Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-09-14

''A'N"' "'@' SNS ny PAPS ~
our back room-father was out of
the bouse-when | heard voices in
the other room across the passage.
1t was Matty and my sister talking
together.
Matty was the dwarf. He had a
long Welsh name, but we called
him "Matty" in a general way,
because of his rough hair, and he
didn't seem to mind the joke.
| knew his voice well enough.
1t wasn't exactly unpleasant, though
deep, with sometimes sort of crack
in it, but anything like it sounded
just then | never heard before.
1t made me sit up and put my
pipe down pretty sudden.
81 loved you ever since I've seen
you; won't you marry me? I'd be
good husband to you"
She went into a light, kind of
scornful, laugh.
Marry you?" she says. "Why,
Matty, you must be dreaming. Of
course ! won't"
And then | guessed she gave her
head toss, with way she had.
| got up and went step nearer
the door, for l didn't know how he
might take it, them dwarfs being
uncertain creatures.
He was silent minute, then he
says
I'm stunted and crooked know,
but | love you better than any
other man will ever love you, and
I've comfortable home to offer
YOU"
"If you had twenty homes |
wouldn't have you" she answers
quick. $50 do say no more about
it,"
have often thought she was a
trifle sharp and unkind in her
speech, but ! fancy the girl was
more than half frightened for he
must have looked a rare object in
that dim light, and, after all pretty
girls don't stop to pick and choose
their words so gently as they might,
perhaps.
| think he moved round the room
after that, for his voice sounded
near to me. He spoke short and
savage like
"Jim Marwood's the man that
stands between you and me. Do
you think I've been blind? Do
you think | can't see that? Jim
Marwood has got your heart, and
do you think you will ever marry
him while I'm alive?"
got a shiver down the back,
and felt round for my stick, for his
tone was awful, and | didn't know
what he might do next.
Hetty never was the girl to be
cowed, and she flashed round on him
the next moment like gunpowder.
ut is Jim Marwood that has got
my heart and l have got his, and
I'm not ashamed to say it before
you or any man. l know you've
got your cottage and your garden
that you are so mortal proud of,
and know Jim is poor, and we
shall have to wait for years, but
you needn't think you'll brighten
me out of marrying him, for you
won't; and if / didn't marry him,
I'd never marry such a miserable,
wicked, ugly wretch as you. So
don't flatter yourself | would"
And she gave kind of sob, and
burst out at the door, and rushed
up the little flight of stairs, and
! heard the door bang and the kew
turn in her lock sharp and passion
ate.
waited, still as death, wonder
ing how he would take on, and
hearing no stir kind of squinted
round the door-post into the pas
sage.
There he stood in the dusk, fac
ing towards the open entry door
and the starry sky. A desperate,
hideous, evil-looking thing, witt
his monstrous head and shaggy
hair, and his little twisted legs.
There was that dull, tranced look
in his eyes, and he was staring be-
fore him like | had often seen him
do in the mine.
"She shall never marry Marwood
while I'm alive. God made me
same as him." | heard him mutter
to himself, and then he went out.
| saw him no more that night,