Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-12-11

| tower above her.
But the mosquitoes" she faltered.
! Never mind" he said again, and
dropped his head to her level, hurting
out passionate love word into her ear.
/ "No-no-no!" she said.
| You're shy" he said-''now, aren't
YOU o, Bessie, do love you So
| A tall form emerged from the door
way.
"Skyness soon wears off, said Mrs.
Stuart. 81 suppose, Ben Stevens, you
mean stealing my girl, hanging over
her like this?"
| Il love her." said the young man.
When did you think of getting mar
ried?" asked Mrs. Stuart.
"Soon's ever Bessie likes" said Ben.
| The end of the month 'ud be a good
I time" said Mrs. Stuart-"wouldn't it,
Bessie?"
The girls face was in her hands. A
muttered word came from between the
| fingers.
Then the end of the month" said
Mrs. Stuart land now you'd better say
good night The girls a bit overcome
| with the heat. Good night, Ben. Come
again tomorrow"
Ben strobe beyond her.
will you marry me, Bessie?" he
asked sharply. Lets hear you say
it."
Mrs. Stuart smiled triumphantly in
the darkness.
Yes faltered Bessie, with a foam
ing look
And he saatched her in his arms
and kissed her.
In the morning Ben was at work
among his cabbages and peas, and the
| remembrance of that kiss was ON him
as he worked.
That evening there was a glorious
| dusk with a south wind. Ben, saving
wood, paused with the crosscut saw
| half through a piece of timber, and
| drew his horny hand across his fore
head.
He was so far away that he quite
| started to hear a light football close
beside him. He looked around, and
there dawned an astounded expression,
then a rapturous glow on his face.
"Bessie." he exclaimed. "Bessie."
He put out his arms. What more
perfectly natural than that she should
slip into them?
But she only smiled and shook her
head.
I've come to have a bit of talk to
you Ben" she said, in a new con-
seriousness of her power over this big,
hulking fellow armed her with a
| strength which was only born for the
occasion. and which would have
brought a smile to her step-mother's
face.
II don't quite know how to begin,
she said: 'but-but l don't believe you
care extra much for me yet-do you,
Ben? Not astonShingly much?'
Don't I, though" he burst out.
Look here, Bess, would you believe
it, I've thought of you every moment
of this blessed day My word
She set her mouth. Then If you
care for me that much, | can ask you
to do something for me-
ANY mortal thing. my girl
You could give me up, couldn't
you? Couldn't you? Couldn't you?
o. Ben. I'm that miserable till you
give me up. And go and tell my
mother that you don't want me. But,
o, Ben. don't let her know l told you.
There's lots of other girls; and you
don't want me, do you? Say you
| don't. Just say, ! don't want you,
Bessie?'
He said it after her mechanically.
watching her hands twitcning nery-
ously at his shirt sleeve.
u don't want you, Bessie" he said;
land, by heavens won't have you if
it's agen your will"
She stopped her head. and her warm
lips pressed a grateful kiss on his
earth-soiled wrist.
He told her mother about it, his eyes
roaming restlessly about the parlor Of
Bessie's home.
On Sunday Bessie went to church and
wore her big lace hat and sat beside
her mother.
Ben was on the opposite side of the
aisle. and further down the church. but
| he could have looked at her If he had
wished. He never once turned his head
and Bessie watched him. even at
prayers,