Havens," had
scarcely been thoroughly rewarded, for
his graduation-third in his class count
ing from the bottom-made him brevet
second lieutenant in the United States
Boomerangs. It had found me dignifed
but patient lawyer in the incipient me-
tropolis of Piketon. Happy chance had
thrown Tom at the arsenal near by, and
had introduced his chosen friend to the
family circle Of his Uncle Blythe.
There l soon became ami de maison.
Mayor Blythe-he was the revered chief
magistrate of Piketon-was brother
lawyer, and a man Of high social and
literary renown. He had a capitally
chosen library, a warm heart, cele-
such wines! And then-hem!-like Jeph-
than Of old, he had zone fair daughter
and no more"
But such daughter!
Bette Blythe was just turned Of 10,
and the most perfect mold of female form
divine. Of medium height, just plump
enough for perfection Of rounded outline,
and with the tiniest models of feet and
hands that ever fell to the lot of woman,
her face was still her chiefest charm.
Not regularly beautiful, with scarce a
feature in it that would have been pro-
nounced fine under critical analysis, there
was yet an indescribable witchery in
that face, orin the character reflected by
it, that bound me hal and foot from the
first week I knew he, Those rich, dark
oval lines, with heavy bands of glossy
hair, seemed to command, rather than
ask, a second look. And who could look
twice and forget?
There a merry devil in her eye
large, languid and black as sloe-that
drew a ti1nid mans heart right UP into
his throat and kept it kicking there with
forty-horse power. And then the face
was but an index Of the sprightly but
sound and we'll stored mind her father
had seduously cultivated during long
widowerhood. And the steady, tender
CLEAN that sometimes replaced the mis-
chievous twinkle in those eyes could only
have been drawn from the well spring Of
a pure heart.
With the first month Of our acquain-
lance I began to believe I cared for Bet
tie Blythe; with the second I believed I
loved her, and with the third knew
1t for certainty. On the fourth month
had told her I adored her wildly; and
for three subsequent ones had come,
again and again, to the very threshold
OF a repetition. Gentle and womanly,
she had at first told me gravely-the rest
of the face demure, while the eyes danced
very witches dance to the tune of sup
pressed merriment-that, though we
were very excellent friends, we were still
almost strangers. could only acknowl-
edge the truth of what she said, so
prayed for forgiveness and for hope. She
gave the pardon, the pardon gave the
hope, and I wandered on in fools para
disc. But though we became better and
better friends, though she let me mean
der unchecked through the most extern
sive fields Of rhapsody and lay the tallest
flowers Of sentiment at her feet, yet the
first outright word spoke carried up the
taper forefnger in arch warning, and the
ripe lips formed the one word, ''Remem-
ber!'