Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-12-29

time for walking and scientific investi-
cation was much curtailed. We still
found time, however. for q short daily
tramp, and as spring came on for fire.
quent longer excursions. The beauty Of
May days was wholly irresistible, 80 that
even our sober minded and church go
ing Orpha was induced to spend one per
feet Sunday morning with MS in a quiet
wood strewn thick with spring beauties
and adder tongue. She confessed after
ward that at first she thought it was
wicked, but when we got there she knew
1t wasn't.
Well, with botanizing and tennis ano
examinations the last days Of this blessed
year slipped past.
The Saturday before commencement
Ed and / went up the river for orchids.
We found only few yellow ones, but
could not feel much disappointed. The
sky and the river would have made up
for a much greater loss. We drifted
back almost in silence, listening to the
soft plash Of the water against the boat,
the dreary whispering Of the trees on the
bank and at intervals the farof cry Of
hawk.
Presently Ed interrupted it all.
II want to give you something be-
fore you CO." he announced suddenly.
''May IT'
"Why, yes, If it isn't too valuable" ]
answered priggishly in a desperate at
tempt to be proper.
II assure you it is absolutely worth
less unless you care for it," and he dex.
terously tossed a long, folded paper into
my lap. Another of the legal jokes he
was always lsboriously perpetratingI
Yes--a deed this time, carefully filled
out, except short blank space near the
top:
This indenture, made this Goth day OF June.
in the year Of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-one, between Edward
Mills Rice, party of the first part, and -
-, of tho second part, witnesseth that the
said party Of the first part, for and in consider
alton Of love and affection TO him In hand paid
by the said party OF the second part, the re
ceipt whereof Is hereby confessed and ac-
knewledged, does by these presents grant, bar.
gain, sell, remise, release, allen and confirm
unto the said party of the second part and to
her heirs and assigns forever all that certain
piece or parcel of humanity situate and being
at present in the city Of Ann Arbor, county OF
Washtenaw and state of Michigan, and de-
scribed as follows, to wit: An ordinary enough
piece Of goods, reasonably well educated and
moderately we'll fixed; twenty-three years old
and quito alone in the world, with no eyes to
speak Of. and at least two years of grinding
ohand hap unit oil nd al he
hereditaments and appurtenances belonging
or in snywise appertaining, to have and to
hold tho said -
read no further.
ED, why don't you give this to Or.
pha2"
"Orphap he echoed. "She wouldn't
have it; you know she wouldn't. And
besides added the audacious youth,
"she hasn't paid me the consideration
mentioned therein"
swell, goodness knows / didn't sup.
pose had, either, Ed. But-whatshall
do with this2"
"You might just write your name in
the space / left for it," he suggested.
didn't quite dare to.
leaned my chin upon my hand, looked
into the water and thought. But Ed'f
face hoated persistently between me and
all prudential considerations. "He is 6
year younger than you. What about the
mature ready made man whom you as
sured Tom you should marry? What
will Tom sayP And how supremely ri
diculous and inconsistent! Refuse Ton
because he wasn't old enough and marry
a man six months younger than he ani
twice as boyish looking! But, if I choose
to be inconsistent, whose business is il
anyhow" Iwould not reason. I woult
not consider" ! shot swift smile W
into Eds anxious face and then with my
fountain pen traced in round deliberate
characters across the space he had left
Kate Marion Barrett.
/ have the old deed yet. Since oul
marriage 1t has lain in state, the sole oc
cupant Of convenient pigeonhole in m!
writing desk. Here I often run acros
it and smile as I wonder whether il
dear old Ann Arbor, fragrant with tn
memory of countless student romances
the momentous question was ever be
fore or since asked and answered in sucl
unpoetic fashion. But Ed and / don
care. We have had our poetry SINCE
Kitty Carew in Detroit News.