Connecticut western news., 1895-09-12
PUPPY LOVE.

PUPPY LOVE.
 was 19, and pretty Lois Tanner was throe years my junior. Sweet 16l Is there in all this world anything sweet CT? There may be other sweet sixteens, but the comparative degree of the ad- jective in this connection hae grown rusty from long disuse, and sweet Is re- mains positive in kind and superlative in degree.
 And Lois Tanner was 16.
 From the first day of our meeting we were the children of wealthy parents and were summering by the sea-some intangible influence, some inexplcable 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-it was the third summer after our meeting-we sat on the rocks by the shore, and as the waves beat in rhythmic measures upon the silver sand stretching out at our feet l looked into her sweet blue eyes and knew that La chesis, as she drew two threads from Clothio's spindle, was twisting them into one cord, forever indivisible.
 In early youth how far the eyes, un- dimmed by years, can see into the future, and how keel is young love to decipher the handwriting on the walli
 "Lois," said as we sat there in the fading twilight, "do you know how long we have known each other?"
 tDoes it seem hng, MT. Beldon?" she replied, with coy little smile.
 It has been two entire years, Miss formality of manner.
 "And one learns 8 great deal in two years, she added
 "In one direction have learned noth- ing, Lois, :" 1 said, with a quietness I did not feel
 "Why, Jack, she exclaimed, "I don't see how you could stand still
 'But have," insisted
 "How?" and her eyes looked her guilelessness.
 "In loving you, Lois, broke forth, 'I couldn't love you any more in thou sand years than I loved you after our first meeting"
 "Oh, Jack" she cried nervously, what made you say that!
 "Why shouldn't t say it?'' I answered, with a dogged resolve not to be put down by any woman's whim
 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. "
 'Did your father say that?" asked, with the anger showing in my face.
 "He did, Jack, and he says"-
 "Well, don't want to hear what he says, or has said, or will say," inter rupted ''If he says anything like that, he doesn t know what he is talking about and hasn't the most remote idea of what man truly in love with the one wom- an ill all the world for him feels. '
 '.He ought to know something about it, 7" Lois said hesitatingly. "You know, Jack, he has been married three times. ]"
 That's just it,, growled "He's grown callous. He thinks because l am not 100 years old I don't know my own heart and am irresponsible into the bar gain If it weren't for you, Lois, l added, ameliorating my wrath to a slight extent, 1T wouldn't have a man like he is for my father -in-law under any circumstances
 tPapa isn't so awfully bad, Jack, !" | she said in attenuation of the paternal | weakness.
 ! ''I never thought he was either until | you told me what you have, i" admit ted "But, 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 thoroughly, y she replied, arguing as women do
 "Lois," I said in my frmest tone, "don't speak to me of your father again If you do, 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 own father had given me
 "Let it go, dear, she pleaded "They have forgotten they were ever young.
 The shadows were growing into 8 deeper purple, and the waves took on the mellower shades of the evening sky. The night wind, just rising, tossed Lois golden hair about her smooth white fore head, and the pink of the sunset brought rosier glow to her cheeks l brushed my hand across my eyes and looked intt her face.
 Do you remember what said few moments ago?" I asked, returning tt the previous subject.
 "What did you say?" she replied trembling little, I thought, for sh' surely could not have forgotten so soon
 ''I said, daring''-it was the frs timo had ever called her that, and i almost frightened me-"I said tha there was one thing had not learned il the last two years, and that was to low you better than I did when first me you. Do you think I should have learn , ed?"
 Perhaps, Jack" she blushed, "i you had, you would have gone ahead o me in the class. :"
 'fOh, Lois," began to say, and thel stammered and grew red in the face.
 .ould feol the blood fly along my neck md my hands shook so I could not hay , put them out to her if she had asked m to. had never spoken of love to wom ,n, and now my inexperiencs was pain sul to mo. I knew that the brave ma 'ould win a triumph now, but was nc ,rave. On the contrary, was COW
 rd. all srrant coward, and in my fear
 tipped t.own off the rock where we ha
 cen sitting and walked out upon tn | and.
 Where are you going, Jack?' sh