Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-07-20

Ivy Il Mis- Miss H asked
Minnie Morris, looking up into her
lovers face with eyes which expressed
lifc-and death carnestness. 1tH
/ "Why, who on earth told you, pet?'
"Never mind who told me, Dick. Is
II true?r
well, he did make some suggestion
of the kind; but don't know that the
lady would have me. Everyone isn't as
easy TO please as you, little one"
''0h, Dicklp she groancd. 81
couldn't give you up, think, unless !
was sure it was for your happiness"
Gould you give me up at all?" he
asked, banteringly; but her reply was
quite serious.
"Ycs, could, and would if was con-
WINGED it was for your good" the little
woman said, with such an expression
of resolution in her face as convinced
Dick that she was quite Quixotic
enough to make the sacrifice.
"And how am to convince you that
] would be happier engaged to Miss
Hackett?" Dick asked, scratching his
head. with drolI expression of per-
plexity.
''DiclS, dear your father will never
forgive you if he finds out not only that
you won't take Miss Haciett, but that
youwill take me. 8kF IS
II haven't broken 1t to him yeti
Dick answered lightly. "I'm an un-
selfish fellow, and like to keepmy little
trouble to myself as long as can"
As he spoke he lifted 'his little
trouble" clean off the ground with the
arm which was round her waist, and
set'her then gently down. Her little
ness and lighsness had for him charm
complementary to that which his great
size and strength had for her.
Hell hear of it and disinherit you,
Dick"
Il don't think so. My father is not
always like what you see of him. Be-
fore he fell in unexpectedly for the
Property he was the most generous OF
men; but his sudden riches, which
made him socially, ruined him moral
]y. q He became suspicious, cynical and
misery, with, however, the strangest
occasional revcrsions to his old gener-
ousself. Now, if | caught him in one
of these lucid intervals and confessed
our engagement to him then, believe
he'd not only approve of it, but give us
lump sum down for our emigration
plan"
''But he won't hear of it from you,
Dick. Gilbert will tell him."
Colbert? lie doesn't know Of it him
SELF ~
Eyes, he does; he told Miss Jackson
of It."
''Phew! He'll certainly put spoke
in my wheel in that case!' Dick ex-
claimed with indispensable concern.
"I'd better be beforehand with him,
Minnie, and make clean breast of it
at once to my father" he added
When,. however, Dick hurried home
to make this confession to his father he
found that his brother Gilbert had been
beforehand with him.
$50, sir shis father cried, the mo-
ment he entered the study, and before
he could even open his lips. $50, sir,
I'm to congratulate you upon your en-
gagement to Miss Morris! Very good;
very good! I shall be glad to make
precisely the same settlement in her
case that promised to make if you
had married MISS Hackett."
Here Dick stammered amazedly: Its
really exceedingly good Of you, father"
mot at all, sir; not at all. ] prom
ised to settle on you fortune equal to
Miss Haclett's, and now promise to
settle on you al fortune equal to Miss
Morris. That's fair, sir, hope" he
added, with harsh, sardonic laugh.
sIlardly, sir" Dick replied, bitterly.
'Itis neither generous nor just to help
only those who need no help"
"lt's Christian, anyway, which is bet
terithar being generous or just. He
that hath to him shall be given, and he
that hath not from him shall be taken
that which he seerleth to have Eh?"
cts hardly me moral of the parable
of the prodigal, sir. Like him | came
toasls you for sum to start us"
"Not penny! Not a penny Not a
pcnny!" cried the old man, furiously.
'If you choose TO take your own way
you make your own way"
every well, sir" And Dick turned
abruptly on his heel and quilted the
room.
It was terrible blow to him, since
he was some thousands in debt, and
had been brought up in the idlcness
and helplessncss of man with great
expectations. He hurried off, rather
weakly and selfishly, it must be con-
iessed, to confide the whole trouble
debts and ALTO Minnie. Great was
his surprise and relief TO find that she
took. now when the blow had fallen,
The cheerful view he had failed to make
her take when it was merely impending.
ut will be al right, Dick, dear, you'll
see" she treasured him, brightly, over
and over again, till she succeeded in
injecting him with this hopefulness.
Indeed, she seemed in almost hyster-
ically high spirits, and laughingly in
sisted upon branding him as her very
own" by cutting away to the very
roots lock Of his hair. She kissed. too,
the little bald spot she had made the
first kiss she had given him, but not the
last. For when he rose at last, and
late. to take his leave, she followed
him outside the door, and there in the
darkness she said, with sudden catch
like a sob in her voice: "Stoop down,
Dick" And when he stopped she put
both her arms around his neck and gave
him clinging kiss, which moved him
deeply. :,
"pear old Minniel You lore me all
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