The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-12

AZ eho uushy tWillSnt, ner nalr curling
in moist little ends around her small
face. Bob looked at her. and his heart
failed him. But he remembered a GER
tain Thomas Anderson, who report
said had loitered beneath the honey
suckle for the last few nights, and
brought back his oozing courage.
"They WIZ talking about you last
night down at the pump" he remarked,
with assumed cheerfulness.
"Talkin about me!" said Minna angri-
ly. "How dared they?"
"Oh, Lordp gasped Bob to himself.
"If she gets mad before begin"
"They WIZ sayin-sayin"-
"Well?" sharply, "what wuz they say
imp
"They wuz sayin how as you'd never
marry any One-you wuz that uncertain
like and hightylike."
"Who said thati' said Minna, turning
wrathful eyes upon him.
81 don't exactly remember" faltered
Bob.
"Most likely yourself" disdainfully
Bob could not truthfully disown tho
remark, as he had made it frequently, in
confidence, to his near companions in
the village. So after this unexpected
home thrust, he remained uncomfortably
silent.
Minna pursued her advantage.
"Nice doings them, fur manr she
went on contemptuously. Talking
about girls when they can't talk back
for themselves!'
If the reported conversation had not
been wholly imaginary, Bob would have
been stricken with reinorse AS it was,
however, although inwa-dly trembling.
he saw an opening and took it.
but 1 spoke back for you, Minna, l
did,"
"Oh, you did, did your was the dis
couraging comment. "Since it wuz you
said the worst, seems to me it wuz all
you could do"
"They said II lot more'n l did" Bob
continued, with fictitious courage. "They
said as how needn't be hangin around
here, fur yed allus scorn me till the
Judgment and not marry me at ALL"
"There wuz some truth in their re-
marks" remarked Minna snubbingly.
But there's wusser nor that" he said,
with we'll forced gloominess 81 said as
how l knowed you would marry me-
"Who made you so wiser interrupted
Minna sarcastically.
IAN man bet me you wouldn't, an
an bet him you would"
"Beasts!' calculated the much in
censed Minna.
IAN bet IL fearful lot. Minna Gosh!
I'm scared to think of it. If l got to
give him all that money, the farm ull
have to go sure"
Nlinna looked frightened.
'How much:" she asked family.
"Wonder how much she'll stand?'' Bob
asked himself perplexedly. Then he
glanced at her tentatively.
I'm most afeared to tell you. It's
it's-gosh! Minna-it's 800.
"Oh, my" calculated Minna. "You
never did,
"a hundred dollarsr' repeated Bob
chokingly, and overcome by the feelings
he had aroused he buried his head in his
hands. From this safe retreat he con-
tinued disjointed remarks broken by
| emotion.
Don't care for myself. (Sigh) don't
want to hive anyway, but the farm'll
have to go sure, and poor mother and
father" (Sob.)
ooh, no, no." said Minna tearfully.
They're old now to start over agin
"a protracted sigh, but 1 kin work for
EN-. I'll do it and Bob's shoulders
shook with nobly suppressed emotion
sit u'll come hard to lose the old place
now -(sob)-after all them years"
"Oh, don't, don't, don't, Bob. can't
bear it!' gasped Minna. choking down
the tears. "Ill--rll'--
Bob waited Il moment. Then he went
| on:
Poor sister can't go to school or moth
ing rocking himself to and fro in an
parent deep grief, Ian there's no wood
got for the winter"-here he wept aloud,
and seeing this Minna, too, wept aloud
"Oh, Bob" she cried chow could YOU
be $3.50 and she burst again into
| tears.
| Dunno, Minna," he said in choking
voice, ''bnt there amt no help for it
now. It's all got to go-farn an ALL"
'Never!" said Alinna Historically. 81
will marry you-I willr'
| "'Taint right to ask YOU" Bob said
sadly and hypocritically. You don't
care nothin about me-"
Il didn't afore," said Minna tearfullv
and shamefacedly, "but that was an aw-
full lot of money to bet on ME. like YOU
for it, Bob, do!'
can You will marry me?'
| She nodded.
THANK you, Minna," Bob said mourn
fully. Its awfully good i'll you"
y moment elapsed before he started on
the real business of courtship-he had to
| cnra f,,l l, ~,