Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-10-03

I1eT ndlne Is MISS hdlneIlHc EsiiHdpS'h
Brown. She is Farmer Browns only
daughter"
"Well, go on"
81 don't know any more"
"oh. yes you do" said the girl, laugh
ing. What does she do?"
"She helps her mother"
"Oh." in a plying tone. "Are they
poor?"
"No, they are well to do"
"Can they not afford a servant?"
"Half dozen of them"
"Then why don't they have some?"
"Kitty and her mother do just as
well. They would think it an unheard-
of extravaganza"
as she pretty?"
"she is very pretty"
SIS she .nice?"
"She is very nice"
as she Accomplishment"
"Her accomplishments are the envy
of the countryside"
The girl on the bank rose suddenly.
eve had better be getting back" she
said. "The sun will soon be here"
"Not for another hour" he said,
easily. "And want to tell you more
about Kitty. AS / said, she is very ac.
complished. She can play the organ"
The girl sat down again.
"Hymn tunes she plays, on Sundays,
NO. Songs and Solos.' Her friend
Miss Robina Merrigold, sings. Miss
Merrigold also dances, but Kitty doei
not approve. She has religious scru
pies. Miss Merrigold plays cards, in
a select company, but Kitty considers
this very wrong. Besides her father
won't let her. Kitty is also beauti.
full hand in the dairy. Her butter"
"Thank you," said the girl, smiling
"that will do. AS you say, she is very
accomplished. Now, tell me about
Canada. Do you like it?"
SIT 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
home"
The girls eyes filled with tears.
"My home!" she said. SIT will soon
belong to that farmer-that stranger,
and my home will be with Aunt Maria
in 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 a rose tree looks out of
place. Oh, / 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 himself
time to be afraid. Turning to her, he
took her hand in his and held it firmly.
She also had no time to be afraid.
"Alice," he said, "would you like Can
ada better than that villa-would you
like me better than Aunt Maria ?"
The clasp upon her hand was strong
and firm. She had no chance to be
evasive. So, with downcast eyes, she
answered yes" confusedly.
"Do you love me, Alice?"
EYES," she said.
the clasp upon her hand grew firmer,
but he did not kiss her. Surprised, she
glanced up only to see 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 said.
"Could you," his voice faltered a
little, "could you love-a thief?"
81 could love you"
'Nnd think, Alice, coward?"
81 love you"
"My name" he said, sis Thomas!"
at is dear name" she whispered.
"You don't understand" he said
desperately; "and / can't take you
until you do. ] am all those things. ]
am not the deputy claimant. / am
the real claimant. came to take youl
home from you. i am the thief yor
spoke of. / am the coward. / Iinsulted
you-now, Alice?"
The girl withdrew her hand gently
Her lips were pressed together very
tightly. She turned her head away
He could see her slender shoulders
shaking with suppressed emotion.
"How long" she said, in choket
voice, show long have you been afraid
to tel me this. Thomas?"
"A whole month";" he said, despair
ingly, "four long, cruel weeks"
"Oh, dear" she said, 81 shall die
/ know / shall. can't stop laughing
She sprang to her feet and faced him
her eyes bubbling over with merriment
her lips ripping with smiles.
"Four weeks!" she cried, "to thinl
that we have lost four lovely weeks
For, of course, knew 1t all the time!'