The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-10-22

II say, Dorothy, let's get married -
Dorothy Hall csme Of gallant race. and
she had the repose OF a princess. For a
second there was silence. while the pretty
color left her cheeks. When she spoke il
vas in voice that riyaled Hsla o1n Tor
GOODNESS.
AID why, pray, shou,d We do that
"You know am going over to L9naon
n about two months, tAe young man
continued, uuheeded, and don't ste
any reason why we cant be married aud
90 together"
Dorothy's dignity nearly forsook her
nevertheless she managed to put c1nsid-
-rable surprise, even reproaen, into her
Ejaculation.
Why, cousin Henry =
For heavens s4ke. child,n cried Hal,
don't air that cousin Illusion any long
sr 1t is worn threadbare.
III you object to me for cousin
,houldnt think you would want me for d
nearer relative" There was mischief in
he girls brown eyes.
i should think You might see re
piled Hal. You know, my dear, thai il
IS the proper thing for man to be en-
gagged as soon az he leaves college, and
- long "a we've no need to consider the
question Of bread and butter, | don't see
Why we should not be married"
You know as well as | DO, Dorothy"
le went on, warming up on the subject
you know perfectly well that this thing
las been planned ever since we came into
.Xisteuce. Imagine the worthy grand
Mothers ire did we cross her in this re-
spect. Mother wants it, Aunt Jane wants
t-and every man of them alive ex
jects it And | want it, by way of after
bought, apparently, as he paused for d
reply.
DJrothy's mind moved swiftly, and
he stages through which it Travelled
Turing Halls little speech We're many
Angry was its last hating place. Very
evenly, but in tones Enthusiastically sug
festive of iceburgs aud glaciers, she
said
II don't suppose it makes any differ
ence whether want it or not
This evidently inspired an entirely
new train Of thought in the young man :
mind. He raised his head in surprise.
Was it possible that any one else
had been making love to his little play
mate?
"Why, Dorothy?" he asked, soberly, as
his honest blue eyes met hers.
;aThe girl dropp d her eyes quickly. He
should not read her thoughts. He should
not see that she was waiting for him to
'ay the very thing it had not occurred to
him thus far to say.
dorothy, look at me-is there any
one else?'
The amount of incredulity that Hal
managed to put into that single sentence
.ouched her girlish pride.
at does not seem to have suggested
itself to you, Harry, that when man
asks woman to marry him it is some
lines for another reason than because
| everybody expects II. II you desire sue
cess | should advise you to take that into
| consideration in proposals you may make
| hereafter
So that was the matter.
ooh, Is that all !" cried Hal, infinite re
lief that affairs were no worse showing
lLsef in every line of his face. why
nless your little heart, Dorothy. OF
CURSE love you but it isn't according to
lur philosophy to say much about that
One shouldn't gush. One should discuss
even love calmly and dispassionately, and
tccept the result, whatever it may be,
AMY, as part of his individual destiny
and Henry Smiled kindly sEd complac-
emily.
Dorothy looked at him curiously. An
| 1ysterical desire to laugh or cry seemed
suddenly to have taken possession of her,
nut she controlled herself.
'Well,n she SAID, finally, ''if you are SO
calm and collected now as lover, what
would you be If | were so foo-if l were
to marry your
"Ah.p replied this nineteenth century
| over eagerly, "there is where the beauty
# the thing comes 10. II you would mar
ry me you would find instead of retro
grading, as it ere-becoming Indifferent
and everybody does in time. you know
Dorothy-no one can keep strung up to
concert pitch forever should grow
more and more fond aud tender of you
and careful of your welfare. You would
see my character unfold and ripen, dis
closing new beauties each day, rs the rose
opens to the sun. should become a
bright and shining orb to light your path
way"
TO the grave" finished Dorothy, as
Halls eloquence came to q sudden stop.
"A charming prospect, certainly. Il
seems as though | had heard something
like that last before, but | certainly will
give you credit for great originality III
other respects"
"oh, you can laugh said Hal, a tr'he
discomforted, but | assure you this is
serious matter for both of Us. y
Yes, you are right. 1t is a serious
question: replied Dorothy, the laughter
IN her eyes contradicting somewhat the
gravity of the rest of her face; quite
erious, but before | consider your some
what unique proposal, Henry, 1t might
be well for me to reply to letter | had
from Mr. Hazelton this morning. 1t isn't
we'll to have too many offers under con
sideration at once, you know, and he Ger
Lainly has the prior claim, for he did not
hesitate to tell me that he loved me, even
though | am sure he does not
The laughter had died out of the girls
eyes, and it was with something of a
GAINED expression that she regarded
Hal.
He did not notice this, however, he on
ly heard her woods, and he rose suddenly
oy her side his six feet of strong young
humanity towering above her.
Yes he cried, wrathfully, land you
would rather marry a man who says he
loves you, when you know he is no more
capable of that feeling than this stone
(flinging it far out to sea- than to marry
me, when you know without me saying it
that | worship the ground you walk on
Hal, don't gush.'
THAT is the way with you girls he
went on, his anger rising and his face
growing white, "you will marry for mon
ey every time, though what you want of
more | can't well see. Cousin Dorothy. |
wish you JOY in your choice of that old
monkey
Dorothy stood up and confronted him
Her wrath had risen, too, during the
last TRADE, but her voice WAS even and
cool.
The huge masttf who had come down
to search for his little mistress, looked
rebellous also as he stood by her side
and gaxed from one TO the other of the
angry pair.
Henry, fail to see what reason or
what right you have to speak so disre
spectfully to me. Since longer discus
sion cannot fail to be painful to US both
| will bid you good afternoon. Come
Max" and the little red figure turped and
walked very proudly away over the
rocks.
Hal gazed after her and his senses sud
denly returned.
dorothy, come back
His voice made no more impression
than the roaring sea.
She did not answer. She was far out
upon the sesweed covered rocks with
Max by her side.
dorothy, dear, Dorothy, stop"
''She is going straight for that danger
Gus, slippery place that she knows
hate" he muttered and started to follow
her then be paused abruptly, anger again
coming to the surface. "She has Max;
she don't need me"
He turned upon his heel and walked
swiftly toward the house, few rods dis
tsut. He went directly upstairs to his
own little den and shut the door with q
hang: then he threw himself down In his