The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-06-18

@TrIGtH connection h s
>~>N grown rusty from
long disusc aud Sweet Sixteen remains
positive in kind aud superlative in de-
gree.
And LOIS Tanner was sixteen.
From the first day of our meeting
we were the children OF wealthy
parents and were summcring by the
sea-somo intangible influences, some
lncXplicahlc force seemed to draw us
to each other and to run the lines of
our lives parallel. For two years we
had known each other, and one day
1T was the third summer after our
meetiDg-we sat on the rocks by the
shore and rs the waves beat in rhvth-
mic measures upon the silver sands
stretching out Mt our feet, looked
into her sweet blue eyes and knew that
Lachesls as she drew two threads from
Clothes spindle was twisting them
into one cord, forever iudivisible.
In early youth, how far the eyes,
undimmed by years, can see into the
future, and how keen is young love to
decipher the handwriting on the wall
"LOis, / said rs we snt there in the
fading twilight, edo you know how
long we have known each other?"
"Does it seem long, Mr.. Belden ?"
she replied with n coy little smile.
ut has been two entire years, Miss
Tanner" said J, falling into her mock
formality of manner.
And one learns great deal in two
years, " she added.
''In one direction I have learned
nothing Lois, | sail with n quietness,
/ did not feel.
"Why, jack" she exclaimed, 81
don't see how you could stand still"
''But [ have" insisted.
"How?' and her eyes looked her
guilelessness.
'In loving you, Lois, broke forth.
81 couldn't love you any moro in
thousand years, than loved you after
our first meeting"
"Oh, Jack, she cried nervously,
''what made you say that?"
"Why shouldn't l say it?" ] an
swercd with n logged resolve not to
be put down by any woman's whim.
because, Jack, she snid very earn
cstly, papa has been saying all along
that You and | were together too much,
and the first thing the family knew
there would be case of puppy love
to cure"
'Di your father say that" ! asked
with the anger showing In my fnce.
''Ho did, Jack, and he says -"
'Well, l don't want to hear what he
says, or has said or will say, I inter.
rupted. of he says anything like
that he doesn't know what he is talk
ing about md hasn't the most remote
idea of what II man truly in love with
the one woman in all the world for
him, feels. "
'Ho ought 10 know something
about it, Lois fail hcsitutingly.
you know, jack, ho has boon hurried
three times
"Thuts just it, I growlcd "hc's
grown cnllous. He thinks because I
am not "a hundred years old don't
know my own heart aud ann irrcspon-
siblc into the bargain. IF it wcrcn't
for you, Lois, ! added, umeliorating
my wrath TO SLIGHT extent, 81
wouldn't have % man like he is for my
iatherin-law under my circum
stances"
"Pnpa isn't 500 awfully bad, JACK.
she said in exclamation OF the putcrnnl
weakness.
90 never thought hc was, either, uu-
Oil YOU told me what you have, ] adj
mittcd "But, Lois,' aud T grew
hnrl again, you must know that mo-
father who regards the future happi-
ness Of his daughter can take the posi-.
tica ho docs md assume TO dictate the
course of two lives which iu the nature
oi things must Doe independent of his. "
Pups says your pnpa said the snme
thing and agreed with him thor
onghly, sho replied, arguing n8
women do.
LOIS, soid boo my frmcst tone,
don't speak o. mo of your father
ngaln. Ii youdo shall be tempted to
do bin eomo bodily injury
The dcur little woman lud her hand
on my arm rcstrmuiugly nnd smiled
with such irresistible sweetness that
oven forgot the wound my father had
given me-
"Lct it go, dear, thc pleaded.
They have forgotten they werc ever
young"
The shadows vero growing into n'
deeper purple and the ydyes took oui
The mcllOwcr shades OF tho evening
shy. Tho night wind, just rioing,