Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1902-10-08

Brown. She IL Farmer Browns only
daughter"
"Wsll. 60 on"
81 don't know any more"
"Oh, yes you do" said the girl, laugh.
ing. What does she do7"
"she helps her mother"
"oh," in q plying tone. "Are they
poorT"
'No, they are well TO do"
"can they not AFFORD a servant?"
"Half a dozen OF them"
"Then why don't they have someT"
kitty and her neither do just as
well. They would think it an unheard-
of extravaganza"
sis she pretty?"
"She IS very pretty"
ais she niceP"
"She is very nice"
"Is she accomplishment"
"Her accomplishments are the envy
Of the countryside"
The girl on the bank rose suddenly.
'We had better be getting back" she
said. ''The sun will soon be here"
'Not for another hour" he said,
easily. "And l want to tell you more
about Kitty. AS 1 said, she is very &C
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 does
not approve. She has religious scru'
pies. Miss Merrigold plays cards, in
q select company, but Kitty considers
this very wrong. Besides her father
won't let her. Kitty is also a beauti.
full hand in the dairy. Her butter"
"Thank you," said the girl, smiling
shat will do. AS you say, she is very
accomplished. Now, tell me about
Canada. Do you like it?"
at is the first countryin the world"
"Would Like it?"
"No, you wouldn't"
"Whv 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.
"Mv home!" she said. ut will soor
belong to that farmer-that stranger
and nv 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 its tiny, tiny rooms ant
its tiny, tiny garden where everything
bigger than a rose tree looks out o.
place. Oh, l shall ~suffocate there,
shall dry up and be a mummy-lik'
Aunt Maria!"
The deputy claimant threw the re
mains of his grass blade into the stream
with sudden recklessness. His bright
R~ood-natured face became hard anC
determined. He did not give himsel
time to be afraid. Turning to her, h,
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 70,
like me better than Aunt Maria?"
The clasp upon her hand was stronI
and firm. She had no chance to b
evasive. So, with downsast eyes, sh
answered eyes," confusedly.
"Do you love me, Alice?"
"Yes," she said.
The clasp upon her hand grew frmsI
but he did not kiss her. Surprised, sh
glanced up only TO see in his face tina
which caused her eyes to drop agai
and dyed her cheek with bushes.
"AHee," he said again, and his voic
was stern, "are you sure you love
1aFmer?"
. eyes" she said.
"Could you" his voice faltered
little, "could you ioye-a theft"
81 could love you"
"And think, Alice, a coward7"
"I love you"
sMy name" be said, SIS Thomasi"
"It is q dear name" she whispered.
"You don't understand" he SAT-
desperately; sand I can't take 20
until you do. lam all those things.
am not the deputy claimant. / a
the real claimant. Tcame TO take ot
home from you. / am the thief 20
spoke Of. lam the coward I insulte
vou-now, Alice9"
The girl withdrew her hand gent,
Her lips were pressed together yes
tightly. She turned her head awe.
Hs could see her slender shouldel
shaking with Suppressed emotion.
Glow long, she saids IN . choke
voice. show long have you been afrai
TO ten me this, ThcmasG"
"a whole MONTH" he said, despai
ingly, "four long. cruel weeks"
, HOh, dear" she said, II shan di'
know I shall Tean't stop laughing
She sprang to her feet and faced hir
her eyes bubbling over with merrimeH
her lips ripping with smiles.
@Four weekalp ahe cried ito thin
that we have lost four lovely week
For. Of course, I knew It ell The TINS
Wa~mEsa- NEaNawama-