The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-18
n BIT of Country.
sY CHARLES EUGENE BAsKE

With many Wild whoops. much Ieapini
end tumoling, the children hurried cut q
the weather-beaien schooihouse and tool
their several ways toward their homes Ia
the sparsely-settled neighborhood. A mo
rnent later Millie Forrest. the teacher
came Cut. and. hurrying across the play
ground. turned into the long lane. nankec
oy stake and rider" fences, oyerrun her,
and there with Wild morning glory vines
small. slender, with big brown eyes, ar
oval face with irregular features, ths
young teacher was not what one wouiC
call pretty. but there was piquant arch
10 the red lips and the heavy mass ci
nut-brown hair that oyeThung her brows
was a glory in itself sufficient to havs
awakened envy.
She walked rapidly along the footpatt
that followed the zigzag fence. Ground.
squirrels sat upon their launches and
haTked with an evident desire TO attrac;
her attention; a king-bird whose mate
was nesting in q nearby hedge cfrcled
above her seolding savagely, father
quail ran across the road. followed by his
family Of fifteen or twenty half-srowr
children, and wild young colt at hand In
enc OF the fields tossed up his head and
capered capriciouslY.
But the young woman took no note of
these pleasant actions in the pastoral
scene. but hurried along the lane and
turned through picket gate into grove
Of naples On the rise. Following wind
ing path crossed by deep shadows cast
from the trees by the declining sun, she
was halfway through the wood when
Edgar Sommers. a neighbor's son. came
from elump Of bushes and with show
of bashfulness, Joined her.
Evening. AIillie." ne said, after an en-
barrasslng silence. Had good day al
the school?'
Much the same as all other days" re-
piled the girl, with a defiant lifting OF
her head. II a., tired OF II all l wonder
if every one finds life such dreary
round? Sometimes wish / might fall
into the old mill pond yonder. with no
one near TO rescue me-"
The young mans eyes grew moist and
his lips trembled perceptibly.
els it so dull and stupid for you here,
Millie?" he said slowly. IL wish
might do something TO make things
brighter and-and sweeter for you
The Cir turned her face away that he
might not see the sudden light that came
her brown cheek I'm rough and awk-
ward" he continued. lengthenins his
stride 10 keep up with the gicps quicken
ed pace; mot worthy Of you in any way.
MilIie. butt love you; love you more
than my life-more than thousand lives.
II you would only give me the right, /
would do as much as a man could do to
make you happy"
60 a,1
ly. her head lifted. and a look of glad
ness In her eyes. Had he seen 1t he would
have taken her In has arms. then and
there. and settled the question forever.
But b. ed not see IL. and her silence was
like death 10 his hopes.
A wild rose nodding and blushing be-
side Ne path caught his eye, and stoop-
ing, Le plucked 1t from the bush. "Sec.
Mile. the last Of the season; let the flow
er plead for ne. / won't ask you to de-
eide now, but you are going to the dance
over at Maj Barlows tonight II you
think you could trust me and let me love
and care for you, wear il in your hair"
He held out therose to her and she took
IL demurely from his big. brown fingers.
If you wear the flower tonight, you
will make me the happiest man in the
don't, you will break my heart"
He stood for a moment gazing with
longing eyes upon the slender figure of
the girl going on. with the warm sunlight
turning her bronze hair to gold. Then he
went back heavily along the path and
passed through the meadow lands lying
beyond the grove. and by the old water
mill in the ravine. AS he passed the mill
ha aax1sL he x..flla fr1
city, standing In the door, his curling
hair white with -four dust. Edgar could
not but acknowledge him handsome fell
low and remembering how often he had
been a visitor at the Forrest home since
ed the young miller's hearty hail gruffiy
and passed on.
Mile went through the woods softly
humming to herself:
Give me kiss that, going home,
Ny feet may walk on air.
She dressed herself with unusual care
for the evening and when she was ready,
put the wild rose in her hair The dance
was 10 be only a nelghborly party, and
she would go over early and be with tho
Barlow girls when the others came.
AS she tripped into the little sitting
a
pitcher for water. Mile took the vessel
from her mother and ran lightly down the
slope. STOPPING. she dipped the pitcher
into the spring. In the dusk the clear,
waters shone like silver. As
she lifted the full pitcher and turned to
retrace her steps, the rose slipped from
her hair. and falling into the spring brook
was carried sw.-,ly out of sight. The
mis- he
until well on her way TO Maj. Barlow's
IL was too late then 10 go back 10 look
for it, and she went on framing many
pretty excuses for not having the rose IN
her hair to be seen when Edgar should
come.
1t was nearly . o'clock, and the full
moon was shining when Edgar Sommers.
on his way TO the dance, reached the
narrow footbridge that crossed the spring
brook. He was anxious and despondent.
His great love made him timid and cast
a halo about the object Of his affection.
II seemed impossible that she should
care for him. He stood for a moment on
the bridge looking down into the moonlit
water. A bright object, dancing on the
ripples, csupIt his eye IL whirled over
the tiny rapids and lodged against the
tOOlS vi over
me low rail Of the bridge and snatchcd
from the water the rose he had given
Mile a few hours before. Here. then.
Mas her answer to his pleading. She hai
thrown il away. and the spring brook
brought IL TO save him the humiliation OF
meeting more direct refusal from her
ips
He was dumb with the sudden overthrow
If his hopes, and walked on aimlessly. the
'ose crushed in his hand.
Suddenly. the strain Of a violin playing
he Beautiful Blue Danube" fell on his
-ars. He had come uneonsciousIy 10
where she was.
He would have turned back. but could
not. A desire to look upon her face once
more before he went away forever, drew
him on until he stood in the shadow OF a
vine that ran over the doorway OF the
Barlow home. The door was open. and
le saw the gay couples floating about the
big dining-room. Mile was dancing yn,h
he new miller. and they gIided on TO the
Use and fall Of the music, the handsomest
couple In the room How Edgar hated the |