The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-03-28
sense. of the word. Els entire ,its.

49, My SAoS
He had none of the traces admired by
women. He had forgotten how to be
interested in the everyday affairs of
the world and he was far too intelli-
gent not to know that a speciality in
any department, and particularly in
his, could not interest permanently
any person not a specialist and least
OF all a young and pretty woman.
His discovery filed him with de-
spair. He did not know what to do
about it. At first he resolved to over
come it and he plunged into his work
as he never had done before. But it
was no use. He could not work. He
was consumed with his passion and
the more he sought to stifle 1t the
stronger it seemed to grow. He tried
to avoid the Burns home, but he found
that he might as well try to avoid the
laws of gravitation. Finally after
seine two months struggle he sue
cumbed and went to the old major
and made a manly speech about it all.
He avowed his love and asked1the adj
vice of the veteran. ,
The major was delighted He fair
1y beamed at the idea. The one terror
of the old mans life had been the
thought that he would die and leave
his little girl" ~unprovided for to
struggle with the world alone. Then,
too. his pension was sufficient to per-
NIT them to live only in the most
economical fashion and his dim Eyes
saw many good things that would
come to gladden. his declining days, as
we'll as the luxury his daughter would
be able to- live in. His enthusiasm i'm
parted itself to the sutton and the up
shot of it was that he was encouraged
to make the proposal he so desired
but not that day nor until the major
had had a talk with Elsie. r
She accepted. but there was a
frightened look in her eyes as she
said yes and the doctor thought
there was a slight shrinking when he
planted the first kiss, reverently,,
upon her fair forehead. But he was
too happy to think of such tri1es and
he accepted his new-found bliss at full
par value. Then there were happy
days full of long rides. gay theater
parties and all the delights a lover
can c~onjure for the object of his de-
votion. And it is an open question
whether the lover or the old major
was the h%appiest.
Then came the awakening. One
evening the doctor sprang gayly into
the little parlor and beheld Elsie with
q face more radiant that he. had ever
seen it,. He also found there a stall
wart young fellow wearing the uni
form OF Uncle Sam adorned with the
straps of a first lieutenant. He was
duly presented as Archie Cunning
ham. a boyhood friend of Elsie's, an
officer Of the volunteers in the Phil
ippines. home on sick leave, in proof
whereof was his right arm slung in
a bandage. There was a merry even.
ing in which the old major discussed
with enthusiasm the military problems
of the day with the young officer and
the doctor watched with sinking
heart the bright eyes of the girl rest.
ing ever upon the handsome face over
the shoulder-straps.
The doctor excused himself early
and went to his bachelor apartments
with anguish in his heart. There he
gave the entire night>to a long strug-
gle with himself. 1t was evident that
the girls heart was not his. Her
promise was and he knew her we'll
enough to feel assured that she would
keep her promise and become his
wife. He had not the slightest doubt
as to her loyalty, and knew that once
his wife would be as true, as
steel. But he was equally as
sured Course hat Internal habit
of a~nalysis) hat he did not pos
sess her heart and hat the stalwart
young fellow in the blue uniform did.
All night long he ran hot and cold.
The thought of going back to his old
life of work and loneliness after
standing on the threshold of bliss. was
intolerable to him. But ever and anon
the picture of a home in which pre-.
sided a wife, however loyal, whose
heart belonged to another, sickened
him.
In the morning, haggard and still
sleepless, he went again to the Burns
home and sought an interview with
Elsie. What was said in that inter-
view is not for prying ears-only this:
AS the door opened for his departure
the girl flung her arms about the
neck of Henry Wharton, who seemed
to have aged 20 years since the pre-
vious day, and said:
"Forgive me! Oh, forgive me! !
was SO weak, but papa wanted me to
so much and 1 had none to talk to,
Truly-truly 7 love you and honor
you-but not that way. Please for
give me. But I can't help it. 1 can't.
1 can't. l can't. I have no right to
let you go away this way, but you
asked me so plainly and I could not
help telling you the truth"
The doctor gently disengaged her
arms and staggered out into the
street. =,
Archie Cunningham thought it a
trile queer hat his wife was so in
sistent that the first boy should be
named Henry Wharton Cunning
ham," but he was too much in love
with his pretty wife to question her
wishes in the matter.
Indian Woman's Club.
The only club of Indian women
united with the general federation is
one on a little island in Maine, whose
membership is entirely made up of
squaws, the association having been
formed for the purpose of preserving
Indian tradition and folklore. The
club became a member of the Maine
state federation soon after it's forma-
ton, and last year paid its dues in
Indian baskets-the work of it's mem.
horc Thnca 1-oro cola f1~