Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-04-12

and retreated to her boarding house, a
menced their journey might have occur
red.
When left alone in her own room
Julia gave herself up to reflection. Her
carefully formed plans for the future
were upset; her dearest anticipations
were dashed; her dream had been sue
ceeded by reality which, something
told her, was much the best thing. All
during her school life she had been pre-
pairing for career; there were many
bright spots in it, but it was unmixed
with sentiment. She would go West
and make a competence. This would
take about five years, and it meant
contact with a vastly different element
from that of her own quiet college
town-but she would perseYere.
There were lots of poor boys who
lacked mothers, there were sewing cir
cles that needed encouragement, she
might even indulge moderately in cats
and parrots, and, best of all, she would
found a missionary society to give
light to certain portions of the globe
that are said to be languishing il
heather darkness.
But all this was idle speculation now
She was called to another sphere. She
must marry and settle down here il
the wilderness, where there was suff
cient heather darkness at home. The
classics would be more than useless
culture would be superf1uous, hare
work alone would tell. Her imagina
tion faltered while she dropped bun
die of old letters and a mist came be
fore her eyes.
Days after she pondered the same
question. She had the letter already
written to her people, telling of her al
tered intentions. but she hesitated t.
mail it. After all, Aaron was very
young and impulsive. Did he know
his own mind? Did she know hers
Was it not her education he courted?
Vacation was rapidly passing. julia
still clung fondly to her former career
She was thinking constantly of Aaron
but she never saw him and seldom
heard from him. People at her board
ing house said he had changed; the,
also said she had changed. She longet
to know something, but to ask woult
surely create gossip. About this tim.
odd stories began to be current.
what do you think?' said neigh
Dor. aaron Wood has chopped ou
a shanty big enough for a meetin
house. He raised the logs hisself dur
ing harvest. What do you suppos'
ails the feller"
Dunno" said another. 'I found hin
studyin' some nonsense he callet
Greek. I guess he's trife added.
told him he'd better learn Choctaw-
'twould be more use to him, and b
could make more out of it. He allowet
he'd make a heap out Of Greek e
things turned out right. I'll like to Sc
him do it."
The country looked its best whe1
Julia set out for school on the frs
day of the new term. The woods wer
quite green, but here and there wer
crimson splashes of autumn. The crop
were in, contentment reigned, and
general desire was felt for more re
finement throughout the district.
But the spell of peacefulness an.
plenty did not suffice to quiet the trou
bled soul of Julia Primm. For the frs
time in life she was disposed to under
rate the classics. She could not er
dure the thought Of Aaron's maxim
himself ridiculous even in the scare
for knowledge. Of being the sport o
these poor wits. Julia's conscienc
was one easily disturbed. She fel
that she had been doing him a grea
wrong. She did not want him to stud
himself to death, but there was onl
one way to prevent it.
When she reached the school Aaro
was already in his seat. He was bus
at work with more books than woul
go into his desk: strange books tina
had never entered that school before
She laid down her parasol and reno,
ed her veil. His face was very re
and expectant. It was no longer th
boy who came early and swept out th
room-the bright, eager, questionin
look had faded out of his countenanc
he seemed almost middle-aged. In
moment all doubt Of his affection val
ished.
you mustn't study any more fc
awhile" she said.
"Well, you know what 1 am stud.
ing for, don't you?''
"Yes; but you've studied enough fe
that already"
And that evening she mailed the lie
ter to her people.-Waverly Magazin1
Spioutisf has diSnovarad that hons