The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-01

| OF his OWL Ouc Ody, anu Wul1C uo COuAu
not recall afterward that she had be-
trayed any great interest in his plans
he took comfort in thinking that girls
are shy about showing their feelings
and that probably it had not occurred
to her that he would notice little clerk
in the graniteware department.
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 spring-when rents were
cheaper.
| And, besides, she was probably not
prepared to hear of the honor he pro-
posed to pay her. She might faint or
something. Girls were apt to do those
| things when you took them unawares,
he had heard.
So the winter wore on, and William
spent more and more of his time talk
| ing to his fair neighbor, and fell more
deeply in love at every interview.
To be sure, he did most of the talk
ing
He often confded to her his views on
extravaganza and high living and took
occasion to ridicule those who spent
their money on good clothes and theater
tickets instead Of laying it up for a
rainy day.
And while Miss Thompson never said
anything he could construe into an ad-
| mission that she thought he was right
she always listened with grave atten-
ton, and with her soft eyes fixed on
him he remained blissfully certain that
here was a woman who would thank
fully 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 sunshine of daffo-
dis and jcnquils and odors of hyacinth
and Easter lilies were waited down the.
stairway to the dim basement where
the tathtubs and the teakettles had
their home.
And then one day William had a
shock. The crosseyed girl at the crock
cry department told him that Miss
Thompson was going to leave.
He could not believe it. But inquiry
at the glassware department revealed
the fact that the rumor had spread the
day before and had been confirmed by
the young lady herself William was
astounded. She had made up her mind
to leave without telling him! What
did it mean he wondered.
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 and ask her
to become Mrs William French.
1t was long, however, before his OPP
portunity came.
1t seemed to him that every fat wom-
an in the city had decided to lay in a
supply Of graniteware that particular
day.
At last he encountered Miss Thomp-
son behind huge pile of cofeepoSs.
'I-I-hear you re going away, he
began, surprised to find himself feeling
QeclQeuly nervous.
Eyes" she said pleasantly, as she
made an entry in her little cashbook
"I'm 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.
"You, Mr.. French-how could you
l don't understand, 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 cashboy, and now he's head of the
department. But, then, he was ambi-
tious.
William has seen her but once since
then.
They were having big bargain sale
of remnants up stairs, and at the noon
hour he was struggling to make his way
through the vast crowd of ladies which
surged bout the counter, when a little
woman in rustling silk gown turned
suddenly and faced him.
It was she!
He passed her with only formal and
hurried bow, but hi had time to OBJ
serve, with pain, that she wore her hair
in pompadour. Edgar Temple Field
in Chicago Times-Herald.