The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-06-10

our heads seemed to utter the ecstasy
that l felt.
Presently we began to move on again.
1 don't know why / didn't speak. Per
haps thought that our kiss had been
the seal of her surrender, and that there
fore words were for the moment impertl-
nent. By and by the converse would be
renewed from fresh basis. Besides,
my thoughts were flying too fast just
then for speech to overtake them. was
thinking how singular had been the
manner and progress of our acquaint-
ance. 1t was scarcely in accordance
with what l believed to be my normal
temperament and disposition to plunge so
abruptly and almost recklessly into
new order and responsibility of life. |
had fancied myself too cautious, too
cool headed, for such an impulsive act.
But it was done, and the fact that Kate's
feelings had responded to my own
seemed to justify the apparent risk.
We were meant for each other and had
come together in sheer despite of all
combinations of circumstances to keep
us apart.
Knowing, as we did, scarcely anything
of each other as worldly knowledge goes,
we had yet felt that inward instinct and
obligation to union which made the
most thoroughly worldly knowledge
look like folly. What would my mother
say to it? How would the news be
relished by her father? l cared not.
| foresaw difficulties enough in store, but
none that appalled, me. After all, an
honorable man and woman, honestly in
| love with each other, are match
against the world, or superior to 1t
Union is strength, and the union of low
ing hearts is the strongest strength of
all.
"And do you want to marry me,
really, TomY'
| 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 the
pygmy drosky, with its manikin inmate,
which was crawling along through the
dust so far below. We commanded the
world, while we were ourselves hidden
from it.
81 should rather think did, Kate"
81 thought Englishmen only married
as a matter of business; that they mar
ried settlements and dowries, and rank
and influence, and added women merely
as matter of custom and politeness."
81 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 your
ooh, Tom! But then you cannot have
Just myself alone. Nobody in the world
is independent of everyihing-not even
an American-not even an American
girl who has lived seven years in a con-
ventl 1 may not be able to bring you
anything good-anything that would
make me more acceptable; but what if !
were to bring you something bad-some-
thing Notwithstanding that would
mako you shudder at me if | were ten
times as lovable as you say l amp"
"Why, then l should have to love you
twenty times more than ever, suppose,
| that's allr' | answered with a laugh.
'You don't mean what you say-at
least, you don't know what you say.
You are not 50 brave as you think you
| are, sir! What do you know of me?"
She spoke these sentences in a lower,
graver tone than the previous ones,
which had been uttered in vein of half
hayward, fanciful playfulness. Almost
Immediately, however, she reused her
self again, as though unwilling to let
lightsoIne 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 first?"
''Where do you wish to go?'
ooh, it must be somewhere where no
body could come after u.s. she ex-
claimed, with a curious, subdued laugh.
Nobody that either of us have ever
known; neither your mother, nor my
father, nor-nor-anybodyI And there
we must stay always, because as soon
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 itr'
"But my darling Kate" interposed l,
laughing again, where on earth in this
age of railways and steamboats, and tele-
! X
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, fearP
"Oh, well, you must arrange about
that, only it is as tell you, and you see
marrying me is not such a 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 ike?'
mo; you are to decide that. 1t
wouldn't be proper for your wife to
choose her own wedding present, you
know"
81 believe such thing does sometimes
happen, though, when the people are
very fashionable and aristocratic."
But am not sristOcIstic; l am an
American. Now, what will you give
me9"
What do you say to the diamondsY'
well, think will take the dia-
monds," she said, meditatively, as
though weighing the question in her
mind. Eyes, papa said might wear
diamonds after l was married. But
might not your mother object?"
mot when she knows whom they are
for, and at any rate she is going to leave
them to me in her will"
"Ohi and you expect that the news of
our marriage will kill herr"
at ought rather to give her new
lease of life. But you shall have the
diamonds all the same. Will you try
them on nOwY'
"Why, have you got them with your
Certainly; l always carry them in
this pocket"
How careless! You might lose them
mo; the pocket buttons upset and
turning back the flap of my coat showed
her how all was made secure.
But what if robbers were to attack
you?"
Then | should talk to them with
this" rejoined, taking my revolver
from another pocket and holding it up,
"Oh, that's a Derringer! They have
those in America. What pretty onel
Let me look at it..
mo-" said |. replacing it in my pocket;
lit has hair trigger and every barrel
is loaded. You shall look at something
| Of oil