Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-02-13

kissed her
In the morning Ben was at work
among his cabhaGfs and peas, and the
remembrance of that kiss was ON him
as lie worked.
That evening there was glorious
dusk with a south wind Ben, saving
wood, paused with the crescent saw half
through piece of timber and drew bis
horny hand across his forehead
He was So far away that he quite
started to hear Ii light football close be.
side him. lie looked around and there
d. wned an astoundod expression and
til IL rapturous glow Oh his face.
"BNsie!' ho exclaimed. "Bessie"
He put out his arms. What more per-
fectly natural than that she should slip
into them?
But she only smiled and shook her
head.
GIVE come to have bit of talk to
you, Ben" she said, and new con-
seriousness of her power over this big,
hulking fellow armed her via.
strength which was only born for the
occasion aud which would have brought
smile to her stepmother's face.
~ 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 astonshiugly much?"
Don't 1, thought he burst ont.
"Look here. Bess, would you believe it,
I've thought of you every moment Of
this blessed day. My world"
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? Oh,
Ben, Pm that miserable till you give
me up and go and tell my mother that
your don't want me! But, Oh, Ben,
don't let her know told you! There's
lots of other girls and you don't want
mo, do you: Say you don't Just say,
i don't want you. Bessie.
He said it after her mechanically,
watching her hands twitching nervous
~ at his shirt sleeve.
IL don't want you, Bessie" he said,
"and, by heavens, won't have you if
it's agen your will!'
She stopped her head and her warm
lips pressed a grateful kiss OH his earth
soled 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 "n 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 at
prayers.
When the service was over, he 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 hiah-an unconscious di.
plomatist. Presently she saw him strid-
ing down the road as though it all be-
louged to him as we'll 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 cabhages 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 he was ever going
to take tomorrow into his hands.
He always took it, however, and it
was always coming
owed have had fire Of an even
ing" be said two months after he had
given her up
There seemed a tremendous amount
of irony in cutting tirewood, to his sim.
Pile mind.
A light f0otstep sounded behind him.
He started. and there dawned an as
glow On his face.
"Bessie!' he exclaimed. "Bessie!"
She tried to smile, but her face was
white and afraid, and her lips quivered.
"l've conceive come to see you,
Ben" she said and was SO unconscious
of her power over him that she treni-
bled.
~ suppose suppose that you don't
care about me yet, Ben Do you: You
don't care bit, do you, Benz"
"What do you want plaguing me
for?" he burst out, Cant you let mo
alone? Are you wanting me to lie over
again."
81 want the truth, Ben," she whis
pered. London Telegraph.