The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-05-31

would seem TO her sort Of special
providence through whose benevolent
. - -tervention she would realize all
those dreams OF home and husband
most girls indulge In.
This thought he found even more
agreeable than the other. and he found
himself assuming protecting aud
even pntronizing air with her nt times.
The enamored young man went 30
far as to hint TO the object of his ailec.
tion his hopes Of having modest
home of his own one day, and while
lie could not recall nftcrwnrd that she
had betrayed any great interest In his
plans, he took comfort In thinking
that girls are shy about showing their
feelings and that probably IL had not
occurred TO her that he would notice q
little clerk in the graniteware depart
ment.
SO William dreamed his dreams and
even began to inquire around about
the rent of fats such as he would be
apt to require.
But he did not tell his love. There
was no hurry about that. He would
wait till sprinB-when rents were
cheaper.
And besides she was probably not
prepared to hear of the honor
he proposed to pay her.
She might faint or something. Girls
were apt TO do those things when
you take them unawares, he had
heard.
SO the winter wore on, and William
spent more aud more of his time talk
ing TO his fair neighbor, and fell more
deeply in love with every interview.
To be sure he did most of the talk
ing.
He often conhded TO her his views
on extravaganza and high living, and
took occasion to ridicule those who
spent their money on good clothes
and theatre tickets instead of laying II
up for rainy dny.
And while Miss Thompson never
said anything he could construe into
an admission that she thought he was
right, she always listened with grave
attention, and with her aoit eyes fixed
on him he remained blissfuly certain
that here was woman who would
thankfully devote her life to helping
him save his income and provide for
his old age.
At last the spring drew near.
The flower counter in the main
aisle began to glow with golden sun
shine of dailodils and jonquils, and
odors of hyacinth and Easter lilies
were waited down the stairway TO tho
dim basement where the bathtubs and
the kettles had their home.
And then one day William had a
shock. The cross-eyed girl at the
crockery department told him that
Miss Thompson was going to leave.
He could not believe it. But in
quiry at the glassware department re-
vealed the fact that the rumor had
spread the dny before, and had been
confirmed by the young lady herself
William was astounded. She had
made mp her mind to leave without
telling himl What did it mean, he
wondered2
Then he had an idea. Perhaps she
had grown to care so much for him
that seeing him every day was painful.
He had read of such things in novels.
He resolved to tell her that very day
of the plans he had made for her aud
ask her TO become Mrs. William
French.
II was long, however, before his OPP
portunity came.
II seemed to him that every fat
woman in the city had decided to lay
in supply of graniteware that par
ticular day.
At last he encountered Miss Thomp.
son behind a hugh pile of coffeepots.
'I-l-hear you're going away"
he began, surprised to find himself
feeling decidedly nervous.
YES" she said pleasantly, as she
made an entry in her little cashbook.
'Tm going tomorrow.
"Well, l didn't know--that is, l
thought hope, / mean, that I've
not had anything to do with your
going" he went on, beginning to be
appalled, at the miserable figure he
was cutting.
iOh, Ehi. touiu loh
Il don't und ,rstand, I'm afraid"
she replied, in evident bewilderment.
"Oh, you see-I thought maybe
you'd been expecting, you know--that
is, you might have known that / was
going to ask you to marry me, you
know. I'd have asked you before
only"
"Pray, don't apologize, she ex-
claimed, quickly. "It's much better,
that you didn't. A man with Your
ideas would be making great mistake
to marry. And besides. I'm going to
be married next week to Mr.. Morgan,
up at the silk counter. He commenced
as a cash boy, and now he's head of
the department. But then, he was
ambitious"
William has seen her but once since
then.
They were having big bargain
sale of remnants upstairs, and at the
noon hour he was struggling to make