Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-01-26

far as to hint 70 the object OF his anec-
tiou his hopes Of having a modest home
Of his own one day. and while he could
not recall hslerward that she had be-
tTeyed any great interest in his plans
he took comtntt in thinking that girls
are ehy about showing their feelings
and that probably It had not occurred
10 her thst he would notice q little clerk
In the granitewara 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.
Bat be did not tell his love. There
was 20 hurry about that He would
wait till spring-when rents were
cheaper.
AMI. besides, she Was probably not
prepared to heur Of the honor be 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 n%eighbor. end fell mora
deeply in love at eyery interview
To be sure. he did most Of the talk
iug.
de often conhded to her his views on
extravaganza AMI high living and took
occasion 90 ridicule thcge who spent
their money on good clothes and theator
tickets instead Of laying it up for a
rainy day.
And while Miss Thompson never said
anything he could cungtrue into an adj
mission that she Thought be was right
she always listened with grave atten-
ton. and with her soft eyes fixed on
him be remained blissfully certain that
here was a woman who would thsnk-
fully devote her lie 10 helping him
save his income and provide for his old
age.
At last the spring drew near. The
flower counter ia the main aisle began
to glow with golden sunshine of daffo-
dis and ~joEquils and cdors Of h~yacinth
and Easter hlica were waited down the
stairway to the dim basement where
the tathtubs and tho teasettles had
their home.
And then one Cay William had a
shock Tho croEseycd girl at the crock
cry department. tcld 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 ard had been confirmed by
the young lady herself William was
~astoau&cd. She had made up her mind
to lsavc without telling himl What
did 1t mean? lie wondered
Then lie had an idea. Perhaps shs
had grown 20 care go much for him that
j seeing him every day was painful Ht
! had read Of sgch things in novels. HI
/, resolved to tell her that very day Of this
, plans he had made for her and ask her
to become Mrs. william French.
1t was long. however, before his op
p%ortunity came.
1t seemed to him that every fat won
I an ia tho city had decided to lay in
r supply Of grnniteware that particular
DAY,
D At last he encountered Miss Thomp
son behind a huge pile of coffcerots.
, 1-I-hcCr you're going away" ht
] began, surprised to find himself feeling
decidedly nervous
Eyes. she said pleasantly, IS sh,
e. made an entry in her little cashbook
I'm going tomorrow"
. "Well. l didn't know-that is,
s thought hope, / mean. that I've moi
had anything TO do with your going,
5 he went On, beginning to be appalled,
D at the miserable figure he was cutting
"You. Mr.. French-how could you
D | don't understand, I'm afraid, she
replied, in evident bewilderment.
"Oh, you see-I thought mlybc
t you'd been expecting, you know-tha
4 is, you might have known that | was
O.. going to ask you to marry me, yor
know. I'd have asked you before
only
d "Pray, dent apologize" she ex-
claimed quickly. "IG's much better
that you didn't. Aman with your ideai
would be making a great mistake t.
1 marry. And, besides, I'm going to b,
, married mex week TO MIR. Morgan, NJ
t at the silk counter. He commenced a,
a caahboy, and now he's head of til,
; department. But, then. he was ambi
l tious."
William has seen her but once since
then.
t They were having a big bargain sal,
Of remnants mp stairs, and at the nooi
/, hour he was struggling TO make his wa,
through the vast crowd of ladies whicl
/, surged bout the counter, when a littl
, woman in Il rGstling silk gown turned
suddenly and faced him.
It was shoi
He passed her with only a formal an,
hurried bow, bat be had time to oh
serve. with pain. that she wore her hal
in a p%ompadour. Edgar Temple Fiel,
in Chicago Times Herald.