The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1892-12-16
AN TNDENTURE.

AN lNDEN UhL.
Tom Barrett and l had been chums
almost as long as we had been cousins.
which | must confess was nearly twenty.
four years. Tom vas six months younger
than l, and I ruled him with a rod Of
iron. But n day-the day when [
became twenty-four years old-the
worm turned. He told me that he loved
me.
"Of course" 1 remarked coolly. "Tm
your relation, / guess. You've got to-
And then he burst out with a lot Of
stuff about his not loving me as a rela-
ton, but as q wife.
"Tom Barrett" l said sternly, edo
you think l would ever marry a man
six months younger than myself? l have
brought you up, and you know it. If [
ever marry anybody it will be a mature,
ready made man, who will guide and
control and make me respect him!
Don't you eve say another word to mt
about this as long as you live"
And l went up stairs and cried because
lly Oiu LOU WAS gone.
One of my birthday presents had been
q check for twenty-five dollars with
which "to take a little trip" my blessed
old uncle said, and I decided just to u
down to Ann Arbor on hat excuse and
stay as long as l wanted to with my old
friend, Orpha Reynolds. I might join
some classes Or do some reading and be
contented there for IL long time-until
Tom had forgotten. And with a tele-
gram to Orpha the next afternoon I was
off.
Orpha was delighted to see me.
II am SO glad you came just now" she
said as we sat together in the half dark
after supper. 81 shall need yon to help
me manage Ed"
"Ed who% l inquired with some sur
prise, wondering if Orpha had been
adopting an infant. My friend seemed
a trife embarrassed.
"Why, Ed Rice" she answered slowly.
81 guess l haven't told you about him,
have Il" No, l guessed she had not.
"He is q young boy in the law depart
ment," she went ON with a conscious air,
''who rooms neXt door. His eyes have
given out temporarily. Sc that DR.. Car
row has forbidden all college work, and
| have just been trying to amuse him
and keep him out of mischief" All this
was certainly very nice and philanthropic
and quite like Orpha, but what on earth
was she blushing about? 1 waited for
her mex words. She spoke very fast
and would not look at me.
Il wish you would take him off my
hands for awhile-you won't have much
else to do. l hate to be with him much
mysel he has been acting SO for a week
Or two. I'm afraid he is beginning to
think he cares for unexpectedly, you
know. He doesn't of ~course-such q
kid" with scornful emphasis and an al
together unprecedented lapse into slang.
"How old?' inquired concisely, with
mental visions of a big headed, owl eyed
infant prodigy bearing L law folio under
each arm.
three" she returned n~onchalantly. "But
that for a man is mere infancy. Now a
woman
But this valuable philosophical disqui-
sition was abruptly cut short. A sub
dued stamping and shaking was heard
outside-it had been showing all day
and we sat listening until some one
started up stairs three steps at q time,
whistling under his breath. That's
Ed" said Orpha and rose to light the
lamp, but she had only just scratched
the match when there was a faint
knock. The sitting room door was
slowly pushed open, and a clear, boyish
voice exclaimed:
"Just lighting up? You're late, aren't
your"
eyes," said Orpha, turning up tho
wick. "Just wait till we have some
light on the subject and I'll introduce
you to an old friend of mine who came
this afternoon from Grand Rapids. Miss
Barrett, Mr.. Rice" she concluded.
He bowed stiffiy and murmured the
conventional happiness; then, with q
sudden, frank impulse, walked over and
shook hands heartily, showing as he
smiled two unmistakable dimples in %
sensitive, extremely attractive face.
He had been there an hour, though it
did not seem half that, when Orpha sent
him home. She had to bohn out II
French grammar lesson for an eight and
a quarter the next morning, so 1 went to
bed and left her swearing at Dupy in IL
pious sort of a way.
Really did not mean to relieve Orpha
of her young mission, but how could l
help it. Under Orpha's orders he cheer
fully pointed out to me the professional
residences, the frathouses and all the
other inevitables; conducted me over
the museum, the library, the art gallery
and the laboratories; dragged me around
the boulevard to Cascade and School
girls glen, to Lovers retreat, and final
ly even to the sable fortune teller's Oh
the Observatory road. In return [ i'm
parted to him all my little botanical
lore and allowed him to join my daily
constitutionals, SO that every day, wet
or dry-generally wet in Ann Arbor, you
know we sailed forth together in
search of specimens and exercise.
got acquainted with Ed very fast
these DAYS, and as I came to know him