The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-09-13

half so pretty, did youp'
Although I did not say so, certain
ly never had. II struck me as show
ing a particularly large nature for
Miss Wagner to admire the newcomer,
when by contrast she looked positively
wooden. took pains, however, to de- .
vote myself Enthusiastically to her dur
ing dinner, and when. we parted to
meet later in the assembly-room Of the
club for the evening hop, I congratu-
lated myself that I had we'll prepared
the way for my declaration.
BY one of the meteoric changes,
that later / became used to in '"Ta-
oma" (the old Indian name by which
the mountain settlement was called),
two hours later, when ] entered the
assembly-room, all traces Of hannels
and blouses had disappeared, and, in
stead, q crowd Of fashionably dressed
men and women Allied the room. Miss
Wagner was dancing when entered,
80 waited beside the door for the
waltz to cease before crossing the
room to where her mother was seated.
sealed. Miss Atherton came in few
seconds after me and stood beside me
watching the dancers. She was
dressed In some soft, white material
that showed baby-like neck and
small, round, white arms. I never
saw one look so young, so ingeuue.
She began to talk to the man beside
her; then my subjugation was CON-
plete. lost my head, forgot Miss
Wagner; got an introduction to her;
j, who never danced, performed wildly
with her a country dance which It was
these city peoples whim to alternate
with the waltzes. An old fiddler who
{ played for the country people about,
and who had evidently great contempt
for metropolitan terpischorean pow
ers, called off the figures. No one
knew the dan ce very we'll, SO my blum
ders passed unnoticed. East Lemon
was not a narrow-minded place,
and had often stood up in Virginia
reel; yet think my parish would have
been good deal surprised to see their
pastor flying through the unknown
figures Of this romping dance.
That evening was the beginning.
called upon Miss Atherton next day,
and the next; rode with her, drove
T, with her, and, most fascinating of all,
walked with her through the green,
Ieafy, mountain paths. learned her
artless, transparent soul like book;
she was mere child, simple, easily
| pleased, most amiable. / regretted
that noticed a great laxity in her re-
ligious opinions, and, in fact, the most
utter indi ference to most of the vital
"a -
lie ad her mind gently to these serious
things, and promised myself an easy
convert in one so innocent and yield
ing. Somehow the conversation did not
! progress as rapidly as ! expected; the
days of my vacation were drawing to
! a close when realized low little prog
ress had made. Miss Atherton was
! always polite when mentioned seri-
Gus subjects, but we always seemed to
drift into talking of something else.
Her rosebud mouth had way of puck
ering itself up into little round moue,
and her dark eyes a way of looking
! down distractingly as she. plucked to
pieces some fortunate flower or drew a
blade of grass through her white teeth,
that made it very hard for man to
/ hCCp hAo Aiiho Oh uiAy oucJOSO ouo phC
grace of her childlike movements; so !
gave up her conversion for the present.
1t was strange how for months had
delayed asking Miss Wagner, who was
80 evidently suitable wife for me,
and here was this little beauty, not a
churchwoman, not half my age, fitted
for anything rather than to be the
head of the charities which are so ably
administered in my parish, and yet
had to keep careful guard on my lips
that, despite myself, should not
break out and ask her to marry me
almost before we were acquainted.
was also in abject terror of what heI
answer might be. / could not flatteI
myself that she had showed me more
favor than several of the other men-I
even doubted my being as well re-
ceived; so went on from day to day
Huttering, huttering. 1t suddenly came
over me how little / really knew o1
Miss Atherton beyond her possession
of beautiful figure and baby face
strange qualifications for clergy
mans wife. suddenly awoke to the
fact that knew absolutely nothing
about her had talked to her by the
hour of my college days and my work
everything, in fact, and she had never
seemed to evade returning condolences
and yet knew absolutely nothing O
her antecedents.
After much thought found the so
luton to this in the fact that ther,
was nothing to tell; she had probabl.
spent her young life in some retiret
spot with the old aunt who was q
present chaperoning her. Thes
thoughts of her innocence and unpro
tectedness strengthened my resolve
The next day Miss Atherton and
took our favorite walk, up winding
road, then through leafy path to tn
mountain top. At this sunset hour
was most beautiful spot; all the pan
Drama stretched out before us O
sweeping valleys and mountain tops
, the Kauterskill house looked like
Greek temple against the sky. fel