The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-01-11
-Inev wuz savin-sayin'-

~Iney wuz sayin'-sayin'-"
"Well?" sharply, what wuz they
sayin'?"
They wuz sayin' how as you'd never
marry any one, you wuz that uncer-
tain-like and fightv-like"
Who said that?" said Minna, turn
ing wrathful eyes upon him.
Il don't exactly remember, faltered
Bob.
Most likely yourself" disdainfullv.
Bob could not truthfully disown the
remark, as he had made it frequently,
in confidence, to his near companions
iii the village. SO, after this uneX-
pected nOme-thrust, he remained un-
comfortably silent.
Mnna pursued her advantage.
Nice doings, them, fur man." she
went on contemptuously Talking
about girls when they can't talk back
for themselves"
If the reported conversation had not
been wholly imaginary Bob would
have been stricken with remOrse As
it was, however, although inwardly
trem bling, he saw an opening and
took it.
did"
oh, you did, did you?" was the dis
couragin@ comment. "Since it wuz
you said the worst, seems to me it wuz
all you could do
They said lot more'n l did" Bob
continued with fictitious courage.
They said as how | needn't be hang
in around here, fur ye'd allus scorn
me till the jedgment and not marry
me at all"
There wuz some truth in their re-
marks, said Minna, snubbingly.
But there's wusser nor that" he
said. with well-forced gloominess. Il
said as how knowed YOU would marry
me"
WHO made you so wise?" interrupt
ed Minna, sarCastically.
An man bet me YOU wOuldn't:
au'-an' / bet him you would"
Beasts" calculated the much-in-
censed Mnna.
An | bet fearful lot. Minna.
Gosh!-Im scared to think of it. If
got to give him all that money the
farm u'll have to 90, sure"
Minna looked up frightened.
IlDN lEuCu. SuC tShSht idlDilN.
wonder bow much she'll stands'
Bob asked himself, perplezedly. Then
he glanced at her, tentatively.
I'm most afeared to tell You. It's
-it's-gosh! Minna--it's hundred
dollars"
"Oh, my" calculated Minna; "you
never did"
A hundred dollars.7 repeated Bob
chohingly, and overcome by the feel
ings he had aroused he buried his
head in his hands. From this safe re-
treat he continued disjoinled remarks,
broken by emotion.
Don't care for myself. (SigE.) |
don't want to live, anyway; bat the
fa!m'll have to 90; sure, and poor
mother and father" (Sobj
"Oh, no, no." said Minna, tearfuily.
"They're old, now, to start over
work for 'en. I'll do it" and Bob's
shoulders shook with nobly suppressed
emotiou-"it u'il come hard to lose the
old place now (sobl, after all them
years"
"Oh, don't, don't, don't. Bob l can't
bear it," gasped Minna, choking down
the tears. "I'll-I'll-"
Bob waited a moment Then he
went on:
Poor sister can't 90 to school, or
nothing" rocking himself to and fro
III apparent deep grief; an there's no
wood got for the winter. an''-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.
Bob restrained himself from embsac-
ING her and shook his head dismally
Dunno. Minna," he said. in choIl-
inc voice; but there amt no help for
il now. Its all got to 90, farm an
all.'
Never" Minna said Historically.
81 will marry you-I will.'
"'Gain't right to ask you." Bob said.
sadly and hypocritically. You don't
care nolhin' about me-"
Il didn't afore," said Minna tear
fully and shamefacedly; "but that was
an awful lot of money to bet on me. Il
like You fur it, Bob, | do"
AN will you marry me?"
She nodded.
Thank you, Minna," Bob said
mourufully. Its awful good in you"
\ moment elapsed before he started
on the real business of courtship-he
had TO proceed carefullv-and in that
moment Bob looked up at a very lester
Of 4 twinklinG star and silently ex-
changed with it a knowing and pro-
digious wink.