The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1892-07-16

rClished by her father? | cared not. |
foresaw difficulties enough in store, but
none that appalled, he. After all, an
honorable man and woman, honestly i'll
love with each other, are Il match
against the world, or superior to it
Union is strength. and the union of low
ing hearts is the strongest strength of
all.
And do you want to marry me,
really, Tom?'
We had gained the summit Of the
steep hill and were now pacing along
the ridge. The narrow, winding valley
lay sheer beneath us on the right. with
the white road and the dark stream ly-
ing side by side at the bottom of it. The
crest of the opposing hillside seemed but
a short stones throw distant: the aroma
of our privacy was the sweeter for tho
pygmy drosky, with its manikin inmate.
which was crawling along through the
dust so far below. We commanded tho
world, while we were ourselves hidden
from it.
81 should rather think did, Kate"
II thought Englishmen only married
as matter of business; that they mar
and influence, and added women merely
as matter of custom and politcness."
Il am satisfied to marry for love; if
that's un-English, SO much the better
for me-"
You would take me without any
thing but just myself
What is worth having compared
with you?"
"Oh, Tom. But then you cannot have
just myself alone. Nobody i'll the world
is Independent of everything even
an American-not even all American
girl who has lived seven years in a con-
VENT may not be able to bring you
anything good-anythinS that would
make me more acceptable; but what if
were TO bring you something bad-somc-
thing terrible-sOmething that would
make you shudder at me if | were ten
times as lovable as you say am"
why, then should have to love you
twenty times more than ever. suppose.
that's air. answered with laugh.
You don't mean what you say-at
least, You don't know what you say.
You are not SO brave as you think you
are, sir! What do you know of me?"
She spoke these sentences in lower.
graver tone than the previous ones.
which had been uttered in Il vein of half
hayward. fanciful playfulness. Almost
Immediately, however, she reused her
self again, as though unwilling to let
lightsone humor escape so soon.
well, let us pretend that you have
married me. for better or worse. and
that it is all settled. Now. where will
you take me to tirst?'
"Where do you wish to go?"
"Oh. it must be somewhere where no
body could come after u.s. she OK
claimed, with curious. subdued laugh.
Nobody that either of us have ever
known; neither your mother. nor my
father, nOr-nor-anybody And there
we must stay always, because as sooa
as we came out we should lose each
other and never find each other again
And that would be sadder than never to
have met, wouldn't it,
But my darling Kate" interposel |,
laughing again, where on earth in this
age of railways and steamboats, and tele-
graphs and balloons are we to find such
a retired spot? Unless we took voyage
to the moon. or could find our way down
to the center of the earth, we should
hardly feel safe, fear!''
"Oh. well, you must arrange about
that. only it is as tell You. and you See
marrying me is not such simple mat
ter after all. Well, now. suppose we
have reached the place, wherever it is
what would you give me for wedding
present.
What would you like?'
mo: yOu Are to decide that. 1t
wouldn't be proper for your wife to
choose her own wedding present, you
know"
Il believe such thing does sometimes
happen. though, when the people are
very fashionable and aiistocratic."
But am not aristocratic: | am an
American. Now, what will you give
me-"