The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-01
THAT SUNBONNET.

way INC AGot4cssAiSss Oh expectation VI a
mind i'll at ease. He looked every inch an
Engl1shman, and if he had spoken his
thoughts they would have bee&e
How long Rodney is Comet wonder
If he found her? To think she has been in
such trouble and Z did not know it'll But
what could I have donef NothinRl I
bound myself to stand aside until Rodney
came back. when he confded in me, told
me he loved hsr and was going home to
ask his fathers consent to marry her I felt
bound in honor to wait.
ssWell, his father will be agreeably sur
prised when ne sees her. There is not a
lady in London society mOIe refined, /
graceful, highly educated, and nobody can
dispute her beauty, but viii the loss of her
fathers wealth make the old gentleman
withdraw his consent?''
And the door opened to admit another
Englishman. His face was olouded, and
there was decided temper in the way he
pitched his hat on the bed and exclaimed:
"What beastly hot dayp'
ejected you?'
Tho boyish face lighted for moment
with cOnc6ited smile.
Well, not exactly that. didn't ask
her. You sec, old man, when I saw Mrs.
Vandenhopper yesterday, she did not tell
me half how bad it was. She told me that
Miss UnderTood's trustee, guardian and
lawyer all in one had defaulted, lost her
money, as weu as his own, and that Of nu-
Inerous other people, and vanished.
But an aunt, il a place on Long Is
land, left Miss Underwood a small farm
years and years ago, which was in the care
Of another business man, who, so far, has
not vanished.
Il went to Cold Spring full Of hope to
tell Miss Underwood of my undying affec-
tion. But, by Jove, just imagined Tho
farm turns out to be a miserable little
place of q few acres, and Miss Underwood
is cultivating it horselfl Sending green
peas and awberries to markell
''She was out in the garden, actually
wedding a cabbage bed herself, and 2 tow
zle headed boy was caruing of the weeds
in a barrow"
$50 you give her up because in her mis-
fortune she goes n0bly to work instead Of
living on her relatives?'
'tWeu, it's all very we'll for you to talk
that way. I've envied you your independ-
ence before now, but I am not my own
master as you are. By Joyel if 1 were like
you, rich, with a good old family name
and estate and nobody to control me,
might do as I pleased. But after all 1 was
completely diseuchanted, Bob, when I saw
that sunbonnet. Nobody knows what
state her hands are in, and fellow in my
position must think something of appear
anoes-"
Yes
It was hot even at Cold Spring, and En-
lily Underwood, the cabbage bed weeded
pushed back her sunbonnet, unconscious
Of the Ofense it had given, and straight
ened herself almost with a groan- The
towzls headed boy looked on and sympa-
thized.
YOU'D hadn't oughter go in so fierce. -
he said. Folks t amt used tot alters
does, ma says. You'd oughter hire the
weedin done. LOr, lOok at your hands!"
They are certainly very dirty, SAM -
said the low, sweet, well bred voice.
Tain't that There's lots O. soap
gOin. But the size Of EN- gets me. Sich
little white mites amt got no business
workin"
But work is better than starving,
Sam
Miss Underwood went into the small
dwelling, all that was left of her lost
wealth. Poverty had found her without
one money making art at her command.
Her music was far too superficial for a
teacher; her education was in no way
thorough enough for practical purposes.
1t was true that she knew no more of
farming than a Greek, but the farm was
her own, and she paid a man to come every
day to do the heaviest of her work and to
teach her.
Her aunt in New York had offered her
a home and suggested matrimonys but
Emily had distinctly refused to hunt for
husband.
Leaning over She fence that separated
her garden from her neighbor' s was an old
man, who said in a drawl:
There was q city chap here today, Miss
Underwood, askln quesUons-nO end Of
EN- bout you. Th old CONAN allows
he's English. She came from Cornwall
herself, and she knows che talk
Cornwaul Emily Underwood felt the
blood rush to her cheeks, but she asked no
more questions
She had washed her hands. examined
the fresh scratches and bruises on their
delicate white surface, wondered how soon
they would DO hard and brown and was
lingering in the doorway, when she saw
Robert Beauchamp.
The offending sunbonnet still shaded
her face, the thick, mud stained boots still
covered her slender feet the calico dress,
the coarse apron, We're all there, as de-
scribed four long hours before
But her lover saw only the shy, brown
eyes droOp under his eager gaze, the quick,
rich color stain the fair, round checks, the
beauty of the sweet face and graceful fg-
Ures and his heart rose to his lips.
He told her of his pain in learning the
loss that had fallen upon her, his sorrow
at her changed fortunes, and in 6enderest
/ tones he besought her to trust her future
TO him-to be his beloved, cherished wife.
She had been mistress of Beauchamp
hail for moro than a year before she knew
the reason of her husbands long conceal
ment of his love, the check honor put
upon his lips
Rodney vent down to propose on the
same day L did, sweetheart, but your sun
bonnet frightened him. But it makes me
shiver to think be might have asked you. 5"
'Why2 1t would have made no differ
ence."
But he has a title-wi1 have a higher
! one when bis father dies, and six times
/ my income
Well, did not love him did love
you"