Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-07-11

row.
"why. what can happeny" be remon'
s,rated. You don't understand AZ All
Nancy. You seem TO Imagine l am
going TO face n stern parent. who win
storm and rave and cut me OF with
fourpence halfpenny and who VIII get
hold Of you and lock you up In cell
on bread and water. My goodness.
The mater is Just about the gentlest lit
,le woman i'm the world. You will una
that out for yourself some day. And
why should you dread what Is going TO
happen tonight? DO you think ! am
going TO ask her permission TO marry'
Not likely! hope am old enough To
Judge and decide and act for myself.
Rut of course when | tell her that
have Judged and decided and that ]
mean 10 act on my own accountsl hope
she will take il all right IL VIII he SO
much more pleasant
"Of course | don't wish TO annoy
her. I wouldn't veX her for the world,
and know | have done nothing TO vex
her il she will only listen 10 reason
and IL she will consent TO make your
acquaintance, for that's where II all
lies. Nancy, as | have told you again
and again. When she knows you, she
will lust take you TO her heart. And
that is what | am going TO ASK OF her
tonIght-that | may bring you out 10
Woodend, so that you two may become
friends. She must know well enough
that Il is better for me TO marry a
good, true hearted girl than TO run the
racket that most young fellows 40,
and where could she find anybody that
would make a more affectionate daugh-
fer than yourself, Nancy? For there
is that about you, you know-you nave
a fine capacity for loving
"You needn't bring that as n charge
against me, Richard? she interposed,
with pout.
"a charge against you, 1t is youI
most adorable quality, Nancy he SAID
$50 long as you reserve all your loving
for me. But ! shan't quarrel with you
/ If YOU transfer a little of 1t TO the
mater, who can be very affectionate
100 when she likes. Now | must b,
off. dear, or | shall be late for dinner
| Tonight | am going to see what car
be done. l think everything will 60
smoothly. And tomorrow, how shall
be able to tell you what has happened
! You know | don't like coming her'
much in the daytime, Nancy. lest PEG
pie should talk"
Kate will be back from Eveshan
tomorrow morning" Nanciebel mad'
answer. 81 can get out at any time
Suppose you meet me at the end of tn
church, by the river; that will be GU
of the way"
"And at what time. Nancy
ANY time you like. Well say littl
after 3 O'Clock in the afternoon. vii
that suit you, Richard"
Their long and tender adieus over. h
passed through the front premises an,
soon he had quilted the gaslit streets o
Stratford town and was out in th
white and silent cou>try. AS he strod
along the highway he looked up to I'll
palely irradiated heavens, and he re
peated aloud, for he was about as deer
" stepped in Tennyson as his motAe
was:
AS shines the moon in clouded skies.
She in her poor attire was seen;
One praised her ankles one her eyes,
One her dark hair and lovesome mien
So sweet a face, such angel grace,
In all that land had never been;
Cophetua sware royal oath,
This beggar maid shall be my queen!
And, of course, he was the King c.
phetua of these modern times, or q
least Nancy appeared to think 81
though she would hardly have appr'
ciated the allusion to her poor attir,
for Nanciebel was one of the mos
smartly dressed girls In Sratford OF
Avon.
And Tennyson was again and cul
ningly called into requisition that eveI
ing by this young man. When he e
home, he had just time to dress f
dinner, mark of respect he nevt
failed to pay to his mother. Then |
gave her his arm and led her into Il
dining room. as his father had bee
wont to do before him. 1t was
quaint, old fashioned looking apar
ment, for Woodend had been original
a farmhouse, and when it was change
into an Independent residence they ha
transformed the big kitchen into
dining room, SO that here were stoI
floors partially covered with rugs al
vast hearth with brass fire dogs (,
the logs of wood and shelves over Il
sideboard for brave display of shi
ing pewter platters. Mr.. Richard W;
somewhat silent during this meal. II
mother asked him how he had spe
the day, but he could give no clear d
| count of himself. The fact is tn
young man was accustomed to haul
J the town of Stratford and it's neig
} borhood on the chance of his getting
glimpse Of Il certain gray and purp
, dress, costume which he could no
, recognize at great distance al
which told him that Nanciebel hG
. come forth for little stroll, perhal
oNioSS TIC heiuS " onotteiS VI wv
7 the bridge and along to the We
brake.
1t was wonderful what an amour
I OF conversation these two had to &
through and how all important it W;
that certain things should be repeat,
on every occasion on which they me
e Or if they did not speak at all tn,
, were still happy enough, for their il
. aginations were busy with the lol
| lifetime stretching out before thel
Then before entering the town aga
on their return they parted, for Stra
t ford, like most other small places,
a inclined to gossip, and this separati,
r lasted hntil the dusk of the winter al