The San Francisco call., 1896-02-09

this allusion to her nuptial fnery, she
failed. He only looked at her in curious
way and then asked in the ouietest of
voices:
what did Bob doP'
''Nothln', only jest LATED! Oh, Alec,
why won't yer go? She's er-comin'r'
Alec went, seeing that the danger was
imminent.
Mrs. Townshend called again. "I'm
comm, ma," and Miss Dely hastened..
What air you er-foolin' away your time
for down thar, an here's Jim Wilson been
ter tell yer that Bob's took powerful bad
an the doctor amt no hopes on him
hardly. Er pretty piece er work thet is,
an you'll git talked about fine. An We
got yer weddin' dress an all, !" ieered the
old woman.
Miss Dely grew sick all over. Was there
then no escape from this life?
Jim wanted yer ter go over thar, but I
telled him l wouldn't hev no sich work as
thet-my da'ter running after man thet-
away"
They had reached the house now, and
there in the living-room was the wedding
gown Dely had been SO proud of.
She began to weep.
You shet up, DEFY Townshendl" cried
her mother. "Ef yer don't I'll bang my
head ali to pieces ergin the WALL" and she
gave it hard thump.
"Oh. ma, don't, don'tr' shrieked Dely.
II won't cry. l won't do nothin'."
The old woman sat down in her splint
rocker.
.'Yer'd better not, then"
The menace in her black eyes meant
business, and Dely, choking down her
sobs, went about getting dinner.
Poor Bob Wilson never recovered from
his sudden illness. He begged to see Miss
| Dely, and once in the dead of midnight
she stole out trembling and went and
stayed an hour by his sick bed.
II hate ter leave ye." said Bob, kindly.
'tBut thar's Alec thinks heap on We.
Twas mighty squar' thing his givin' ye
up ter me like he did,"
"Oh, Bob, don't talk thetawayr cried
Miss Dely.
Hers was a sincere soul and here was
Bob dying, but she was absolutely power
less to tell him the whole truth.
"Well, we'll! It's all right suppose"
| said Bob, weakly.
| He was so nearly done with this life that
its loves and hopes did not matter much.
Dely's wedding gown was presently put
away in the old family chest and Dely
went about her duties with a sadder face.
! "a wilder 'thout ever bein' married. -
| sneered her mother, and the kind neigh
bors added that it "'peared like DEFY
Townshend was pintedly meant fer an old
maid."
In the few weeks that followed Bob Will
| sons death, Alec Penland did a deal of
| thinking and day-dreaming. Pleasant
! thoughts and pleasant dreams they were.
too, one would guess by the serene ex-
preston Of his strong, kind face He
worked some at "fxing things" around
home.
Alec had lived alone, keeping house for
himself ten years or more, and it is put
ting it mildly to say that the appearance
of the house both inside and out indicated
that such had been the case.
But this did not trouble Alec. He was
apt to sit after supper smoking his pipe
on the front stoop without a thought of
the unwashed Dishes and watch the smoke
curling up from the Widow .Townshend's s
chimney.
''Shes good gal N s. neat s a pin"
he mused one night. bob was better
man then me, some ways. He'd done
it, an I'll do it, an 1 won't wait no longer,
blessed eff do"
He knocked the ashes out of his pine,
put out the cat, and went to bed q nd slept
soundly all night
The next day found him at Mrs. Towns
hend's door.
The bees were humming in the Iilacs
and the March winds were soft and warm
The house was wide open. Mrs. Towns
hend was carding cotton. She gave him
but curt welcome.
81 hope you are well enough, ma am, I"
said Alec, with Difference.
Pm only jest torable," was the cold re-
ply, n
presently.