Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-10-17

eyes darkentng the lids and her face pale
In the dusky twilight, her hair 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.
s'They wus talking about you last
night down at the pump" he remarked,
with assumed cheerfulness.
"Talkn about mey' said Minna angri-
ly. How dared theyT'
''oh, Lordr gasped Bob to himself.
'1If she gets mad before beginr
"They wuz sayin-sayin"-
"WellGH sharply, "what wuz they say
"They wuz sayin how as you'd never
marry any one-you wuz that uncertain-
like and fightylike."
'Who said thaty' said Minna, turning
wrathful eyes upon him.
II don't exactly remember" faltered
"Most likely yourself" disdainfully.
Bob could not truthfuIly disown the
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 themselvesP
If the reported conversation had not
been wholly imaginary, Bob would have
been stricken with remorse. AS it was,
however, although inwardly trembling,
he saw an opening and took it.
But spoke back for you, Minna,
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 a lot more'n did" Bob
continued, with fictitious courage "They
said as how needn't be hangin around
here, fur ye'd 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. "I said as
how knowed you would marry me-
"Who made you 60 wiser interrupted
Minna sarcastically.
"An a man bet me you wouldn't, an
an bet him you would"
'Beasts!n calculated the much in
censed Minna
IAN bet n fearful lot. Minna. Gosh!
I'm scared to think of it. If 1 got to
give him all that money, the farm un
have to go sure"
Minna looked frightened.
Glow muchT' she asked family.
wonder how much she'll stand?" Bob
asked himself perplexedly. Then he
glanced at her tentatively.
"rm most afeared to tell you. It's
it's-goshi Atinna-it's 500.
"oh, myV' calculated Minna. "You
never did,
"a hundred dcllarsP' 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. tsigh.) don't
want to live anyway, but the farm'n
have to go sure, and poor mother and
father" (sob)
"Oh, no, no." said Minna tearfully.
They're old now to start over agin
"a protracted sigh, but kin work for
EN-. I'll do it, and Bob's shoulders
shook with nobly suppressed emotion
sit u'n come hard to lose the old place
now -(sob)-after all them years."
"Oh, don't, don't, don't, Bobl can't
bear itr' gasped Minna, choking down
the tears. "rl-Tll"-
Bob waited moment. Then he went
on:
''Poor sister can't go to school or moth
ing" rocking himself to and fro in ap-
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 so-so"- and she burst again into
tears.
Dunno, Minna," he said in choking
voice, ''but there amt no help for it
now. It's all got to go-farm an ALL"
s'Never" said Minna Historically. 81
will marry you-I will!''
"'Tain't right to ask you," Bob said
sadly and hypocritically. "You don't
care nothin about me-"
81 didn't afore," said Minna tearfully
and shamefacedly, "but that was an aw-
tul lot of money to bet on me. Ilikeyou
for it, Bob, 1 DOR
can you will marry meT'
She nodded.
THANK you, Minna, I" Bob said mourn
fully. 'It's awfully good in You"
A moment elapsed before he estarted on
the real business of courtship-he had to
proceed carefully-and in that moment
Bob looked up at very jester of twin
king star and silently exchanged with
it knowing and prodigious wink
Madge Robertson in Chicago Inter
Ocean.
The ,t,.r..orv g.,