The Saint Paul globe., 1902-12-04
The Globes Daily Short Story

"She is very pretty"
lis she nice?"
"She is very NICE"
Is she accomplisnedH
'Her accomplishments are the envy
of the countrywide"
The girl on the bank rose suddenly.
I'VE had better be gatting back" she
said. "The sun will soon be here
mot for another hour" he said,
easily. "And want to tell you more
about Kitty. AS 1 said, she is very ac-
complished She can play the organ"
The girl sat down again.
Hymn tunes she plays, on Sundays,
No. 1 Songs and Solos, Her friend,
Miss Robina MerrigoId, SINGS Miss
Merrigold also dances, but Kitty does
not approve. She has religious scru-
pies. Miss Merrtgold plays cards, in
q select company, but Kitty considsrs
this vey wrong. Besides her father
won't let her. Kitty is also beauu-
full hand in the dairy. Her butter"
THANK you" said the girl, smiling.
that will do. AS you say, she is very
Canada. Do you like it."
TT is the first country in the world"
would Like it?"
no. you wouldn't"
why not?" she asked, sharply.
Because you are in place here, this
is your proper setting, this Is your
horne.''
The girls eyes filed with tears.
"My home!" she said. 'It will soon
belong to that farmer-that stranger
and my home will be with Aunt Marie
in a little two-by-four villa on the out
skirts of London. Oh, If you only
knew that villa, with its tiny, tiny
rooms and its tiny, tiny garden where
everything bigger than q rose tree
looks out of place. Oh, I shall suffocate
there, shall dry up and be a mummy
like Aunt Maria"
The deputy claimant threw the re-
mains Of his grass blade into the
stream with sudden recklessness. His
bright, good-natured face became hard
and determined. He did not give him.
self time to be afraid. Turning to her,
he took her hand in his and held tt
firmly. She also had no time to be
afraid.
"Alice," he. said, would you like
Canada better than inst villa-wculd
you like ne botter than Aunt Marfa?"
The clasp upon her hand was strong
and firm. She had no chance to be
evasive. So, with downcast eyes, she
answered, "Yes," confugedly.
You love me, Alice?"
yes" she tsaid.
The clasp upoE her hand grew firm
er, but he did not kiss her. SURPRISED,
she glanced up only to gee in his face
that which caused her eyes to drop
again and dyed her cheek with bushes.
Alice he said again, and his voice
WAS stern, "are you sure you love-a
farmer?"
"Yes," she aaid.
"Could you," his voice faltered a lit
tie, could you love-a thief?"
81 love you."
"And think, Alice, coward?"
81 love you."
"My name" he said, 'is Thomas!
"It Ia q dear naIne," she whispered.
"You don't understand" he sstd, des-
perately; land I can't take you until
you do. am all those things. am
not the deputy claimant. am the real
claimant. I came to take your home
from you I am the thief you SPOKE Of.
I am the coward. I ingultgd you-aow,
Alice?"
Tho girl withdrew her hard gently.
Her Hps were pressed tSgsther very
tightly. She turned her head awny.
He could see her slendar shoulders
shaking with surprised emotion.
s'How long," she said, IN q chokcd
voice, "how long have you been afraid
to tell me this, ThcInas?"
"a whole month" he said, despR.ir-
ingly, "fcur long, cruel weeka."
"Oh, dear" she said, II shall die;
know I shall. I can't stop laughing"
She gprang to her feet ard faco6 him
her eyes bubbling over with r1srri-
ment, her lips ripping with zmilsg.
-Four weeksi" shs cried, ito tnirk
that VIC have lost four lovely wsek5.
For, &C course, 1 k1Gw it all the tiIne."
Canadian Magazine.