The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-12-29
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gray hair drawn SO tightly away from
her face that her head on one side was
quite bald, and it vas an %unsolved
mystery how her ckignon remained fir
place, half held as 1t was. Her cheel;
bones were prominent. her eyes q
washed out blue, and looking at her
In the most friendly way you would
rail- to find one attractive feature.
And vet the woman was in love and
nad been for'the last four years. Moro
than that. she was deeply in love, and
SO UGH so that she could not conceal
II, but conducted her c~olrtship-for
naturally she was the sVitor-in the
o open. barefaced manner. and by
SO doing had quickly made herself the
talk Of the village.
inns village. where she had been poor
and had lived all her life without once
stepping her foot outside it's bounda-
rles, was a pretty little New England
one, consisting, al is usual, Of a main
street, on either side Of which the cot
tages were building slowly up toward
the church. Near the parsonage they
stood a little closer together, as if they
wanted to receive all the benefit nossi-
Die from their proximity to the minis
ters habitation. Dorothy's house stood
a little by itself. quite at the end of the
o street. and was one of the most
prosperous looking cottages in the
Whole place. for she was well to do.
nevertheless she kept on the even
tenor OF her way and pursued the be-
owed object with unremitting atten-
lions. A ridiculous sight they were
together (for occasionally on some
Trivial pretext or other Dorothy would
walk a short distance with him). but
as Mrs. Bangs, her nearest neighbour.
SAID: "A tall woman always manages
to be with the short man. 1t must he
TO make the average come out right"
Mrs. Bangs also had a great deal to
say about the difference in their ages.
but she always ended by remarking:
We'll. it does seem to be the styie
nowadays for women to marry men
young enough to be their sons. They
must like to bring up children" But
these unneighborly remarks fail
ca TO make any impression on Miss
Allen.
one taste they had in common. They
were both extremely fond Of cats, and
Dorothy was the happy owner Of
TOUR you might frequently see these
two people. so much talked about in
the village, admiring the pussies as
they ate their meat in charming con-
cord. But often. l regret to say, his
ratal propensity to tease her pets, to
pull their tails or do some other thing
mat she was sure hurt them threat
ened to make discord between Miss
Allen n the worthy object of her
affections. But as yet har-
reigned supreme.
But the love affair did not flourish,
although she was continually tempting
him with all sorts of sweetmeats (men.
hey say. are fond Of good cooking):
)ut. although the dainty viunds were
enjoyed, he would hasten away across
street to where a younger. fairer
maiden dwelt, and once lie even went
o Iar as to share some candied orange
'eel with her. But true love overlooks
UGH lapses. and Dorothy did not quite
ose all hope.
~AAsNA q lilly as SllOulu Dc uuCuI1I.
ut is not always the case, he began to
eclpro1ate and show in many little
rays that so much love and affection
wished upon him had had their effect,
Dorothy said to herself. Il knew it
'ould come around all right if l only
the patience to wait" The first
animation that she had Of his change
Z heart was one morning when she
as inlher garden tying up her sweet
eas. He, by the way, is quite a nat
and although as yet his name
Du little known one can easily see
lat he has a career before him: vet
hen he approached Dorothy. with a
ost m%ischievous look on his face. she
to have taken into account the
in their ages and been warn
You see. however. it was his first
lsolicited visit. and her head was 50
" OF pleasure at the thought that she
nhdently opened her hand and shut
r eyes at his request. w%hereupon he
lckedly placed therein a large, brown
terpillar.
Ihe neXt minute the four cats who
q beer acting as chaperons at this
teresting meeting scattered like so
any feathers. fairly blown away by
e a piercing scream that issued
I'm Miss Dorothy's throat. for that y
of fifty years gathered up her
and fed in utter dismay.
e could not even bear the sight Of q
Eerp1llar, and to have one put direct
into her hand was too much for her
ives.
there has been a marked cool.
's between them. Naturally people
de Reuse for him (they generally
for a man. you know and said he
8 so young that he didn't know any
But I leave it to you if MI.
* Carter, exactly five wears old. hav.