The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-08
ASST OFTEN HAPPENS
BY ". J. LAMPTON.

By W. j. LA-NI ION.
1 was nineteen, and pretty Lois
Tanner was three years my junior.
Sweet sixteen. Is there in all this
world anything sweeter? There may be
other Sweet SiXteens, but the compar-
ative degree of the adjective IN this
connection has grown rusty from long
disuse and Sweet Sixteen remains
positive in kind and superlatlve III
degree.
And Lois Tanner was sixteen.
From the first day OF our meeting
we were the children of wealthy pa
rents and We're summering by the sea
some intangible influence. some IN
explicable 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-lt
was the third summer after our meet
ing-we sat on the rocks by the shore
and as the waves beat in rhythmic
measures upon thesilver sands stretch
ing out at our feet, I looked into her
sweet blue eyes and knew that Lache-
sis as she drew two threads from
Clotho's spindle was twisting them
into one cord, forever indivisible.
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, I said, as we sat there IN the
fading twilight, do you know how
long we have known each other:"
ssDoes it seem long, Mr.. Belden:"
she replied with q coy little smile.
'sIt has been two entire years, Miss
Tanner" said ], falling into her mock
formalitv of manner.
"And one learns a great deal IN two
years." she added.
'sIn one direction I have learned
nothing Lois" I said with quietness,
did not feel.
ssWhv. Jack" she exclaimed, II
don't see how you could stand still.
But have" / insisted.
'sHow2" and her eyes looked her
guilelessness.
"In loving you, Lois, = broke forth.
"I couldn't love you any more IN a
thousand years, than l loved you al
ter our first meeting"
'sOh, Jack" she cried nervously,
what made you say that2's
why shouldn't l say it,? | an
swered with a dogged resolve not to
be put down by any womans whlm:
Because, Jack she said very ear
nestly, papa has been saying all
along that you and were together too
much, and the first thing the family
knew there would be a case of puppy
love to cure.
ssDid your father say that2" I asked
with the anger showing in my face.
ssHe did Jack, and he says"
'sWell, Idon't want to hear what he
says, or has said or will say" l inter
rupted. ''If he says anything like
that he doesn't know what he is talk
ing about and hasn't the most remote
idea OF what man truly in love with
the one woman in all the world for
him, feels
ssHeought to know something about
it." Lois said hesitatingly. "N ou
know, Jack, he has been married three
times"
ssThat's Just it. I growled; hes
grown callous. He thinks because
am not a hundred years old don't
know my own heart and am lrrespon-
sible into the bargain. If it weren't
for YOU, Lois" added, ameliorating
nv wrath to slight extent, 81
wouldn't have man ike he is for my
father-in-law under any clrcum-
stances"
ssPapa isn't so awfully bad, Jack, y
she said in extenuation of the paternal
weakness.
Il never thought he was, either. un-
til you told me what you have, ad-
mitted 'sBut, Lois, :" and I grew hard
again, "you must know that no father
who regards the future happiness of
his daughter can take the position he
does and assume to dictate the course
of two lives which in the nature of
things must be independent of his. "
Papa says your papa said the same
thing and agreed with him thorough
"" She replied, arguing as women do.
|sLois," ] said in my frmest tone,
'sdon't speak to me of your father
again. If you do I shall be tempted
to do him some bodily injury"
The dear little woman laid her hand
on my arm restrainingly and smiled
with such irresistible sweetness that |
even forgot the wound my father had
given me.
'Let it go, DEAR" she pleaded.
'They have forgotten they were ever
young"
The shadows were growing into a
deeper purple and the waves took on
the mellower shades Of the evening
sky. The night wind, just rising,
tossed Lois's golden hair about her
smooth, white forehead, and the pink
of the sunset brought a roster glow to
her cheeks. brushed my hand across
my eyes and looked into her face.
"Do you remember what l said a
few moments ago." asked, returning
to the previous subject.
''What did you say" she replied,
/. trembling little, I thought, for she
surely: could not have forgotten so
soon.
81 said, darling''-it was the first
time had ever called her that, and it
almost frightened me-'I said that
there was one thing I had not learned
in the last two years, and that was to
love you better than I did when I first
net you. Do you think I should have
learned2''
Perhaps, jack" she blushed, If
you had, you would have gone ahead
of me in the class.
''Oh, Lois" I began to say, and
then began to stammer and grow red
in the face. could feel the blood fly
along my neck, and my hands shook
so I could not have put them out to
her if she had asked me to. | had
never spoken of love to woman, and