Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-31

"You look" said he irrelevantly,
like Dresden china shepherdess in all
those white RIFLES and pink ribbon. Put
on the big hat with pink roses, and you
can play Phyllis" "
SIS that all you've thought out?'
No." continued Bob radiantly.
'Ive thought further You play Phyl-
lis, and I'll be Strephon, and we'n 60
to Arcadia"
Suppose. Bob, you should tip ne
over"-
"Strephon, remember, Srephonr'
prompted Bob as he opaddlcd out elGwly
into the stream in the red glow Of the
sunset skies.
"Well, Strephon, then!" ED Mrs.
Warrenton dabbled her finger tips in
the water and forgot torepeat her qucs-
tion. 81 didn't know the Charles was
so beautiful. What's all that green bank
and bridges and shady nookery up
there?'
Arcadia, said Bob scntentiously.
Mrs. Warrenton leaned lack, nestled
her pretty head against the shawls and
looked picturesque.
Mr.. Vinton padded industriously and
gazed straight ahead toward his destina-
tion.
''You lock ever so handsome in your
shirt sleeves. always like men better
in their shirt sleeves-they're so much
more picturesque. Why don t you paint
your next hero in shirt sleeves, pad
ding canoe with pretty girl-that's
!, Of course, " looking sentiment at him.
Look sentiment at me, Phyllis, and
will, F" said Bob lightly.
"All right, Strephon, but what shall
we talk about?"
''Do you remember, Phyllis the aft
ernoon taught you to skate out on the
marshes? And going home in the early
dark winter afternoon you slipped on
the ice and hurt your ankle and cried
you were only girl Of 10 then-what
apretty girl, though!-and put my arm
around you and helped you home and
kissed you q sweetheart kiss in the base
ment vestibule That was a good many
years ago, Phyllis" "
"You were nice boy, Strephor, but
you were always bold" said Mrs. War
renton. And then she added, with
touch Of coquetTy, would you believe
it, I've the valentine you sent mo-the
one in box with pink roses and Cupid?"
II used to think you'd settle down to
marrying me when you tired Of flirting
with Jack WarEenton. That's why I
didn't shoot him before he ever married
you, Nell"---
"Phyllis, Phyllis" she interrupted,
smiling. But he did not smile.
"Phyllis, J. mean-but my going off
to Rome that summer was q fit of pique.
You said you didn't care, and when /
came back you were married, and I'm
sure I've acted like an angel ever since.
/ wonder if you ever did care?''
wonder!' murmured Mrs. Warren
ton dreamily. "And now," she contin-
ued, you're going to marry that nice
little girl of yours down at Newport and
be steadygoing Benedict and never
any more spend af 1ernoons in Arcadia
with Phyllis ~
"Fact!' returned Bob little bitter
ly and as streak of dying sunlight
struck across his face through the
branches he seized the paddle viciously
and padded into little inlet overhung
with shade. 1T
Mrs. Warrenton leaned over and laid
one hand timidly on the brown muscu-
Lar one still grasping the paddle.
People are never cross in Arcadia"
she murmured
81 wish you'd be in earnest" he
broke out passionately, land not treat
me as if Iwere boy. You're too con-
foundedly cold blooded Novel;
that doesn't sound pretty-but mean
make believe you're human. You've al
ways kept me at arms length-just far
enough SO you could pull at my heart
strings when it amused you"--he broke
off suddenly-''I'm brute"
"No, Strephon, you're true hearted,
hot headed boy, flying off on a tangent
one day and repenting the next" said
Mrs Warrenton gently.
GAS it is, Phyllis, why don't you offer
to be a sister to me?" he suggested
whimsically, smiling. "Would you
mind if talked to you about myself a
little? Or maybe you won t care to hear.
But this is the last time We'll be in
Arcadia together, and though it will do
no good I wanted you to understand.
"If I'd had a mother, maybe I'd be a
better man. don't think you ever
knew how much you have done for me.
boy and man. loved you when you
were slip of a girl in short dresses and
braids, and I said to myself: She is good
and pure. will try to deserve her, and
then I will win her.
"But I didn't win you. That was a
hard time with me. I was little reck-
less afterward, and I drifted into the
fast set for time, but I had my art,
and that kept me from forgetting my
self entirely.
II have come regularly to you to be
teased and smiled at, and you have
never seemed to realize what your light
est look or word was to me.
II have been kept from the follies
and vices that have tempted me chiefly
by the thought, I will not deserve to
lose her respect.
IT used to dream of a life with you
as its inspiration.
"And SO as I find can never love
any other woman, and that my love for
you might make me forget all things
else and make you hate me some day,
so I have asked nice little girl to mar
| T--. -. Sl,l. docs NOT want INV Iova no r.