The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-02-09

az love her, !" so the young man.
"Wben did yodthink of getting mar
riedg'' asked Mrs Stuart
"Soon's ever Besie likes, " said Ben.
"The end of thSmonth nd be good
time (" said Mrs. Stuart. "Wouldn't t 1t,
Bessie?''
The girls face vas in her hands. \
muttered word cane IRON between tie
fingers.
"Then the end of the month" said
Mrs. Stuart, "andnow you d better say
good night. The girls bit overcome
with the heat. Gogd night, Ben. Come
again tomorrow.
Ben strobe beyosd her.
will you mary me, Bessie?" he
asked sharply. "htshear you say it. -
Mrs. Stuart smiled triumphantly in
the darkness.
Eyes, " faltersd Bessie, with a roam
ing look - A
sAnd be snatct ssiAlats arms aud
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 glorious
dusk with a south wind. Ben, saving
wood, paused with the crosscnt saw halt
through piece of timber and drew his
horny hand across his forehead.
He was so far away that he quite
started to hear light football close be-
side him. He looked around, and there
dawned an astounded expression and
then a rapturous glowOn his face.
"Bessien' he exclaimed. "Bessie!"
He put out his arms What more per
fectly natural than that she should sliI
into them?
But she only smiled and shook hel
head.
"I've come to have bit Of talk tc
you, Ben," she said, and a new con
sciousIess Of her power over this big,
hulking fellow armed her with
strength which was only born fer the
occasion and which would have brought
a smile to her stepmother's face.
81 don't quite know how to begin, .
she said, but-but don't believe you
care extra much for me yet, do you,
Ben? Not astonishingly much?"
"Don't |, thought he burst out.
"Look here. Bess, would you believe it,
I've thought of you every moment Of
this blessed day. Ny wordH'
She set her mouth. "Then if you
care for me that much can ask you tc
do something for me-"
"Any mortal thing, my girl."
"You could give me up, couldn't
you? Couldn't you? Cbuldn't you? Oh,
Ben, I'm that miserable till you give
me up and 60 and tell my mother that
your don't want mel But, oh, Ben,
don't let her know 1 told yout There's
lots Of other girls, and you don't waDi
me, do you? Say you don't. Just say,
i dom want you, Bessie. "
He said il &fGsEr1er mechanically,
watching her hands twitching nervous
ly at his shirt sleeve.
81 don't want you, Bessie, he said,
land, by heavens, won't have you il
it's agen your willr
She stopped her head and her warm
lips pressed 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 farther 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 al
prayers.
When the service was over, be stood
up, head and shoulders above every one,
and it appeared to Bessie his eyes were
certainly on the door,
He raised his hat and passed On, hold
ing his head high-an unconscious di-
plomatist. Presently she saw him strid-
ing down the road as though it all be.
longed to him as well as the home on
its side.
Two months went by. Ben took up
his measure of days and dealt with
them as we'll as he was able, but the
evenings, when the cabbages and the
peas were carrying on their lives with
out him, when his washing up was
done and the wind was stealing in the
darkness around his home, then he
staid to wonder how be was ever going
to take tomorrow into his hands.
He always took it, however, and it
was always coming.
"We'd have had fire Of an even
ing" he said two months after he had
given her up.
There seemed tremendous amount
of irony in cutting frewood, to his sim
pie mind.
A light footsteS sounded behind him.
He started, a1d there dawned an as
founded EXPIRE On. then a rapturous
glow on his face.
"Bessier" he exclaimed. "Bessie!''
She tried to smile, but her face was
white and afraid, and her lips quivered
"I've conceive come to see you,
Ben, she said and was SO unconscious
Of her power over him that she trem-
bled.
81 suppose suppose that you don't
care about me yet, Ben. Do you? You
don't care bit, do you, Ben?'
"What do you want plsguing me
for?'' be burst out. Cant you let me
alone? Are you wanting me to lie over
again?"
81 want the truth, Ben," she whis-
pered. London Telegraph.
Getting an Opening.
A man had story about gun which
he delivered himself of upon all Occa.