Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-08-28

| girl IN II, suppose.
ooh, yes!" returned John. very de-
cidedly. "There is girl in it; and an
uncommonly nice girl, too."
"Good gracious!' said Mary. "It is
all easy enough. Describe me her ap-
pearance, character and surroundings.
Tell me what she did, and how she did
1t. Then explain where the man comes
in-for there is man in it, suppose?"
"Oh, yes!" said John. as decidedly as
before. "There is man in it."
"Well. what about him?" asked Mary.
"Dear me, John! 1 might as well In
vent thing myself, and have done
with 1t, If you can't tell me straight
off,"
"I'll tell you!" said John, with the
air of man determined to make the
plunge. "Only-Mary-prom me one
thing. Don't laugh at my story"
Cant I laugh If 1t is funny?" re-
Joined Mary.
at isn't" said John. "Well, not ex-
actly. Erin fact, don't know how it
will strike you. meant. don't laugh
ut my clumsy way Of telling it"
"Of course not" replied Mary, kind
". "And I'm sure I'm very much OBJ
liged to you, John, for taking all this
trouble"
"Well," began John, this girl-the
girl am thinking of, you know-lived
at home with her mother and sisters.
The father had died some years be-
fore, leaving just enough money to
supply their bare wants, but no more."
II quite understand" said Mary in q
tone which had good deal of "fellow
feeling" in it.
$50, Of COURSE" went on John, 'life
was more or less Of struggle with
them. But, happily, one of the girls
this special girl began to talk about
developed quite talent for-for-",
"For what?" said Mary rather sharp
ly. {,
"Tor painting" returned John quick
ly. "She used to paint quite lovely
little things and sell them to the Shops
YES" said Mary, "but when does
the romance come in, John?"
II am coming to that" replied John.
"Give me time, Mary" :,
"Oh, of course" said Mary, amiably.
So after a pause John went on again..
"Years before, when these girls were
| quite little, their father had shown q
great kindness to an almost friendless
boy"
| Mary started and faint color crept
into her checks; but John took no heed
and his voice became firmer and clear
err.
"To the action of that good man the
boy owed whatever success came to
him in after life. He never forgot this
and he often wondered how he could
best repay the debt he owed.''
John paused, but Mary did not speak.
"And as the time went on he found
| the debt increased rather than dimin-
ished. For though his first benefactor
had passed away, he had left kindly
hearts behind him. And as the boy
grew into manhood he priced more and
more the welcome he ever received
from those good women and felt that
in the whole world there was no spot
so dear to him as the one they called
home"
Again John paused. hut Mary made
no effort to break the silence.
"He loved them ALL" said John,
'but'-lere new tenderness crept
into his voice-''he learned at last that
for one of them he had the love which
q man only gives to one woman in the
world. She was not, think, quite
understood by her mother and sisters.
much US they cared for her. She had
a talent which she was glad to turn to
useful account, but the others hardly
realized that the task which was gen.
orally pleasure might at times be-
come very hard and wearisome. They
thought it was play for her to sit down
and paint. So sometimes her heart
failed her q little"
Mary's face was very white now, but
the color rushed suddenly back into it
as John gently took her hand into his
own.
"This young man loved her, Mary
loved her more dearly that can quite
tell you. But he waited a long time
before he dared to speak to her. He
knew how much depended upon her in
the home, and he FELT he had no right
| to take her away until his position
would enable him to offei. comfort to
her and to those dear to her. 1t often
seemed weary while, and his heart
often ached. But the time came at last.
The time when he felt free to speak,"
He paused, and for few minutes
there was between them deep silence.
Then his hand clasped hers more fer
vently, and he said "Mary!"
AS if irresistibly compelled. she look
ed into his eyes. And in that moment
full knowledge of what she had never
before even guessed swept over her.
She knew the sweetest of all earthly
things-that she loved, and was be-
loved.
"You We're quite right. dearest" said
John while later. "The difficulty lies,
in making start. Everything comes
quite easily afterward."
"The story is very hackneyed," whis-