The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-05-06

10 Iuu his mousse udIh anu ueSCldtO
his babies crying and his wife gone.
Two years after he received lette,
telling him of his wife's penSence a1d
begging for help.
lie went to her at once, and found
her poor and dying.
She never asked for her children. |
He took care Of her till she died, then
buried her, and placed a stone at her
grave.
Il ought to have KNOWN" he said,
humbly, that pretty little thing like
her couldn't love homely, ungainly
man like me-"
\ great wave of tenderness and pity
for the lonely man surged up in Olives
wOmanIy heart.
SO she said, eagerly: THAT don't
make no difference with a woman,
Mr.. Leonardo She don't mind how al
good, kind man with a great kind heart
like yoUrn looks! Not if she's the
right kind"
He looked up at her queerly. ''Do
you mean that?" he asked, softly. Il
Yes" replied Olive, earnestly, never
realizing what dangerous ground she
was treading.
He held her hand for moment, when
he went away, saying: Thank you,
Olive, you don't know how much your
sympathy means to me-"
And Olive sat till after Inidnia.t
by the window thinking of Mr.. Leon
ards sad story.
a few evenings after he found Olive
alone on the porch. He was very 81
lent all the evening, but when he went
away he took her hand and said alb
ruptly:
"Olive, you said that a woman didn't
mind mans looks, and those words
make me dare TO tell you that l love
YOU and need you. WIN you be my
wife?'"
Olive looked at him a moment, the
color coming TO her face.
For the land salle!7 She exclaimed,
81 hope you didn't think I said tlret
TO make you propose. I'm sure never
thought of such thing
Il know it," he replied. "'It was
YOUR perfect Inconsistencies that at
tracted me. You never remember your
self"
She looked at him with great solemn
eyes. Are you sure YOU love me, or
do you want me TO keep your house
and look after your children? "A wom-
an amt never so old or homely that she
won't resent that
Before God, l love YOU he said.
''Do you think could ask anyone whom
l did not love to marry me after my ex-
perience?'
YES" said Olive, 81 think can love
you well, and be good wife to you,
but l have loved some one else bet
ter.
''I}ut then, you have. too, an mebb
that'll only draw lis closer together.
Some day I'll tell you all about it,"
Olive did not make elaborate prepa-
"ations this time, and as for Almira, Mr.
Leonard told her the news himself.
"Pooh!" said that damsel, coolly,
''Fve known that longer than yeu tew
have yerself l amt blind"
Olive bought a soft brown stuff por
her wedding dress, and one day she
brought out the lilac-colored silk and
said to Almira, carelessly: Here's a
dress pattern l never made up. You
may have it if you like
The wedding was very quiet, and that
night as Olive stood by the children's
little he'd with her husbands arm
around her, she said: I'm so happy
that I'm afraid. I'm inside now, amt
70"
He stopped and kissed her, say
ing: Eyes, love, you are inside my
heart forever"
WELL" soliloquized Almira, as she
looked around her new room, I've got
Il job tew clean up an get the furniture
mended. I'm thankful Olive amt
done no worse.
"She wouldn't enjoy marryin'
man with no one about him. because
she couldn't pity and coddle him, then.
| only wonder she didn't take a blind or
a deaf and dumb one
Tin thankful that Mr. Leonard only
limps an has an all-killip' homely
face. He's so meek he'll let me do
as | like, too. so if she's satisfied, am"
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