The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-07-18
By II. S. cANFlELD

escape. yet owning the obligation fast
ened upon her by that ancient maiden
and determined to repay it with COM
partnership and help, though her own
young life burnt itself out and became
ashes during the hard years which
were to follow. She worked with her
few pupils mornings and afternoons
and the evenings she devoted to max
Ing the home life more cheerful. 1t
was task beyond the strength of the
in Miss Tabitha English. She had no
sense of humor; no understanding OF
the large affairs of the world; no inter-
est in anything which was not of
Grayborough.
At twenty-five years Of age Lois
English stood five feet five inches in
her high-arched stockinged feet. Her
shoulders We're broad and sloping, sur
mounted by beautiful white column
OF throat On which small head was
lightly poised. Her skin was fair and
on her cheeks the delicate bloom
showed as shows the sun-kissed side
OF peach. Her nose was slightly ac-
outline, her mouth somewhat large, but
the lips finely chiseled and her chin
firm and deftly nodded. 1t was in
this chin and in her straight, level
brows that her character showed most.
Her eyes Of reddish hazel were large,
liquid, expressional, compelling. They
had hundred changes in an hour
They dubbed with laughter, or there
was a hooking devil in them, or sor-
row looked through them, or high re-
solve, or anger, or simple apathy. Her
hair, of that dark Titan red which is
so rare and SO lovely. was piled in
masses and when she loosed it the
glory of it swept to her knees. Her
form was a splendid combination of
grace, suppleness and strength. Phys
ically she was almost tireless. She
did not walk as other women walk
She did not waddle, nor teeter, nor
struggle from side to side. 1t was the
very essence of the poetry of motion.
a long, gliding stride, effortless and
calm, which took her over the ground
at four miles an hour, and miles Of it
served only to bring a deeper flush
to her round cheek. Taken to London
with proper accomplishments, she
would have been heralded as the most
beautiful Of all the American beauties
who have set that capital by the ears.
AS it was, she taught school in Gray
borough and sang low-pitched songs in
the summer twilight and longed for
freedom and sternly resolved to do
her duty.
1t was on the 3rd day of September
1898, that Miss Tabitha sent to a de-
partment store in Boston and pur-
chased pair of high-heeled shoes,
size too small for her. On the Sth Of
September she went to the millinery
emporium commanded by the Misses
Scruggs and had made over a heavy
green silk gown, a present from her
dead brother twenty years before. She
had grown thinner with the decades
and it needed taking up" On the 9th
of September her new hat came home,
a very wonderful creation, indeed. Lois
took it in hand and made it less won
derful, but more like a hat. On the
14th of September she curled her hair
on hot iron and tied pink ribbons
in it, put on the high-heeled shoes, the
green gown and the hat and went out
for walk toward sunset. She had not
done such thing since Lois was a
child. On the 4th of October at break
fast there was mixture of pride and
timidity in her manner. She looked
affectionately, almost remorsefully. at
the girl and started dozen converse
lions, to drop them when half begun.
Finally, with a hectic flush on her high
cheekbones, culver in her voice and
her pale eyes fixed on her plate, she
asked desperately.
"Lois, am not so very old, am ~
Lois, busy with the Augusta paper
which had come the night before, look
ed up and said: Eth, Auntie?"
II am" Miss Tabitha repeated, with
a touch of resentment, mot so very
old, am II"
''Why, bless you, nor Lois answered.
"You do not seem any older to me
than when I was baby. Why do you
ask that?"
Miss Tabitha fingered a bit of cold
muffin on the tablecloth, looked up
swiftly, looked down. hesitated and
took a header:
"You know Mr. A. E. Smith-Mr,
Absalom Eliphalet Smith?"
Why, of course. know everybody
in Grayborough. The old carpenter ?
What about him."
He is not DID," said Miss Tabitha
bridling. He is not yet sixty. To
young chits a person Of thirty is aged
Mr.. Smith is man in the prime OF
life, a careful man and a godly man.
Well, WE'LL" was the soothing a..
swer "of course, Auntie, Of course
! spoke hastily. What about him?!"
Miss Tabitha bridled and cast hel
gray curls roguishly abroad. She
smiled sourly. She looked happy, -,
somewhat scared. She. said:
"Hs has asked me 10 marry him.. Z
The girl rat Tor q moment dumb. He
face paled. Then she asked slowly: 4
And you answered what! hut
u 49,.