The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-15

make another attempt to secure the elu-
sive Minna. In the soft dusk of the early
| summer evening he went thoughtfully
across the field toward her fathers cot
tage, now softened of its daytime angu-
| larities, and to Bob's imagination, nest
| ling confdingly in the trees.
| She sat down near him on the doorstep
and leaned her head against the case
ment She looked very pretty, her black
eyes darkening the lids and her pale face
| 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 certain
Thomas Anderson whom report said had
| loitered beneath the honeysuckle for the
last few nights, and brought back his
oozing courage.
"They wuz talking about you last night
down at the pump" he remarked, with
| assumed cheerfulness.
"Talkin' about me7" said Minna,
angrily Glow dared they2"
"Oh, Lord, " gasped Bob to himself. "If
she gets mad before begin"
They wuz sayin.-sayin -"
"Well2" sharply, what wuz they
sayin'2"
"They wuz sayin' how as you'd never
marry any one, you wuz that uncertain
like and Eighty like"
"Who said that" said Minna, turning
wrathful eyes upon him.
II don't exactly remember" faltered
Bob.
Most likely YOURSELF" disdainfully.
Bob could not truthfully disown the re-
mark, as he had make it frequently, in
confidence, to his near companions in the
village So, after this unexpected home
thrust he remained uncomfortably 81
lent.
Minna parsued her advantage.
"Nice doings. them, fur mani" she
went on contemptuously. Talking about
girls when they can't talk back fer them
selves.
If the reported conversation had not
been imaginary. Bob would have been
stricken with remorse. AS it was, how
ever, although inwardly trembling, he
saw an opening and took it.
"But l spoke back for you, Minna, 1
did,
''Oh, you did, did you?" was the dis
couraging comment. "Since IL wuz you
said the worst, seems to me it wuz all you
could do"
They said lot more'n did - Bob con-
tinued with fictitious courage. "They
said as how I needn't be hangin' around
here, for ye'd allus scorn me till the judg-
ment and not marry me at all. "
There wuz some truth in their
remarks, " remarked Nina, snubbingly.
But there's wusser nor that" he
said, with well forced gloominess. 81
said as how 1 knowed you would marry
me-
''Who made you so wiser" interrupted
Minna, sarcas tically.
AN man bet me you wouldn't an
AM bet him you would"
"Beastsr calculated the much-in-
censed Minna.
AN bet a fearful lot, Minna. Gosh =
I'm scared TO think of it. If 1 have 10
give him all that money the farml have
ter gO--surc ~
Minna looked up frightened.
"How muchF' she asked, family.
wonder how much she'll standl" 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 a hundred dollars
"Oh, myl' calculated Minna; you
never did,
"a hundred dollars :" 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 disiointed remarks, broken by
emotion
DON'T care for myself Sigh I don't
want to live, anyway but the farmu