The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-24
Lnke Mendows,s Warming.


 and pretty Lizzie Meadows, She was an orphan, and lived with her grand father Luke Meadows, the oldest fish erman In the village. Had she wished 1t, she might have had all the lads in the place at her feet, but even in her childish days, when her companions fought for the privilege of buying toys or sweets for her. or of carrying her books when she trotted to school, she would give them no reward but smile, or a glance from her dark eyes. Her childish kisses were reserved for me. To me only she told her childish se- crets, and brought her childish trou- bles.
 But now she was woman grown, and no longer lavish of her favor. She was quiet and shy. And old Luke, be- ing naturally very careful of his treas ure, guarded her so jealously that it became each day more and more dittt- cult to obtain speech with her. It was but seldom now that 1 was allowed 10 look in at the cottage of Sunday evening, as l had been in the habit of doing regularly from a boy. But that troubled me the less, inasmuch as the permission was not granted any one else.
 At length however, it began to be whispered about that Ben Holding went very frequently to MeadoWss cottage, and was doubtless paying at tention to his granddaughter. This was the more surprising, as the young man had, till very recently, been work ing at a place some twenty miles to the north; and, to my certain knowledge there was nothing between the two when he first went there, His work must have brought him good round sum, for he went fishing now in a boat of his own, and had taken cottage all to himself, instead of living in single room, or boarding in a family, as was the custom with the young fishermen round about. However, l gave little heed to such gossip. Lizzie always greeted me with a smile when we met and Meadows was, if anything, rather more friendly than he had been for some time. Moreover, if by chance l did spend an evening at the cottage, l never came across Ben Holding. He ren, where he was a constant attend used to go by on Sundays on his way ant; but he never stayed to chat more than five or ten minutes, and what he said to the girl all the world might hear.
 I went down to Meadowss place one Sunday afternoon with the intention of telling Lizzie how 1t was with me and of asking her to be my wife. It would be the best way, thought, of putting an end to the talk of the village, which did not please me, though it caused me no anxiety. I had lately had a rise in my wages, and was promised a further increase at the end of the year; so I hoped to satisfy Meadows as to my prospects.
 I cannot tell if he suspected my in- tention; but it was in vain I sought for an opportunity of speaking to Lizzy that evening. Meadows talked without ceasing, and Lizzie herself seemed more occupied than usual. Instead of sitting still, she fitted about the kitch- en, doing one thing or another; now reaching down plates from the topmost shelf of the dresser then bending over the fire, where, contrary to her custom on Sunday, she had two or three pots to attend to. I was so absorbed in watching her movements that I fear l made but an indifferent listener to Meadows's old-time yarns.
 It was a delight to me to note the graceful turn of her figure, to watch the color deepening on her cheek till her delicate ear looked like a rose-leaf as it lay amid the clustering rings of her dark hair. Lizzie laughingly turned us out at last, saying she want ed to set the kitchen to rights, and we were in the way. l offered to help her, but the old man would not hear of my doing anything, and carried me off to the porch to smoke~a pipe with him.
 We had not sat there long before I saw Ben Holding in the distance, evil dently making his way toward us. So little did I fear him, that I was actual ly glad to see him, thinking he would take off Meadows's attention and give me chance of word with Lizzie. But I soon saw that was not to be-. After shaking hands with us Ben strode into the kitchen, and though we followed immediately he had found time to give her little note, for I saw her hide it in her dress as I came in.
 I soon discovered he had been invited to supper, and the dishes Lizzie had been taking so much pains with were prepared in his honor. When we sat down to table the talk turned on mat ters of which I knew nothing, and could take no part in. Lizzie asked question after question about Hold ings cottage, and displayed such an intimate knowledge of it's arrange ments that it was clear to me the sub ject had been often discussed between them What should this mean but that the house was furnished for her as Holdings wife?
 Meadows smiled placidly, and looked on with an air of approval that we'll nigh maddened me. I turned cold and sick; but I never spoke, and hardly touched a morsel on my plate; they paid no heed, but continued to laugh and joke over their own affairs. At last I could stand it no longer. and, ris- ing from the table, abruptly said it was time to go home. Then, for the first time, Lizzie seemed to perceive my agi- tation. for she blushed and looked con- fused.
 Are you going out tomorrow, George?" Meadows asked, as I bade him good night.
 "of course,' I said briefly. "Why not?"
 T don't like the look of the weather" " he explained T was just going to say So " Ron pa mo m this evening