The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-08-17

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 low voice.
 q cruel to your" with a surprised
 arching of the brows. T cruel?
 think it is you who are cruel to your
 self"
 She firted the water at him provok-
 ingly from her finger tips.
 See how you stare at the ground
 when your happy eyes might be seeing
 themselves in mine"
 "Witch!'
 He leaped to his feet and pursued her
 as she fled choking with laughter round and round the fountain, till suddenly she darted to one side and stopped wit h her back against a tree, waving him off with notions not to be gainsaid, and panting to find breath for words. "No, no, don't touch me, or I shall pray to the gods to change my shape, as Syrinx did. Small comfort you would have, think, piping lugubrious airs all day on a reed. No. Sit down again."
 l "Ah, kiss me once"
 "Sit down. say, here by me, and we will both be very serious and talk about ourselves quite calmly and dispassion- ately."
 | He threw himself on the grass at her side, and she without looking at him, 1 put her hand within his reach. Pres ently his eager fingers closed over it | triumphantly, as she knew they would.
 'How old are you'
 'I am man."
 Answer me! How old are your"
 q shall be twenty when October comes.'
 "A pratling babe! And pray, does your father know how you go incoming after maid and singing love-lorn dit ties to the weary stars?" He flung her hand away angrily, and immediately caught it again.
 My father"
 "Ah, I see. He does not know. And now, what have you done in the world? The man whom I take for husband should be one whose name will sound loud in the ears of men" She clasped her hands as well as she could while he held one of them, and cast her eyes upward estatically. What have you wrought, what far-sounding deed have you done that you should dare ask me to marry you?"
 The boy looked at her doubtfulIy, but though her tone was full of mirth, she did not laugh, and his voice was troubled when he spoke.
 Indeed, I do not know You said once-my verses, you remember-but I'm afraid I have not done much I'm afraid I shall lever be famous"
 There. there, stop kissing my hand and tell me this. Suppose we were married have you house ready for me? We could not stay here at the wood forever, I think" meditatively "I think I should choose a little villa just outside the city, but within easy reach of it. There should be rose gar dens, of course, and a vineyard and inside the house should have a court open to the sky, withra colonade of flMed pillars round it. and in the rear fountain to sing to me all the time you are away. eW should be very happy there. eTll me, is there home waiting for the bride
 He let go of her hand and sat up, clasping his hands about his knees. His tone was one of utter discourage ment. o.
 No there is no house." The girl leaned toward, him caressing- | ly, but strengthened herself as ne | turned toward her.
 50 then" she said, "it stands thus! You, a child not out of your teens, would have me be your wife. You have not even told your father that you love me You have not won yourself l l place among men, there is not so ] much as roof over our heads! Do you not see that everything forbids me Q marry you?"
 Yes" he said, in a trembling voice; I did not think of anything except hat you were so sweet so dear. I suppose it can never be-"
 "All about me I hear the same thing vent on the girl, getting to her knees lnd spreading her arms wide. "'eWd Jim not the wind says, he is too 'oung.' Wed him not the fountain nurmurs, he is unknown Wed him lot' the peoples wave, he has not for une.' Everything says that I ought lot to marry you-and for that very eason, if for no other, I will marry ou! I love you! Do you hear? I love ou!'
 She leaned to him. tilted back his cad and hissed him lightly on his urved mouth. heTn, while he strug I led with joyous amaze, eshe fled away ( own the path fleet as nymph. With wild laugh the boy sprang to his feet , nd Followed swiftly. |, For moment there was the sound of Z heir flying feet on the hard path. I,1 hen they vanished round the edge of 1 I he hill.-The Smart Set. If OWN SITE NOW A WHEAT c
 FIELD q