The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-22
MATED ON LOVE ROCK

O
little bitterly.
"a nice place to propose to a lady," said
he. "It seems to me that 1t would not be
SO easy as you think to get up there
The old fisherman looked shrewdly at
Ted and winked to himself.
"Well, sir, IL you'd like to try for your
self''-
"I'm not thinking about myself at all, I"
burst out Ted with so much Indignation
that his companion Immediately drew his
conclusion.
81 never thought as you were, sir. Twas
only my little bit of q joke. But yon's
the rock, and tho gal as Is asked there Is
had for the asking. It's gospel truth,
what's more. And it's there got my old
woman, which wouldn't so much as look
at me until l caught her a-sittin on the
rim Of that there rock.
"Says 1, Betsy, I've come to ask you to
marry me, and she looked round sorter
scared like, and says, 'You'm a-sittin on
the love rock, Betsy, and it's here as I've
follored you, for you're the only gal what
wants. I've set my heart on marin
you, says I, and you're on the love rock
"Then she looks up as meek as a lamb
and she says Yes and falls a-cryin as
II her heart would break, for Betsy, sho
always did admire that young scamp Pete.
But she knew as well as me that she'd got
to marry me, because asked on the rock.
"We was so took up with what hap
pened that we was all caught by the tide,
but we got off in time. The rocks niver
quite covered, but 'twould be an ugly
place to pass q night, and next to uppossi-
h1o t<, ho not off Thorajc c<x hvo obovu
In the best weather, and some sharp bits
of rock around, so as no boat can get
near"
Ted had fixed his eyes on the love rock.
He was not listening to the garrulous old
man, and he certainly did not believe the
superstition about 1t; but, all the same,
he felt inclined to compass the difficulties
In the way and get Mile Lloyd there. 1t
would be as good place as any he knew
for telling the secret which had been his
torment for months, and which he now
felt was impossible to keep to himself even
II the telling of 1t meant the ruin of his
hopes.
He could not endure to SEQ her chatting
by the hour with old Fielding, who evil
IDENTIFY admired her and was quite equal to
| asking her to marry him, old villain that
he was. And Millie-who could guess
what she would dor
"It's time to DO going back, said Ted,
pulling his watch out "Good morning.
I've an idea that this would be rather q
nice spot for picnic-not half bad"
Old Jack Grice bent nearly double with
laughter the moment Ted's figure had dis
appeared around the cliffs, and then he
went homo to tell Betsy the joke Sho
was shrewd old woman and gave it 40
her opinion that Ted was In love.
Meanwhile Ted hurried back to the hotel
in sort of panic. He felt uneasy sudden
ly because he had been absent for several
hours, and Fielding might be taking the
opportunity.
A set of tennis was being played on the
asphalt court Millie was not there. He
went and leaned on the fence that guarded
the cliff and gave q sweeping glance from
| from the top of the cliff to the shore below,
both visible from this point. Neither
Mile nor Fielding was in view.
So he went in and looked for them in
all the public sitting rooms There was
not q sign Of either. Until the gong sum-
moned all the visitors down to the table
d'hote he was unable to find her, and then
he heard casually that she had been out
for drive with her mother.
1t was Ted who proposed picnic and
Ted who suggested the best spot for one.
"That's close to the love rock, isn't its"
asked some one.
"The love rocks" said Ted, with the ut
most innocence whats thatf'
With the impatience Of young folk the
picnic was fixed for the next day, weather
permitting or not. A storm had been pre-
dicted, but the objections of the elders
were talked down with many arguments
as unanswerable as they were Illogical.
"It's not at all the weather for pionics,"
growled Mr.. Fielding, following the group
Of enthusiasts and looking sourly on Ted
and Mile, who happened to be talking
together.
"We don't mind the weather." said
Mile. Her face was radiant, and she en-
tered into the plans with all her heart.
Ted saw her smile and stepped back aghast
II should much prefer quiet day on
the shore said Mr.. Fielding in lower
| tone
Millie glanced ut Ted, and then she slip
| ped away. Somehow she now felt ont of
heart with the picnic. AS for Ted, there
was nothing he would have liked better
than to take Mr.. Fielding by the throat
and throttle him.
AHo HoAu ihorhiuB uroko uriBnb anu
sunny. A brisk wind that afterward be-
came boisterous was blowing from the sea.
With baskets of provisions and long sticks
which they called thoir alpenstocks-the
| party started for the love rock
They took their lunch in the shelter of
tho cliffe. The tide was out. and the love
rock stood up gaunt and jagged in full
view. They intended to explore 1t that
| afternoon.
The tide had turned before the party
| reached the rock, and now the wind was
| 30 strong that few less daring spirits
turned back. Ted kept close to Mile,
who refused 20 give up the object Of the
| picnic, though Mr.. Fielding advised and
| almost commanded her to desist.
| The rest were too intent upon the diff
| culties of their way to notice that Ted and