Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-10-31

there Is no woman IN the world whose
opinion value more StilI, In sIl my |
doubt this winter, I have often feared |
! that IL would he wrong for me to take |
unto me a wife. / have, maybe, only /
a very few years yet 10 live" he added /
Z looking at her appealingly- And again |
! she answered, softly:
I'VE may hope that your years may
be many Besides, even the few years
viii be very dear to-your wife"
He was standing back of her chair
now, with one hand so near that she
felt IL touch her hair
do you think, he pleaded, almost
in a whisper, that she loves meE
do you love herr" came the reply.
with touch of coquetry reyer absent
from the feminine heart.
Better than all else in the world"
came the brave rejoinder; better, l
sometimes think, than the world 10
come"
Then said she, closing her eyes 10
hide the happiness in them, then l
may confess that she loves you, bet
ter. far better than she ever before
thought il possible for anyone TO love"
The major sprung from his place be
hind her and. seizing her hands. cried
joyfuily:
.oh. my dear Miss Hetty. how do
you know; Has she told you? Whens
Tell me just what she said. so that
may be the happiest, proudest man on
earfh-'
All the light burned out OF Miss Het-
tvs face. leaving only the ashes OF
hopeless despair. Then she asked:
'.SheI Who:'
''Why, kittie Harper. of course. Iou
surely know that l meant herr"
kittie Harper, the gayest little black
eyed debutante that had danced that
season, and the foremost OF the fiatter-
ing cOquettes that had practiced their
budding Establishments on the gallant
old major.
..Yes, of course. knew, but you see
II wanted 10 make you confess" she
replied. Mt last. with n laugh that
would have Weakened any more sane
. man. Then she went frantically on in
. reply TO the unsuspicious mans eager
, questions:
mo. she never really told me-but-
i know when woman loves"
. All this time the elated major was
, putting on his coat and gloves, and AZ
last lle asked, with a return OF his old
! time courtliness:
Il want TO thank you. Miss Hetty,
! for you have done me the greatest IA
] vor woman ever did man. 1t is old
! fashioned now, know, but both of us
! are old enough TO remember, are we
! not, when a gentleman showed his re
spect and homage TO lady by kissing
Z her handg"
: Without a word she extended hel
4 poor. trembling little hand, and he laid
! his lips reverently TO her cold fingers
4 But she could keep in no longer. and
S the startled major heard first a stified
j. sigh. then a moan. and at last n great
y cruel sob rose TO her pale. quiverine
t lips, and Miss He;ty had betrayed ner
: self
, Mai. Doane staggered back and biz
y face grew terribly white.
!, II beg your forgiveness thousand
a times. madam" he said at last. ia .
: low. strange Voice. Il never dreamed
s until this instant"
6 But Miss Hetty sat bolt upright ii
her high-backed chair, elutching th'
o carved lion heads on its arms. ant
e raised TO him her poor, hurt eyes, wilC
+ with desperate appeal.
q xviii you please go, Maj. Doane
r And as for dreaming-you are mistak
IS en-. for there is nothing for you q
5, dream" Then she rose from her deel
IS chair. still holding the lions heads til
d her nails bit into the hard polish, an'
II said:
lie "Aud please tell-Kittie that Mis-
e, Hetty Observation-Disclosures
10 He closed the door behind him a
he gently as though there were someon
n. dead in the little brown cottage.
er The fire on the shallow crate ha
t. died TO a low. even glow when Mis-
y Hetty finally stirred from the higl
ie backed chair. and took from its plac
n. the dear little painting of the dea
" owner of the house which now she
m tered her. Propping it up on the 10y
1e table in front of her, she sat the vic
d. lets beneath. and then knelt down b.
o. fore IL, bending her tired little head
her guivering hands. The last embc
II, on the fire turned black the light
TT the rosy-shaded lamp burned lower an
ne lower and finally fiickered out. I'll
mt servants up at the big house felt +
al apprehcnsion at the non-appearancc ,
to its mistress. as she had told them 81
he would spend the night with frien
he farther down the block. The hou
IN crept ON. the storm racked the lit
III brown cottage, the dawn revealed Il
Ia crooked old steps drifted high wit
re- snow.
uo They found her that morning, vii
~ the dim light falling Jelly on her tin
We gray face Just above was the canv;
with the other dead eyes and lips, b
~ there was no CLEAN like the mornin
ne glories in the sweet, pathetic. fragra
,n- loneliness of the violets against whi'
US the silent woman's weary cheek reste
Ill
Iir, what LIS bu''er-s'ar'ef'
to- The princiule of the starter