Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-03
HE KEPT HIS PROMISE.

HE KEPT HIS PROMISE.
No one ever thought that May Forster
would marry John Charrington, but he
thought differently. and things which
John Charrington intended had a
queer way of coming to pass. He asked
her to marry him before he went up to
Oxford She laughed and refused him.
He asked her again next time he came
home. Again she laughed, tossed her
dainty blond head and again refused.
A third time he asked her; she said it
was becoming confirmed bad habit,
and laughed at him more than ever.
John was not the only man who want
ed to marry her; she was the belle of our
village coterie, and we were all in love
with her more or less; it was sort of
fashion, like masher collars or Inverness
capess Therefore we were as much
annoyed as surprised when John Char
rington walked into our little local club
we had it in loft over the saddler's,
remember-and invited us all to his we'd
ding.
Your wedding%
"You don't mean It'll"
who's the happy Fair? When's it to
beY'
John Charrington filed his pipe and
lighted it before he replied. Then he
said:
'sTm sorry to deprive you fellows of
your only joke-but Miss Forster and
are to be married in September"
ssYou don't mean it,"
'sHe's got the mitten again. and it's
turned his head"
mo, said rising, II see it's true.
Lend me a pistol some one, or first
class fare to the other end of Nowhere.
Charrington has bewitched the only
pretty girl in our twenty five mile radius.
Was it meslnerism or love potion,
Jack?'
Neither, sir; but gift you'll never
have-perseveranc the best luck a
man ever had in the world"
There was something in his voice that
silenced me, and all the chaf of the
The queer thing about it was that
when we congratulated Miss Forster she
biushed and smiled and dimpled for all
the world as though she were in love
with him, and had been in love with
him all the time. Upon my word
thought she had. Women are singular
creatures.
J< oil IN Tn,
Brixham every one who was anybody
knew everybody else who was any one.
NY sisters were, | truly believe, more
interested in the trousseau than the
bride herself, and was to be the best
man. The coming marriage was much
canvassed at afternoon tea tables and at
our little club over the saddler's, and the
question was always asked. docs she
care for himY"
used to ask that question of myself in
the early days of their engagement, but
after certain evening in August never
asked it again. ! was coming home from
the club through the churchyard. Our
church is on a thyme grown hill, and
the turf about it is so thick and soft that
ones footsteps are noiseless.
made no sound as vaulted the low,
ichened wall and threaded my way be-
tween the tombstones. 1t was at the
same instant that heard John Char
rington's voice and eaw her face. May
was sitting on a low, fiat gravestone,
with the full splendor of the western
sun upon her mignonne face. Its ex-
preston ended at once and forever any
question of her love for him. 1t was
transigured to beauty L should not
have believed possible even to that beau
tiful little face
John lay at her feet, and it was his
voice that broke the stiffness of the
golden August evening.
my dear, my dear, believe that
should come back from the dead If you
wanted me-"
coughed at once to indicate my pres
ence and passed ON into the shadow, fully
enlightened.
The wedding was to be early in Sep
tember. Two days before had to run
mp to town on business. The train was
late of course, for we are on the South
eastern, and as stood grumbling with
my watch in hand whom should see
but John Charrington and May Forster
They were walking up and down the
Iunfvequented end Of the platform, arm
in arm, looking into each others eyes,
careless Of the sympathetic interest of
the porters.
OF course / knew better than to hesi-
tate a moment before burying myself in
the booking Office, and it was not till
the train drew up at the platform that
obtrusively passed the pair with my
Gladstone and took the corner in first
class smoking carriage. did this with
IS good an air of not seeing them as !
could assume. pride myself on my
discretion, but If John was travelling
alone wanted his company. Ihad it.
s.Hullo, old man." came his CHEEKY
voice as he swung his baggage into my
carriage; "here's luck; ! was expecting
dull iourneyis