The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1900-09-21
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work, and thus hasten the happy
day.
It did not take the young men
whom she met there long to see that
her modest airs were not assumed,
and so the little country girl lacked
not for admirers. Soon she began
to compare their manners" with
those OF her intended, and gradually
the fact crept over her that he was
rough, uncouth, and nothing like
the city boys" ''But, he's more
handsome" she consoled herself,
and was still true to her first love
until she went one evening to the
theater with another. She pictured
herself there with her absent lover.
the result was not pleasing to her.
Then and there she decided he was
not cher fate" and that she must and
would be released from her promise
to him. How to do it was what per-
picked her most.
The letters which she had so
cheerfully written back when she
first left for the city became things
of the past only. And so one day,
when busted with her work, a shad-
ow fell before her, and looking up
she saw the man to whom her troth
was pighted. She stood speechless.
You don't seem much proud to see
me-" she said. "Oh, | don't know;
| am always glad to see any one from
home" she answered, and then the
silence that reigned for some time
was absolutely painful. He spoke
again. "Look a-here, girl; amt you
going to kiss me?" Then, as she did
not even raise her head, he suddenly
grasped the solution Of the trouble.
Il know; you have some other fell
low running with you" His words
and manner offended her. She did
not see how she could ever have
cared for such man. "What if L
have" she retorted. "You own itp'
he cried, "the great jealousy whcih
was consuming him shining so fore
IDLY from his dark eyes that she
stepped, instinctively, nearer the
door. Silence again, which was at
last broken by him asking slowly, as.
if each word deeply pierced his
heart: ''Is it-all-off-then?"
eyes" she answered, in a voice that
did not tremble in the least, and yet
she avoided his eyes as if she felt
that she was not doing just the right
thing by him.
His heavy breathing was the only
sound to be heard, save the rubbing
Of the tinware by her busy hands,
which seemed, now, to fairly fly. He
lyiff9 BTififig t back me curtain m to5K COX
out at the scenery, though, in fact,
he did not see one thing outside Of
the window. He was looking into
his own life, at what she had been to
him; trying to peer still deeper into
the future to see how he could live
without her.
The sight astounded him, his head
sank, his gaze became centered upon
the great buckskin boots that he
wore, and after turning his broad
brim hat around and around in his
hands for some time, he walked over
to where she stood and hoarsely ask
ed: "Where are my letters?' In
my trunk" was the answer. "Get
them" he commanded. She left the
room and in few moments returned
and handed him a package Of letters
as unconcernedly as she would have
given letter to a postman. 1t was
too much for him. He burst into
tears, and the unoffending letters
were scattered at his feet. But tears
did not move her. She returned to
her work, and rubbed the tin top
with much energy, quite regardless
Of the fact that it was now so bright
that she could see her own image re-
Aected therein.
STOPPING, he picked up his letters,
walked over to the stove and lifting
lid put each one in, after carefully
reading it. When they were all read
and burned, he looked at her for
long time, cleared his throat and
said: "Where is that one [ wrote to
you about the house Pm building a
mile up the road from ma's-that
what was to be ourn?" ''In my
trunk she replied. "Get it, he
said, and this one he put into his
pocket, walked to the door, came
back to her, burst into tears, made
one grand rush for the door again
and was gone.
Down went the tin and into a
chair the girl sat and laughed and
laughed until her sides fairly ached.
''What a baby to cry" she said. "He
ought to leave that Tor girls to do"
And placing both hands over her
eyes she laughed loud and long.
When she removed them, she saw
that he had returned and was stand
ing over her. The hot blood rushed
to her face. She could not, dared
not, speak. There was no need; he
was speaking. Il just come back to
tell you that I'm going to take 'pi-
zen tonight, and want you to an
swer me one thing before [ die:
What turned you against me, girl?'
Nothing" was her rather laconic
answer. 'And you will not take me
back?" ''No." ''Well, all right; I
will leave my address with my
brother, and after you have gone
around with the other fellows and
gotten tired of them, write to him
that you wants me back and I'll come
yes, I'll come," and again he was