Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-09-26

Waberflll1eS, ana wnen Louise came to.
it she decided to collect some of them.
Accordingly she began picking them
where they grew near the bank, but,
human-like, not satisfied with getting
what were within reach, she began to
try for those that were further out, and
the result was that she lost her bal
ance and fell into the slough. She was
not much the worse for the fall, for
the water was shallow, but her feet
stuck in the mire and she found, after
making several efforts, that she could
not extricate them.
While in this situation she heard
some one approaching, and after the
lapse of minute or so a horseman
came in sight, and soon he was near
enough for Louise to see that he was
the stranger who had passed her and
Paul the night of the storm. She
wanted help to get out of the slough,
but she hoped the man would pass by
without seeing her, for now the aver
sion she had felt for him came back so
strongly that she dreaded to hear his;
voice, much less feel his touch.
He did not pass by, however, for he
had seen her fall and rode directly to
the spot purposely to lend his assist
| in his horse, he sprang to the ground,
and, touching his hat, said:
pardon me, miss, can I be of any
service to you?'
Louise Dlushed and stammered a con-
fused reply, which was neither an ac-
ceptance nor refusal of his offer, and the
| next instant he had extended his hand
and she took it. She was soon on the
| bank again, and while she shook the
water from her garments he gathered
up the flowers and replaced them in her
hands. His conduct was so gentleman
| ly and kind, and his manner toward her
| so modest, that she felt she had har-
bored unjust opinions of him. He treat
| ed her with the utmost consideration
and made no reference to the awkward
accident.
There now" he said, when she was
ready to resume her journey. "There
is very little harm done, and 1 hope you
will excuse me for intruding."
''It is no intrusion, but rather good
SERVICE Louise replied. 81 don't
know how should have ever got out if
you had not come. No one ever passes
this way-that is, hardly ever"
Are you going west?"
eyes, sir. My home is little more
than a mile in that direction"
''That is fortunate, since 1 am going
that way, and if you will allow me
can have the pleasure of seeing you
nearly home. Will it be an intrusion?"
Instantly all her fear and dread of
the man came back to Louise, and she
would have gladly spared herself of his
company. But he had rendered her a
great service and she thought it would
be ungenerous to deny him. So she
told him that it would not be an intru-
sion.
He introduced himself as Harry Pear
son, and as they walked along he man
aged to find out a great deal about
Louise and her parents. She told him
how many years they had been in Kan
sas, and that they came out from the
east
$50 you are from the east, too," he
said. ''What state is your old home?'
"Ohio."
''Indeed! That is my home.''
Eyes, we came from near Dayton"
Greens, and from near Dayton" the
young man unused. F'That is rather
queer, sure. But, pshaw! there are lots
of Greens in the world, and there might
be a dozen families of the name from
near Dayton out here in Kansas" Then
aloud he said: II live in Dayton and
know great many people about there.
suppose you have relatives and friends
in or near the town?"
Eyes, the Greens and the Blatchfords
: live"
"Blatchfords?" the young man re-
J peated. care you-is he-?" Then
recollecting himself, he stopped.
Louise glanced up into her eompan-
ions face, but he turned it away, and