The Press., 1893-02-09

suit yer"
 Chris looked up, caught Nancy's eye and drowned slightly. His own feeling responded to the look in her face. What to real stranger might have been anus ing jared upon him.
 After supper they sat around the fire talking of old times. Chris learned with . strange feeling of being under spell that all the boys he remembered of his own age were either dead or had be- come grandfathers, yet he Had not thought of growing old. Pretty soon Uncle Billy rose and said:
 II reckon me an my wife'l go ter bed. Nancy'l keep yer company" and he retired to the room beyond.
 Chris sat looking into the fire. Nancy drew chair near him. He was scarcely aware of her presence, his thoughts be- ing far away. At last she spoke:
 II have waited long fur yer, Chris.'
 He started.
 "Did you believe I would come3" he asked.
 "Yes.'
 Vividly he recalled the moment when, 8 boy, he had bidden goodby to rosy checked girl. "Will you wait for me. Nancy" he had said. 'I'1l come back and marry you so.ue day" Idle words. containing more of feeling than resolve. He had long forgotten, till the freight reflected upon her face flashed into dark corner of his brain, and it had all come back to him. He could say noth- ing, and she began to tell him of the long, weary years she had waited. She had no misgivings; among her own peo- pie she was accounted simple creature. She knew nothing of the gulf separating her from her old sweetheart. He had not married, and he had come back as he said he would; that was enough for her.
 He listened, pained but fascinated. Her speech, uncouth as it was. still had something of dignity in it's old English form. He had not the heart to wound her with the truth. Most men would have thought such cruelty the truest kindness; 8 finer sense restrained him. Perhaps experience had taught him that & forlorn hope may be dearer than att tainment. He realized that an illusion which has been growing up in a woman's heart for twenty years cannot be shat tered at 8 blow without crushing the woman. :
 "Poor child," he said tenderly; she
 ''But you're here now, Chris" She drew nearer him and laid her cheek against his arm with simple, childlike confidence. He started slightly It seemed wrong to touch her, and yet if he put her away from him he would have to tell her why.
 ''This is an evening out of the old time, Nancy. You and are girl and boy again, do you understand?' he said putting his arm about her waist.
 "Yes," she said, with happy little laugh.
 Soon he disengaged himself and arose, saying that he was tired and would lik. to go to bed. She went with him to his room, and before leaving him lifted he-' lips for kiss. Again he hesitated, and stopping kissed her forehead. He went to bed, but not to sleep. The sense of the irreparable wrong he had done this girl burned into his heart, tender witt; it's own pain. Wild thoughts of self i'm notation occurred to him, only to be checked by the conviction of it's hope lessness. She would not be less lonely with him. They were utter strangers, for how little of the boy she had love! was left in the man, and how lost si1= would be in the world where he lived!
 He rose early, and, going into the kitchen, found Mrs. Grimes dressing chicken for breakfast. The old woman gave him 8 knowing look and remarked with chuckle:
 "Nancy,s ben a-waitin fur yer mighty while, an here yer air shur nuf."
 ''Did she tell you sog' <
 No; knowed hit 'thout her tellin me. She ain't like other folks, Nancy ain't; she's 8 sort O fool body"
 ''I do not think so.''
 ''Yer don'ty'
 '|She doesn't seem strong. I'm afraid she works too hard"
 us mounting folks all hef ter work Nancy ain't stout. She's got the con- an the doctor says she can't live the winter out" ,-
 Chris was going to speak. but the cold, hard face checked him.
 ''Who is your doctorY' he said at last.
 Nobody yer know; young feller- he ain't like Dr. Grain, he ain't; he's got larnin an knows what's the matter wi yer right off,
 What is his name?'
 "Jim Banks. He lives in Wadeville."
 Chris wrote down the name, and plan began to form in his mind.
 ftor l>,.ao I,o %-<>1~ k, As he was starting Nancy came up from the springhouse.
 Where air yer goin?" she asked in some alarm.
 'To Cranberry"
 "Yer'll come back?'
 "Yes, some time."
 She looked at him with a patient, trusting smile.
 "Goodby! God bless you!" he said and rode away, wondering why it is that strong and constant affection is so sell lom mutual.
 As ne got on the cars at Cranberry gay volce greeted him:
 "Hulle. Warren! I'm right glad to see 7ou!'' It was young drummer with whom Chris was pretty well acquainted. l He, too, had been mp in the mountains md was full of amusing stories. from l which it soon appeared that he had been l flirting outrageously with the mountain l assies.
 ''Look here, my boy,' said Chris after . time, ''let me tell you something. l You can outlive all your early habits, | you may outlive most of your friends, l put you'll never outlive the promise you ,aaks 2 woman, and if you don't want l Q discover some day that you are an un- nltigated scamp you'd better make | lOne that you don't mean to keep."- lorraine Stanley in Washington Post.