The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-24
A MODERN NOVEL.
which shows In IN. Present style the Court.
ship Of Homer Fort.

toying with an ivory paper knife. She had
not yet come down. lie was In evening
dress, and A. he leaned forward and caught
/ glimpse Of his face in n mirror he was sur
| prised to see that he was pale. But he felt
| IL TO be the supreme moment Of his life--the
one on which his whole future hung-for
had he not decided TO ask Beatrix that even
ing TO be his wifeY He heard the rustic Of
silken skirts and drew a quick, involuntary
breath. But II was Mrs Hldehart, the
mother Of Beatrix, who entered. She was
widow and lived alone with her daughter.
"Ah, Mr. Fort, said the lady, extending
her hand graciously, you are quite desert
ed here, are you notF'
mo- not that. Mrs. Hildehart, " answered
Homer. 81 found the place deserted and
| colonized IL and base my claim on priority
Of settlement. But encourage immigra-
tion," he added quickly.
The lady smiled as she sank into a chair
and looked at the young man.
Your daughter" continued Homer; "she
is wellS"
quite so and much interested in her
charitable work. We have had a very hard
winter, and, alas, there are many poor. by
the way, Mr.. Fort, there is matter on
which wish to speak to you"
"Indeed'" said the young man as he felt
the color again flying from his face. The
lady sat up on the edge Of her chair, ad-
justed a pair of gold trimmed eyeglasses and
looked at him narrowly
"Yes, a matter of great importance
have had IL in mind some time, and al
though it is an awkward and painful sub
ject It cannot be avoided longer"
Homer faltered an inarticulate reply and
swallowed lump In his throat.
You have now, Mr.. Fort, been visiting
my daughter Beatrix for almost year
Your calls become more frequent, and they
grow longer. You do not deny this, l fancy,
Mr.. Fortp
Poor Homer shook his head and clung to
the arms of his chair. He could feel his
heart throbbing in his bosom like some
great piece Of machinery.
~ apprehended that you would not Be
Rtrix does not. Mr.. Fort, RS you know, /
have been to considerable expense during
the past year in visiting the Worlds fair
and repairing my carriage house. This,
added to the notorious stringency of the
times, has seriously reduced my purse
Now, Mr.. Fort, you must know that In sit
ting up here so often and so late with Bea-
trix you have burned out a great deal of
wood during the winter. l do not ask you,
Mr. Fort, to furnish this wood; but my
dear young sir, | must insist on your saw
ing it in the future. You will of course
comply with my wishes in the matter"
She swept out of the room. Homer Fort
hid his face in his hands
How long he sat thus he could not guess,
but he was aroused by soft touch on his
head He started up, and with little cry
Beatrix shrank back.
II thought you were asleep, Mr.. Fort, {"
she said, blushes jostling one another on
her face AS she stood there in the mellow
light she seemed more beautiful than ever,
and she was known to be the most beauti-
full girl in Binghamton.
With a strong effort Homer spoke.
"Do you kow ally" he asked.
"All," she replied, and her eyes sought
the floor.
What can / say' Tell me-"
| She tapped the toe of her boot impatient
ly on the soft carpet, but did not raise her
| eyes.
Say nothing" she replied, with intense
earnestness. Say nothing, but saw woodr'
She turned and walked to the sofa, and
| from under IL drew a large red bucksaw,
with glittering blade and great, jagged,
savage teeth. She held IL up toward the
| young man.
"Saw wood" she repeated.
He sank back in his chair and looked at
her as in dream.
See" she cried, speaking rapidly and
controlling herself with an effort as she
reached behind little bronze Barge on the
mantel and took up bacon rind daintily
between her thumb and finger-"see, it will
grease the bladel smuggled it from the
breakfast table this morning in my bonbon
box" She rubbed the rind up and down
the blade with nervous haste. Saw wood, +"
she said again. You know you were cen
ter rush at college year ago, and the rind
will help, oh, so muchp'
Homer Fort, though young, was man
OF resolution. He rose and drew himself
up to his full six feet
II am ready" he said slowly, scarcely
parting his lips. The words came from the
very depths Of his soul.
He followed her through the kitchen and
into the woodshed. There he found pile
Of shellbark hickory wood and sawhorse
Beatrix held the lamp. Then for two hours
the saw rasped and tore and ripped till the
cool air of the wood shed was foggy with
| sawdust. Sometimes he would stop for a
moment, and the girl would apply the ba-
| con rind to the hot and quivering blade. II
would hiss and sputter, but in moment
the saw would be leaping like a living thing
through hickory knot. At last 1t paused
for lack of food.
He stood by the young girl, with his facs
flushed.
"Beatrix," he said softly, but his voic,
did not falter. my Beatrix, with you by
my side coSld saw wood-foreverl'
She looked up into his face, trust and
happiness deeper than words could tel
shining from her eyes
AS they went into the house he saw fu
ture as In a vision stretching away befor'
him, but through all the years he could se'
no parting from the woman by his side
The hoarse growl Of a cat followed then
from the wood shed.
tom has found the bacon rind." whis
pered the girl.-New York Tribune.