Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1900-04-06


do with beauty or kind words2
What, indeeiH And yet she would
not let him be. She went every day
and watched, rs by resistless fsscins-
ton, the pitiless, great saw tearing its
slow way through the logs, making
them useful while seeming only to de-
stroy them.
He was twenty years old at last and
she was nineteen.
She had been fussing about the old
house, making Cruel for Aunt Huldah,
and trying to coax smile upon Aunt
Hannah's stolid face, but really only
waiting for Ralph to return to the VII
lage.
He came in soon, and seeing her
standing nlone in the clean. poorly
furnished room, he went straight to
her and, taking both her hands in his.
he said:
"Now, Gertrude-Miss Kendennis
you really must not come here in
this manner. People are talking Of it
down in the village. / heard it re-
marked upon to-day. and il your uncle
should hear OF il he would send you
to a nunnery and kill me outright"
ooh, you do not want me here"
she said trying to speak playfully, but
with little moan in her voice.
"I dol do. he answered. putting
his arm about her, holding her close
and touching her with quick, caress-
ing motion. "God knows it is worse
than death to send you away, but, my
darling, see the long, weary life
stretching before me. See the work
to be done here and you lowering like
some bright bird just ont Of reach.
Could I drag you down to share this
poor old nest7 No, no, it would not
be right. I have served duty too long
to dare desert her now"
"But You are SO young" she muir
INJURED. leaning her face on his
shoulder; he could feel her breath
against his cheek.
His heart beat so fast he though. it
would strangle him, and that moment
of rapture paid him for the suffering
Of years.
$50 young and so ambitious-and
there Is the invention down in the mill
am sure that is going to work well. +"
eyes; but 1 have been to the village
to-day for the last time trying to raise
even fifty dollars to pay for the patent,
and cannot do it. Nobody has any
faith in it; they think it is a boys
scheme, and I'm quite discouraged"
"Oh, if I only had my money"
eyes, but you have not, my darl-
ing; nor would I touch one penny Of
it if you had. No. you must go back
to your own home and your own rela-
! tives. 1 shall never marry, dear, but
shall cherish your memory as my
one blessedest gift. Now. don't feel
badly-dont.
They were both sobbing together
by this time; she put her arm up
around his neck, and their two tear
wet faces nestled against each other
like two grieved children.
Aunt Hannah put her white, hsbby
face in st the door to say that dinner
was ready, and seeing the young peo-
pie standing together there she start
ed nerVously and exclaimed:
LAWS sakes! that's courtin', now,
amt it?" and as they neither moved
nor spoke, she went softly across the
floor and whispered: "Ralphie, boy,
are yeou goin' to be married7"
eyes, auutie, answered Gertrude,
''aud we want your blessing"
"But you want your money, too,
don't your"
eyes, certainly; the marriage por-
tion," said Ralph, bitterly, brushing
the tears from his eyes and trying to
face his lonely life once more.
''rhen come upstairs" she laughed
out, in her queer, wild fashion.
"What does she mean?" asked Ger
trude, wonderinSly.
81 do not know" Ralph answered.
ST have not heard her speak so many
words at time in ten years."
Reckoning them to follow her, she
climbed the worn old stairs up, up to
the dusty garrett, where broken chairs
and long-ldle spinning wheels made
up the furniture.
Down behind the big chimney crept
the daft woman, and drew out large,
loose bundle of rags, in which was
slyly hidden rolls OF strong parch-
ment.
They opened them there in the
changeful light that fittsi through
The time-stained window.
There were $4,000 in gold. The
price of the farm lands. Not a great
fortune, it is true, but fabulous sum
for the Young people who were brave
ly and defantly married ere lonS, to
the great wonder of the village folks.
And Ralph's invention was that
queer new saw that has been winning
such notice in the mechanical world
these last few years.
Oh, happy loved and loverl