The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-11-07
She Helped Him.

Littlewood Phillips had been in love
with Mildred harrington for two years,
ever since he first met her at the Hal
lowells' card party. He had no good
reason to doubt that his love was re-
turned, yet so fearful was he that he
had misread her feelings, so much did
he dread her refusal of his suit, that he
had never hinted that she was more to
him than any of the girls he met at the
church sociables and card parties in
Newington. Innumerable chances for
declaration Of love had offered them
selves, for he was regular caller at the
Harrington mansion, but this youth
was as devoid of spunk as a hare and
was no nearer the goal of his desires to-
day than he had been when Cupid first
aimed his dart at him.
So matters stood when a snowfall
that brought sleighing in its wake Wis
tied Newington. and Littlewood be-
came conscious of the fact that he had
actually asked Miss harrington to take
ride with him. Of course he must
perforce bring matters to crisis now.
He was afraid that Judge harrington
would be asking his intentions, and it
would be humiliating to have such a
question come before he could refer him
to the girl for an answer. No; beyond
doubt he must pluck up enough cour-
age to ask her to be his wife or else
cease calling upon her, an alternative
that was hideous enough to chill his
heart.
The evening was soon at hand. (
crescent moon shone in the east and the
stars were cold and scintillating. He
walked to the livery stable and asked
for the cutter, and few minutes later
he was driving handsome chestnut to
the house where his thought spent most
of the time. Miss harrington kept him
waiting a good half hour, but he re-
fected that it was the privilege of her
glorious sex, and it only made him love
her the more. If she had come out and
placed her dainty foot upon his neck he
| would have been overcome with rap
ture. In fact, in his present state,
which had also been his state for "a
months Littlewood was not many re-
moves from calf.
1t was cold waiting, SO he got out
and hitched his horse and paced in front
of her house, her faithful sentinel until
death-if need be. Not that there was
| any reason to think that his services
would be required. but it pleased his
self love to imagine himself dying for
this lovely being of whom his tongue
stood in such awe that it could scarce
loose itself in her presence.
At last she appears. The restive horse
slants his ears at her and paws the
| ground in admiration of her beauty,
for Mildred was as pretty as regular
features, fair skin and melting eyes
could make her.
Littlewood handed her into the sleigh,
stepped in himself, tucked in the robes
and chirruped to the horse. That intel
| ligent animal did not move. A flush of
modification overspread the face of the
would be amorous swain. A balky horse,
and at the startl What chance would
he have to deliver his precious message
that was to make two hearts happy
He clicked again to the horse, but again
the horse continued to stand still
"You might unhitch him, Mr.. Phil
lips That would help" said Mildred
in her sweet voice.
'"Oh, yes-t-to be surei l must have
l did hitch-er''-
There seems to have been a hitch
somewhere, she answered.
He stepped out of the sleigh and
looked over his shoulder at her in a
startled way. Could she mean any
thing2 Was this encouragement? Oh,
mol 1t was too soon. (Too soon, and he
had been in love two yearsO He un-
hitched the horse and once more placed
himself beside his loved one
The frosty night seemed to have sci
a seal upon her lips, for as they sped
over the crunching snow and left the
town behind them she was silent.
Il must have offended her I've prob
ably made break of some kind" sale
Littlewood to himself. "How unfortu
nate But must tell her tonight. 1t i:
now or never. This attention is tot
marked to pass as mere courtesy o.
the winter season. She knows / nevel
took anybody but my mother sleigh rid
ing before.
Then began process of nerving him
self to the avowal He ground his knee
together until the bones ached Hi
breathing was feverish.
"Mum - Mildewed Il mean Mil
dred." And then he stopped. He hat
! never called her Mildred before. He hat
never called her Mildewed. either, bu
that was accidental, and he hoped tha