Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-07-03


do, I'm sure he is a very nice fellow"
Not any nicer fellow than Matte
Swami is a girl" [ put in as mean as
knew how
'Wen, [ don't care she said, as she
slipped off the rock and touched the sand
as lightly as a thistledoWn. I'm going
home, and when you get me to come
away off down here in this lonesome
place again at this time of day, or any
other time, l think you'll know it."
Then she started off along the beach
toward the row of cottages. 1t was
mile or more, and l thought I would keep
within call, so l let her get some distance
ahead of me. l pOked along behind, gaz-
ing out to sea and wondering where all
the beauty of the purple shadows had
gone, and why it was the waves looked
50 cold and cruel and clammy. They
were the same shadows and the same
waves, and there | was, and-but where
was Lois? Fifty yards up the shore and
hurrying along as if she were afraid of
twilight ghosts or otter strange inhabit-
ants of the crepuscular air. [ looked over
my shoulder nerVously, and all around
and shivered. What it was / don't know,
but on the instant l called to her and
went after my call as fast as [ ever ran
after a football
Lois, Lois" I kept on calling, but she
gave no heed. Her face was set away
from me and she was going with it rapid
ly. But not so fast that [ could not
catch her in the next fifty yards or So
"Oh, Mr.. Belden," she said in a tone
OF pretty surprise as / came up painting
by her side, how you frightened me-
had no idea you were on the beach this
evening"
Think Of that. and still her father hav-
ing the temerity to talk about puppy love
If that wasn't full grown mastiff sar-
casm, I'd like to know what it was But
L was not to be thWarted by Woman's
Whlm now. any more than | was in the
beginning.
"Oh, Lois. Lois I pleaded, though
pulled as | did so. Don't talk like that.
We are not children to let a trifie come
between us and our love. You know /
love you and | know | love you. l.
was because | love you so that | grew
wild with jealousy when you spoke of
erder. L don't care a rap of my finger
for Matte Swami. even if you do like
Charlie Verder."
Mr.. Belden-' she began very stiff
Gall Call me Jack I cried with all my
feeling come again. Call me Jack as
you have always called me-
Perhaps I'd BETTER" she said coldly.
You have acted SO childishlS that Mr..
seems scarcely an appropriate title
You shan't talk that way to me, Lois
Tanner" | exclaimed, as | stepped in
ILOHI Ol ueF anu DIOcheu ueE pa III. Il
have done wrong, and | apologize hum
bly, for it. Now, as a lady, you cannot
do otherwise than accept it,
L accept the apology, and pray let
that end the natter
No, it shall not. / insist upon your
accepting the apology and the apolOgiZer
as we'll. | want you, Lois, and that's
what | started TO tell you down there
on the rocks. Answer me now with only
the sea and the sky and the sweet twi-
light witnesses.
tenderly urge my claim to an answer
when she gave a slight scream and sprang
to one side as if she had stepped on a
mouse in the sand.
Look there she whispered, pointing
to a couple seated on an old spar half
in the sand, and who until then We're not
visible. / looked and saw Nerder and
Miss Swami very close together and talk
ing earnestly.
Let them be witnesses also, if they
will, darling" [ said bravely, and this
time | took her hand in mine.
But it was too dark for them to see,
the duSkier shadows Of the later even
ing she had promised to be my wife,
and though the great sun of the heavens
had set over the world and the earth was
full of shadows. the greater sun of love
had risen in our hearts, and they We're
filled with the light inextinguishable.
That was 4 dozen years ago, and today
Lois is the proud and happy mother of
three of the pretteSt and sweetest chill
dren in the world, except four that | am
the proud and happy father of.
She is Mrs. Charles Eerder, and Mrs.
Belden was Miss Swann.-Detroit Free