Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-07-01

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afford men to take nocturnal rambles in
cotton robes. She rose to her feet and
answered him calmly, mo; am not q
bit hurt, but don't in the least know
what to do"
Trueman stepped over to the wagon
and saw that the whitiletree had bro
ken and had released one Of the traces
"ls there :, rope in the wagOn| said
he.
"Yes, the tie line" she answered.
THAT will DO I'll fix you up so you
can re, the wagon home. and If you
don't care to ride in it I'll drive it and
you can walk. It's such little dis.
| tance."
Oh. how prcttg she did look. so fresh
That little wave Of hair that had looSed
itself from is fellow locks was so raw
shing. W'h.t an inspiriting thought
that hc could be of real service to such
n beautiful girl! If he could be sure
that she WAS fond of fowers
He took the rope, and, with the help
Of his now truly valuable feather dus.
| ter he fashioned new end to the Whit
fletree and slipped the traces end over
the handle While he worked at it and
| she watched him with an admiring in.
terest. for he was singularly deft with
his hands, he suddenly said:
Miss Grayson. meant to ask you
the other night If you were fond OF
| flowers"
~ adore them." she replied, with fer.
vor.
Have you ever seen my garden"
Not near to- | noticed it as was
driving by on Friday. 1t is beautiful
and Mrs. Harding says you laid it out
yourself"
81 always do. I'd like you to come
and see it-not now-with Mrs. Hard.
ing"
Then he remembered that the oxen
had done for his garden. and he STAN
mered: "Oh. | forgot! It's ruined. The
oxen ate 1t up"
"The oxen ate it up?" said she after
him. 1t now struck her for the first
time that perhaps he was crazy. He
certainly had on very crazy costume.
If he had not been the Adonis that he
certainly was. this cotton robe and the
lonely looking carpet slipper Of vene-
tian red would not have been becoming
to him. but even his touseled hair be-
came him. and he would have looked
handsome in anything. But why was
he out so late on so cool a night with
such inadequate clothing?
There; that'll last until you get
home" said he. He took the reins and
climbed into the wagon. He stubbed
his bare toe on the step. and the pain
was eycruciatiug for moment. but
his face did not show it.
"I'll drive slowly. and you can walk.
don't suppose you care to ride" said
he.
mo; I'd rather walk" said she.
How kind he was. but how peculiar!
She did hope that no one would be
looking out. 1t would seem so queer.
He eazed at her fondly from the seat
as the old horse began to walk slowly
along. He drew the lap robe over his
knees. 1t was getting cool.
Miss Grayson. have you-have you
ever thought seriously about mar,
riage?"
Not since l was a child" said she.
laughing, she knew not why.
"Tben you haven't ceased to think of
It," he said and realized that it wasn't
exactly what he had meant to express.
81 mean-why, Miss Grayson, we
have so much in common. You love
old furniture and so do 1, and you love
flowers and l do. too, and IL adore
you, and you
"Really, MIR. Newberry, don't know
how to take YOU"
"Take me as l am that is, Miss
Grayson. what is your first name?"
Ruth" said Miss Grayson almost
before she knew 1t.
He had clasped the reins in his hands,
and he now raised reins and hands to
his heart and said:
Ruth, I am not a man to shilly
shally. | knew III marry when the
right woman came along. and here
here YOU are. Don't say No | have a
comfortable house and | can restore
my garden in spite of the oxen that are
cursed or blessed according as you an.
swer me. Come; we are almost ut your
house. will leave the horse and wag'
Oh here and halloo for Mr.. Harding If
you will but say the one little word
that want. Isn't ruling me better
than ruling lot of unruly children? ]
know what that school is. | went there
myself, and no teachers lot is an easy
one"
lie stopped the horse, and Miss Gray
son stopped mechanically. He wound
the reins around the whipstock and
clambered out of the wagon on the side
opposite the schoolteacher. This time
his exposed toe escaped injury.
"Why are you here in your-in
white?'
II chased Goodwin's oxen from my
bed, from my garden bed, to the grave
yard. l will go home and get some
thing else on-anything to please you,
Miss-er-Ruth. if you will only make
me happy by one little word. Will you
share my furniture and my flowers"
"Call Mr.. Harding and then 60 away
and come to see me after school tomor-
row, and will tell you"
Trueman made horn Of his hands
and called Harding in his resounding
bass. At the third call there was an
answer from the house.
"Now, do go~ said Miss Grayson.
Trueman put his hand up to lift his
cap, and his fingers met in lock of
disheveled hair. He waved his hand
as gracefully as he could and turned
and hurried home, disappearing just as
Mr.. Harding came out to see what was
the matter. Trueman took longer to
get home than he had taken to come
with the oxen as pacemakers, but he
was strangely happy, he knew not why
But the next day he knew. and now
If you were to visit Mr.. Newberry's
house he and Mrs. Newberry would be
very likely to show you. among their
| treasures. an old feather duster laid as
an ornament above another treasure
a painting by Horatio Walker Of pair
of oxen, which bears the odd title "The
Homemakers."