Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-03
SIS there's rope IN me wagon,n said

can get the wagon home. and If you
don't care to ride in it I'll drive it and
you can walk. It's such little dis
tance"
oh, how pretty she did look, so fresh!
That little wave of hair that had loosed
itself from its fellow locks was so raw
ishing! What an inspriting thought
that he could be of real service to such
beautiful girl! If he could be sure
that she was fond of flowers!
He took the rope, and, with the help |
of his now truly valuable feather dus-
ter he fashioned new end to the Whit |
fietree and slipped the traces end over
the handle While he worked at 1t and
she watched him with an admiring in
terest, for he was singularly delft with |
his hands, he suddenly said:
Miss Grayson, l meant to ask you
the other night If you We're fond of
flowers
81 adore Them" she replied, with fer
vor.
Have you ever seen my garden?"
"Not near to. l noticed it rs j was
driving by on Friday. 1t is beautiful,
and Mrs. Harding says you laid it out
yourself"
81 always do. I'd like you to come
and see it-not now-with Mrs. Hard
ing"
Then he remembered that the oxen
had done for his garden, and he STAN
mered: ooh, forgot! It's ruined The
oxen ate 1t up"
"The oxen ate it up?" said she after
him. 1t now struck her for the first
time that perhaps he was crazy. He
certainly had on very crazy costume.
If he had not been the Adonis that he
certainly was, this cotton robe and the
lonely looking carpet slipper Of vene-
tian red would not have been becoming
to him, but even his touseled hair be-
came him, and he would have looked
handsome in anything. But why was
he out so late on so cool night with
such inadequate clothing?
There; thatll last until you get
home" said he. He took the reins and
climbed into the wagon. He stubbed
his lare toe on the step, and the pain
was cScruciatiug for Il moment, but
his face did not show it.
"l'll drive slowly, and you can walk.
don't suppose YOU care TO ride" said
lie.
mo; I'd rather walk" said she.
How kind he WIS, ut how peculiar!
She did hope tha one would be
looking out. 1t wouisl eem so queer.
He gazed at her fondly from the seat
as the old horse began to walk slowly
along. He drew the lap robe over his
knees. 1t was getting cool.
"AIiss Grayson, have you-have you
ever thought seriously about mar
riage?"
mot since was child" said she,
laughing, she knew not why.
"Then you haven't ceased to think of
it," he said and realized that it wasn't
exactly what he had meant to express.
II mean-why, Miss Grayson. we
have so much in common. You love
old furniture and SO do l, and you love
| flowers and do. too, and IL adore
you, and YOU
"Really, Mr.. Newberry, don't know
how to take you"
"Take me as l am that Is, Miss
Grayson, what is your first namc?"
Ruth" said Miss Grayson almost
before she knew it.
he had clasped the reins in his hands,
and he now raised rcfns-And hands to
his henrt and said: >
Ruth, et.~aa0 man to shilly
shally. I knew I'd marry when the
right woman came along, and here
here you are. Don't say NO l have
comfortable house. and can restore
my garden in spite Of the oxen that are
cursed or blessed according as you an
swer me. Come; we are almost at your
house. will leave the horse and wag-
on here and halloo for Mr.. Harding If
you will but say the one little word
that l want. Isn't ruling me better
than ruling lot of unruly children? l
know what that school is. l went there
myself, and no teachers lot is an easy
one"
| He stopped the horse, and Miss Gray.
son stopped mechanically. He wound
the reins around the whipstock and
clambered out of the wagon on the side
opposite the schoolteacher. This time
1 Aio S-NpooSu lOS SESdlCu lIJuTS.
"Why are you here in your-in
whiteY'
II chased Goo1win's oxen from my
bed, from my garden bed, to the grave
yard. l will go home and get some
thing else on-anything to please you,
Miss-er-Ruth, if you will only make
me happy by one little word. Will you
share my furniture and my flowers?'
Call Mr. Harding and then go away
and come to see me after school tomor-
row, and will tell you"
Trueman made horn of his hands
and called Harding in his resounding
bass AT the third call there was an
answer from the house.
/, "Now, do go.' said Miss Grayson.
Trueman put his hand up to lift his
cap, and his fingers met in lock of
disheveled hair. He waved his hand
as gracefully as he could and turned
and hurried home, disappearing just as
MIR. Harding came out to see what was
the matter. Trueman took longer to
get home than he had taken to come
with the oxen as pacemakers, but he
was strangely happy, he knew not why
But the next day he knew, and,now
If you were to visit Mr.. Newberrys
house he and Mrs. Newberry would be
very likely to show you, among their
treasures, an old feather buster laid as
an ornament above another treasure,
q painting by 1Ioratio Walker of Il pair
OF oxen, which bears the odd title 1.-THE
Homemakers."