The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-24

SPO0N so SAO ~ Az A.
unruhed tranquility. 1T was only
last Thursday that 1 heard Uncle
Jack say"
Something very fattering, no
doubt" I broke in angriIy. "a very
fine division of affection, indeed. 1
enjoy your Uncle Jacks, and yours
goes to that"
81 think we had better go back now,
Mr.. Lang. I had supposed that l
might trust you as an old friend not
to try to annoy and vex me-"
MIR. Lang! I see I an getting to be
a very old friend indeed. So old that
I shall oon be quite forgotten. You
are right. We had better go back;
your friends will be expecting you"
"Why will you be 50 perverse and so
cruel, Roberto"
sat least I am not cruel enough to
forget you. But that you would &C.
count a kindness, I suppose"
Indeed, l would rather have you
forget me than to think so unkindly of
me. I had hoped that we might al
ways be good friends"
81 think" l replied with unpardon
able brutality, that you had better in
vest in a lap dog. They are much
more manageable.
You are right" she said with icy
sweetness; land they are at least CRATE
full to their friends"
Forgive me, Alice" I stammered;
II did not mean to be such a brute"
Let us forget everything but that
we are good friends" she answered,
after a moments pause. 'And I want
to put your friendship to a selfish use
this very minute"
You know very well that I would
gladly die for you"
'Oa, my wants are not so exorbi
tant as that" she answered lightly.
II merely want your advice, as my
Oldest and best friend, in a case where
l can't trust my family to judge i'm
partially. 1 think you know Mr., Ham
ilton-Mr. Richard Hlmilton, I mean"
And l fancIed that she blushed a trif9
as she mentioned the name.
answed with a very bad grace that
l had the great honor of a distant &C.
quaintance with the young gentleman
IN question.
Il fancied 80. Now, the long and
the short Of the matter is, that my
people are very anxious to have me-
marry him; and Aunt Mary in parti,
cular has her heart set on it,"
He seems t o me q very desirable
parti, indeed" I said, coldly. Il sup
pose you hardy need my congratula
tons"
He, too, is 60 silly as to want to
marry me-" she went on, without
seeming to notice my rude speech, and
I have promised to give him an
answer this evening. And WHAT
here she seemed strangely embarrassed
and became deeply absorbed in the fig
ures on her tan-''what answer shall l
give him9"
What answers" Lcried, as her mean
ing flashed over my dull comprehen-
sion, why, tell him you are engaged,
of course!'
Just what happened next is rather
hazy to my mind-almost obliterated
Oy the direful catastrophe which so
soon followed. Idimly remember kiss
ing her upturned face as we stood in
the shadow of a great South American
cactus, that screened US from all obser-
walton, and drawing her ~unresisting
form towards a divan that we had &C.
cupied on the memorable evening
when we had been engaged before. We
know all the strongholds of her aunt's
house perfectly.
How horribly i~mproper!" she ex-
claimed, appropos of something or
other. Suppose that anyone would
see US this way"
THAT would be improper, I admit"
I replied, serenely but then, you see,
nobody can"
The argument was undeniable, and
she let her head rest against my shout
der, with a little sigh of satisfaction.
HOY absured to think that we ever
quarreled," I observed, presently.
"Oh. don'5 talk of that horrid time
any more! I have nearly cried my
! eyes out over it. Let's just remember
! that we have loved each other all the
while"
For a moment there was silence.
"Alic9l" I said severely as a sudden
thought came to me; what were you