River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-10-02


"Kftty," said the deputy claimant
looking into the bright face above hlm
and speaking in the tone of one who
repeats a lesson, "Kitty is the farm
er's daughter on the farm next to mine.
Her name is Miss Katherine Elizabeth
Brown. She is Farmer Browns only
daughter"
''ETell, 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 we'll 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
we'll They would think it an unheard-
of extravaganza"
''Is she pretty?"
"She is very pretty"
'Is she nice?"
"She is very nice"
as she accomplished"
"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 I want to tell you more
about Kitty. AS l 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 Merrigold, sings. Miss
Merrigold also dances, but Kitty does
not approve. She has religious scru-
Piles. Miss Merrigold plays cards, in
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,
chat will do. AS you say, she is very
accomplished Now, tell me about
Canada. DO you like it?''
cit is the first country in theworld.'
''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.
envy home!" she said. cit will soon
belong to that farmer-that stranger,
and my home will be with Aunt Maria
in a little two-by-four villa on the out
skirts of London. Oh, if you only knew
that villa, with it's tiny, tiny rooms and
it's tiny, tiny garden where everything
bigger than rose tree looks out of
place Oh, [ shall suffocate there, ]
shall dry up and be a mummy-like
Aunt Martial"
The deputy claimant threw the re-
mains of his grass blade into the stream
with sudden recl<lessness. His bright,
good7natured 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 eyes," 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.
"Aice," he said again, and his voice
was stern, 'are you sure you love-a
farmer?'
Yes she said.
Gould YOU" his voice faltered
little. "could you love-a theft"
81 could love you
"And 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; land I can't take YOU
until you do. am all those things. I
am not the deputy claimant. L am
the real claimant. came to take your
home from you. l am the thief you
spoke of. I am the coward. Iinsulted
vou-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 q choked
voice, chow long have you been afraid
to tell me this, Thomas?"
~ whole month"; he said, despair
ingly, -four long, cruel weeks
"Oh, dear" she said. Il shall die;
1 know l shall. / can't stop laughing
She sprang to her feet and faced him,
her eyes bubbing over with merriment,
her lips ripping with smiles.
-Four weeks!" she cried, ito thin
that we have lost four lovely weeks.
For, of course, knew it all the time!''
Canadian Magazine.
Has Been Much AGoat