The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-09-07
BY MUTUAL CONSENT.

children ana 10 Nancy, MT. MessinBer'
young stepsister.
One sunny afternoon In early sum
mcr Mrs Messenger sat at tho open
bay window Of the awing-room read.
Ing. The door opened presently and
Nancy came in rather slowly. She
came over to the window and seated
herself in low basket chair with an
air of constraint.
II have letter from JIM" le said
''Docs he say when he is coming?'
"Yes; he came by the same steam
ship as the letter. lie will be here to-
morrow, suppose"
Nancy! really?' asked Mary, look
ing almost excited. care you not de-
lighted?'
'I-I-have n confession to make"
said Nancy, nervously, looking out
over the sea. II thought loved Jim
when he went out to India five years
ago, but l was only seventeen then,
and did not realize what love meant.
We had known each other all our lives,
and mistook our friendship for love.
II have felt it dimly for year or
two, but what made it all clear to me
was coming home. 1t filled me with
edismay and fear. l felt that simply
could not meet him as his betrothed
wife, so / wrote last mail and asked
him to release me from my engage
mcnt."
"And what docs he suy?" Mary asked,
anxiously.
He is delighted" said Nancy,
Frightening. "lIe says that his feel
ings have changed too"
"You never limited Mt any change be-
fore" said Mary, little rcproach-
fully.
II only knew it dimly or might
have done So" replied Nancy, gently.
And since | wrote to him have been
silent to spare you any anxiety. My
letters have never been from the pres
ent Nancy, but from the Nancy as
could remember her at seventeen. In
fact, have been writing down all the
time to the level OF his intelligence as
shown in his letters, and that level is
painfully low"
'He would be much more likely to
object if he once saw YOU" said Mary,
frankly, for these five years have
done wonders with you in every way"
"Oh, he's SO boyish that he will think
me strong-mindcd, and therefore dis
like me-" said Nancy, laughing. And
did send him my last photograph, you
know"
Ibid you send that hideous thing?"
asked Mary in surprise.
Well" confessed Nancy, rather re-
luctantly. II believe had some secret,
unconfesscd hope that he would offer
to break off the engagement if he once
saw that hideous caricature."
A day or two later Nancy started for
her usual afternoon walk along the
cliffs. Walking quickly along, she did
not hear footsteps behind her, and was
surprised at hearing herself suddenly
addressed. Looking up with startled
eyes, She found young man gazing at
her with a puzzled, intent expression
In his handsome face.
You arc Nancy, are you not?" he
said, doubtfully, holding out his hand.
why, Jim, is it really your asked
Nancy, regarding him with surprise.
How you have grown! When did you
come? and how did you find mc?"
II came two days ago." he said, red
dening slightly in irritation at her first
words, but called at the Ness this
afternoon and Mrs. Messenger told me
where / should find YOU"
Let us go home now, and then you
can see them all," she said, turning
back. You will hardly know the
children; they were such mites when
you left"
Il certainly shall not, il they have
altered as much as you have done. l
scarcely knew you" he said, looking
down at her with intent gray eyes,
and inwardly comparing this beauti-
full, graceful girl with the gauche
schoolgirl of five years since.
Il am older" she said, her heart
sinking strangely. He might disguise
the fact that he finds me disappoint-
ing failure" she thought, rather Bit
terly.
'Of course we are no longer boy and
girl" he said. But l hope we shall
always be- friends, Nancyl We have
been that all our lives, haven't we?"
Yes, let us be friends" she said.
And, thinking that he was eager to i'm
press upon her that they were to be
nothing more, she added: "And 1t was
very wise to break or that childish
engagement before you came home,
wasn't it?"
"Y-yes," he said, doubtfully.
Those boy and girl engagements never
answer, do they? People develop so
differently from what one would ex-
pcct. Judging from your letters, I
should have thought you utterly differ
.cnt from what find you"
lyon are equally different from what
should have expected you to be-" she
answered. But let us put up with
each other as we are; we need not see
much of one another, you know"
They had just reached the gate lead
ing into the garden of the Ness as she
said this, and unconsciously she paused
outside.
Jim took this, coupled with her last
words, as n hint that he should go, and
was moro hurt than he cared to own.
Good afternoon" he said, stiffiy,
raising his hat. "Your suggestion is a
brilliant one, and you need not fear
that shall trouble you with my pres
,ence more often than is necessary"
"Good-byn she said turning In af