The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-26

II. whether or no. without considering If
folks want him or not has anything to do
with ii. i never made any difference to
did. and generally he got his way. hut once
h. didn't because he reCkoncd without Liza
sam.
1t was after her father died and she was
known TO own the place clear and have a
nice sum in hank, besides some Old Col
cEy Railroad shares. He had never mar
ricl. and had his mother and two ld-ma!d
sisters on his hands. and it struck him that
he would do we'll 20 get Liza Sam. So he
began c%"urtinE her. Liza Sam didn't want
him ard acted dreadful otfish from the
| very first of il. but that didn't make any
difference 10 him. 1t wasn't what she
| wanted, hut what he wanted. He'd made
| up his mind II marry her and wasn't 60
ing 10 he stopped by any such little thing
as h"r not wanting to marry him.
He lay in wait for her everywhere she
Went. She couldn't step into the post office
nor the store but there he was running
alongside % her. looking up in her face
. with that everlasting smirk of his. which
seemed dreadful mild and gentle. but GOV
cred grit as sharp as needles. He was a
good deal smaller than Liza Sam. and he
wore his hair rather long, and his coat-iailS
lenEthier than common. and they had u
way of catching the wind and waving when
everything else was still. and his hair al
ways waved on account of a queer little
teeter in his walk. Liza Sam. when he
| used to appear beside her, you'd scarcely
look at him, not treat him decent. and any
man with a mite Of self-respect would have
taken the hint: but he wouldn't. He KEEP,
on going 10 see her regular, though she
got 50 she wouldn't go TO the door to let
him him; hut that Didn't make any differ
ence-he just walked in anyhow. One.
Liza Sam came downstairs an hour after
she'd seen him coming in her gate. AID
there he was settin' in her parlor. smirk-
ing uo at her. Finally she kept her door
locked. and then he set ON the doorstep. 1t
got SO Liza Sam couldn't go out the front
door without stepping careful AMI looking
to be sure she wouldn't tumble over that
man.
Well. finally she got - the erd Of her
! patience one Sunday night in November.
an awful cold night. threatening Snow-:t
did SHOW before morning. He used to wait
every Sunday evening after meeting to go
hilne with her. 1t didn't make any differ
ence that she didn't speak to him. he went
just the same. That Sunday night she got
desperate. | haven't mentioned something
mat may sound queer about Liza sam: she
Is the sexton OF the church. l never knew
OF any village that had Il woman sexton
before, hut when Liza Sans father died.
there DIDN'T seem 10 be any man handy
10 take his place, so they put Liza in as
sexton. SHE'D been doing about ALI the
work about the church before. she WIS
plenty strong enough. and there wasn't
any reason why she shouldn't have The
place as We'll as a man. So Liza was
sweeping and making the fires, and ring
ing the bell. and She gave perfect satisfac-
ton. except for being d little head of time.
and gettin' folks to meeting a quarter of a
hour too early now and then. and putting a
linen towel over the top of the pulpit 10 save
the velvet. and a tidy on the back of the
parsons sofa and a braided mat in front of
the communion table. Folks didn't think
those things looked quite appropriate, but
Eliza Sam was firm. She said the velvet on
the pulpit, and the sofa, was getting all
Worn out. and there was Il thin place in the
carpet. and she had her way. The min
lsiers wife tried TO get the tidy. and the
towel off at the conference of churches. but
she couldn't Fetch il.
Well, that November night. it was the
week before Thanksgiving, he lay in wait
for Liza Sam just as usual. hanging around
the door while she shut up the church and
saw to the fires, then she came out and
there he was alongside. Then she faced
him.
See here" said she, what be You here
for?"
wy. I'm going home with you. Liza"
says he. Sinking up at her.
What he you a going home with me
for?" says she.
why. TO protect you, Liza" says he.
protect your grandmother" saws she
Now. sir. want you to understand, ono,
I Tor all, don't want you to go home with