The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-08-15
When 10 Il to be. Auntie? Have you

When 10 Il to be, Auntie? Have you
thought well?"
Now, Miss Tabitha resented the fact
that her niece had not betrayed more
agitation. She resented also the in
ference that her reply to the wooins
carpenter had been necessarily affirm
alive. So she remained silent for a
little space as q rebuke, then spoke
with asperity:
II have not set any time. I have not
told Mr.. Smith that I would marry
him.. Proposals are no such rarity
with me that l should snap at any
offer. l might have married any single
nan In G~rayborough IL I had chosen.
l did not choose. AS for my thinking
well, I have done nothing all my life
but think for you and for others. 1t
would seem odd at this time If / had
not learned also to think for myself.
consider your assumption to be i'm
pertinence."
o rose, feeling genuinely sorry.
went to the other end Of the table and
put her long round arms about her
aunt's neck.
Forgive me-" she whispered. II
did not wish to hurt you. Tell me all
about 1t when you wish, Auntie."
Miss Tabitha was mollifed. She
mad asserted the dignity Of her spins
terhood. There was a shadow of a
smile on her thin lips as she said:
i am to give MI. Smith his answer
this afternoon. He will call for it. I
daresay that I shall tell him Yes He
needs, me, 7 think. He is q widower.
you know, and since his wife's death
nve years ago his home has been at
skies and sevens. His only child, Sa-
manthy, now fourteen years old, needs
a mother, a guiding hand and spirit
ual counsel. You will not be sorry,
Lois?".
To the girl, standing with bent head
listening. a vista OF freedom opened, of
escape from an existence that was
grinding her soul to bits. She had
longed for liberty c~easelessly and pas
slonately, but had never dreamed that
1t would come so soon, or in such fash
ION. Even then she could not stoop to
hypocrisy. SO she answered:
Il am not sorry, Auntie; I am glad.
You will not need me in your new life,
which l hope will be happy. The world
Is calling me and I will 60. There is
work somewhere for me to do, a life
for me to lead. l seem to feel that I
shall do good to some one, who is wait
Ing for me. Grayborough belongs to
my past and I am not interested In it.
MY future beckons me. + will never
forget you, but when I go I do not
think that I shall come back again. I
shall moi stay to the wedding, but you
must write me of it and of your new
life. I hope-I do hope that you will
find contentment." She stopped and
kissed her and left the room.
That afternoon Me AbsalOm Elipha-
let Smith, carpenter and widower.
called and remained for a half-hour
alone with his charmer in the prim lit
tie parlor that looked out over the
.hollyhocks and four-o'-clocks to the
OIL CCt. AAC WCAI away Will Tue answer
he sought. II he did not look radiant
ly happy 1t was possibly because be
was old and had travelled a path not
new to him. In a copy of the Boston
Globe, five days later Lois English saw
this advertisement:
~"Wanted-A governess for three
children, all under twelve years. Must
teach music and two languages other
than English. Liberal compensation
and a pleasant home to properly quail
fed person. Full references required
and given. Address,
Charles Roy Glynn,
BALCONIES Ranch, Kinney COUNTY
Texas"
She answered this advertisement i'm.
mediately. By the middle of Noyem-
Der, after fearful farewells from her
pupils and a chilly embrace from her
aunt, she was on her way to the south
west. Her last view of Grayborough
showed gray waves, dashed by a bitter
wind. up-tossed to a gray sky.
Ito be continued.)