The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-02

You are 25-quite old enough to marry.
Indeed, my dearest wish is to see you
married WELL"
II could not marry woman less a
lady than my dear mother" Jack said,
touching her free hand lightly, "and il
get one who is as much lady I must
marry we'll But, mother, dearest,
please remember / could not be happy
with an angel if did not love her with
all my heart"
Il never saw an angel, but am sure
don't want one for my daughter" Mrs.
Talbot said, smiling demurely. GAIL I
ask is that your wife shall be sweet
tempered and a woman Of sterling
character and good sense.''
(Which her name it Winfield.
Eth, mammy?" Jack said lightly, try
ing to fetch compass to his point of
objection. Mrs. Talbot sat straighter in
her saddle.
"Jack, how can your" she said, as
near to stern reproof as she could posi-.
bly, pitch her gentle voice. "Alice is, I
admit, very near my ideal. ! never saw
her equal anywhere. But, dear me, to
think of your taking me up that way!
If she knew it, it would half kill her.
She is so modest and delicate she would
never be seen in company with any Tai
bot again"
'Beg pardon-hers and yours, Jack
said contritely. at was awfully Ike
Teddy Barton, that speech of mine. But
amt quite sorry l made it, for, man.
my, dear, I've had sneaking notion
you did want Miss Alice for daughter.
I'm ever so glad to have found out my
mistake"
81 have not said you were mistaken,
son." Mrs. Talbot answered, and in
spite of the dusk Jack saw that her face
grew pink. "But | love the dear child
too we'll to insult her delicacy by speak
ing as if-well, as if she was only wait.
ing to be asked. l do feel toward her
very much as toward girl Of my own.
She is so sweet and mild, so unlike
many girls-for instance, that poor,
wild child at Roscoe. -
"Let's not speak of her if you please,
NANNY" Jack said quickly. They
were by this abreast of the Winfield gate.
Jack flung it wide, and his mother rode
through, but before she had got half
way to the inner gate hoofs came to.
ward them, and Nina called through
the dusk:
"Here we are, Miz Talbot. an here
you are, at lastl I'm so glad of it
wanter shout
"Oh, do hush, Ninesyl" Miss Win
fold implored. "You all know how to
take her, though. II you didn't, l don't
know what I should do" she went on
in her most confiding tone. "You know
how wild she is, without meanin any
HARM
Eyes, I'm wild. I've got ter be-, Nj
ma admitted, with an air of the most
admirable candor. "Why, jest look at
you'll You're or reg'ler old nobody.
You'd never have beau eff it wa
fer Miz Talbot. An there's Rob Nc
Gregor, with Unc' Ben an all of 'em,
jest crazy
"Ninesy, you are the crazy one! Do
don't talk So" Miss Winfield implored,
but Jacks laugh drowned her supplica-
ton.
81 don't blame you, Nina" he said,
refining his horse beside hers "Let's
begin being wild right now and ride n
race to church. Our elders and betters
can keep each other company, and it is
time we young people had show"
''Oh, you mustn't, Ninesyl You
shan't''- Miss Winfield began. She
might as we'll have spoken to the wind.
Nina was riding alone for almost the
first time. She felt equally the indig-
nifty of having been kept in the place Of
small girl after she was very big
one and the intoxication of having Jack
for her own special gallant. With o
gurgling, triumphant giggle she set her
horse off at gallop. Jack, keeping we'll
beside her, leaned across and caught
her reins.
"You hold on. I'll keep him in the
road" he said, noting how Nina wab-
bled in her seat. He did not mind leav-
ing the others behind. 1t could not be
very far His mother rode as light and
free as upon her wedding day, and, as
to Miss Winfield, truth is he did not
much care if the pace he set did rufile
both her temper and her unruflleable
locks. He was SO hurt, so full of doubt
that was torture, any sort of fooling
was relief. 1t was more than impossi-
BILE, he felt, to endure quietly the pain
full perfection that so beset his path. So
he kept the horses remorselessly to their
sweeping gallop until they came to the
foot OF the hill whose top was crowned
with Bethel church.
There, as he halted for tho others to
come up with him, he saw and heard
that which made his teeth set, his nails
clinch till they dug into the palm. 1t
was a mighty inoffensive sight withal
merely four riders soberly pacing
along the dusty highway. going two and
two, and evidently so wrapped in dis
course with one another they had no
thought for the rest of the world.
Cerintha Payne and her minister
came first Ten yards back of them, sit
ting as light as thistle down upon Mrs.
Payne's amblina mare. Rob rode. with