The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-05-19

run ana call her back and tell her
what shall / tell her?-that / only
| wanted to say good-by to Mrs. Scroggs?"
you haven't said how-de-do yet"
81 haven't? How utterly stupid Of
me! You see between Miss Ogden and
the cat, you were so engrossed TINT
deferred that ceremony until you
should have time to devote to me.
Permit me-" And carefully depositing
pussy on the chair, he quickly bent low
and seized Miss Katesie's hand, which he
raised toward his lips: Miss Walton, 1
am so glad to see you again. This fort
night has seemed year."
Indignantly she snatched her hand
| away.
"Fawtnight! It's five weeks to-day
since you were hyuh." Then, sudden
~ conscious: Not that I cay-uh."
He started up in feigned astonish-
ment. Five weeks? You amaze me!
and how sweet of you to keep count"
Something more than mere teasing
and merriment now in the sparkle of his
eyes and the twitching about the cor
ners of his handsome, sensitive mouth.)
Those five weeks have been five years."
But she had sprung to the doorway,
wrathful at being so artfully trapped.
"Ah didn't keep count. 1t was Mob;
n All don't cay'uh how long you stay
away, or how soon you go. Esthuh!
amt you ayvuh coming down? MIR.
Lambert says he's got to CO."
you haven't told me how Mrs. Wal
ton is, and Mr.. Scroggs, Miss Katesie.
And how's Cousin Bart?"
cousin Bart's up at Quitman; SOS
Walton; and Moh's bout the same.
She'll nayvuh be any better so longs
Floyd's whuh he is-weah-ing a Yam
kee jacket"
THAT is queer, isn't it? The queer
est thing about it is that he's just been
made corporal in the very troop he
charged into at Selma. A classmate of
mine is second lieutenant in the same
troop, and wrote me about it,"
Floyd ought to be the lieutenant"
"Nliss Walton, you continually sur
prise, and now you delight me! This
is really promising! A southern girl
says her brother ought to be Yankee
officer"
But she flew at him from the door
step, her eyes flashing fire. He seized
the kitten and held the struggling
quadruped, paws foremost, between
him and the impending vengeance.
"Oh! All do despise an hate you
nav an nav ey'y time you come.
You're mean, spiteful, hateful! You
know All nevuh meant any such thing.
Aid soon him if he was! Aid tuhn
nah back on him-as All do on you
now an All wish it was fo'evuh!"
And, suiting action to word, the tum-
bling, clustering ringlets which fell
upon her pretty shoulders were fiouted
almost in his face as she whirled about
and marched back to the doorway.
WELL" said Lambert, mournfully,
'it's an ill-wind that blows nobody
good. Your wish bids fair to be grant
ed. / think / won't disturb Mrs.
Scroggs tonight, and if you'll tell me
where to find Miss Ogden I'll bid her
come back to you, SO that you can re-
sumo the fun l interrupted. Kindly
say 10 Mrs. Scroggs that if she has any
thing to send to Floyd and can get it
ready before ten tomorrow morning
I'll be glad TO take it with my baggage.
The hotel porter will come for it. Good
night, pussy. You don't seem to OBJ
ject to Yanls. Good-by, Miss Katesie.
When your wishes are so promptly
granted and you so easily get rid Of a
fellow you might shake hands with
him, but pussy'l have to do"
With that he solemnly took the kit
ten by furry paw and with ludicrous
gravity gave it formal shake, then
down the steps and crunching along
the shell walk before she started from
the stupor which had seized her. Then
she sprang to the edge of the veranda,
and he, treading lightly now and list
ening for the sounding of the summons
for . parley, heard, as he expected, the
half-tremulous. half-truculent hail:
Jaw, Mist LAMBERT"
"Yes?"
"Whuh you goiEg?"
ooh, didn't tell you? I'm ordered
to Texas"
Then he listened, wickedly, malicious
", and vouchsafed no further word.
For a moment not sound came from
the shaded veranda. Slowly, therefore,
he turned, and, treading as though on
china teacups, went on towards the
gate. Did he hope she would call
again? Did he know or realize the
deep-rooted, stubborn pride of the
southern girl? Slowly, more slowly
still, he faltered to the gate. Nearing
It, still eagerly listening, he shortened
step, only pretending to walk. Still no
sound, no summons TO return. His
hand was on the latch, and there it wait
ed, reluctant to open, but waiting was
IN vain. He glanced back over his
shoulder, and. vague and shadowy, he
could just distinguish the outline of the
slender form he had grown to love with
such longing and tenderness and pas.
sion. It chung there motionless. At
least, then, she had not turned indffer-
emily away. But the word, the whis-
per, he prayed for and craved to hear,
and would so eagerly have obeyed. came
not to recall him. Fifteen-twenty Sec
ends he waited, then, in sudden pride, or
pique, or resolution, threw open the