The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1903-02-04

that he wanted. 1t was a commNn
saying about the village that Dick
was rather long headed and knew
q gpod thing vhan be ssv il. He
knew q bttis Of human nature, and
bsiow all Mage nonsenss he GOULD
discern true and wSxm heart. AZ
oil syents. Dick ives determined TO
have her II no cpuid.
They bad walked pssfly . mile
without saying much beyond talk
ing about tas ~ssthsr, for Dick was
making up his mind what to.ssy and
trying 10 gst cpMaes st the same
time tn ssJ IL. Wken tbsy+rsachsd
6 clamp a. tssas' not far from the
burn, Nag susgestsd thst thsy sit
down, rsRRFths xfst MSylhsd had
4 h8 washing ,stSShs house, and she
hit 4 little Arsd.
81 mioht q thocht q that. aforc,
Maggie. IL yea only telt me-" said
Dick ,repentantly, "hut latss ait doom
MOO"
OTIS a foo moon the NIGHT. isn's
IT. Dick@ asked Mag, looking up
into space.
"What did ye say, Maggis%
81 asked ye II 1t was tae be foo
moon. Man, whar's yer hlgsP"
"Oh--sh--I'm tbinkin' il is."
Then Dick stroked his chin and
tore up the sod witihii heels. 'Tes
Q fine thing. q noonv Maggie, isn't
ite" Dick 1t last mrAnd words 10
say, in order to break the uhnotony
aud gain time. but without baing
able 30 explain Why hs had sold 20.
"Hoo is't q guido thinga" asksd
Mag. looking at him with the tails
Of her eyes.
"Weel--a--L---Ivs heerd IL said
THAT the moon, ye ken, was .
guide thing for a-kirnin' milk an
preservin' chesse," Dick said, look
ing worry guilty, not by any means
satisfied in his own mind that he
had answered the question in ths
right way or had fully comprehend
ed it, his thoughts at the moment
being in an entirely different direc-
ton. There was merry laugh in
Mays eyes. but she restrained its
vocal expression. She merely shook
for moment With the emotion and
then tried to appear serious.
Maggie" SAID Dick at length,
still digging up the earth with his
heel, eyer no engaged, are ye, tae
onybody?"
Engaged? MIGHTY"
"Weel-I was just speerin', ye
KEN
can what mak's ye speer a ques-
ton like that, Dick 2"
"Weel-tae tell ye the honest
Gods truth, Maggie, l want tae be
engaged tae we meseP."
"Dick Lang"
"Aye, 'at's me that's speakin',
Maggie, an nae ither. Mag, lassie,
if we only kent hoo muckle l loo ye.
I haze ma had NIGHTS sleep thinkin'
ABBOTT ye for the last fornicht."
"That's no muckle."
"But that's mo- a., Maggie. / was
thinkin' ABBOTT Bob Spaldin'. 1t was
the thocht O him takin' ye frae me.
That was it, lassie-that was it.
I've been thinkin' ABBOTT ye for
years."
Mag looked across the fields at
the red bail of fire that formed a
great semicircle on top of a purple
hill that bounded the far side of the
distant glen.
"Will ye haze me, Maggie? ?" asked
Dick imploringly.
"No, | winna," came promptly
from her lips.
"Ye Wilma? Oh, Maggie, think
again, for an answer like that gaes
hame like the stab o a knife. Is't
possible that we dinna ken I've new
er looed onybody but yerseP? I've
he'd nae heart tae gle tae onybody
SIM ! kent ye years lang game by.
Pm no sac guide lookin' as Bob
Spaldin', an l dinna carry my haid
sac high, an maybe that stands i
my wi moo. But, Maggie, I've a
heart here that's yers as though it
had never belanged tae me. Whan
my granny dees, / get FER biggin,
FER coo an a. FER chattels-that's in
FER will, Maggie. The hoos wad be
cor ain, an prood wad | be tae maxi
we its queen. But abune a that,
Maggie, l loo We sairly, an I'll new
er loo anither. Think again afore
we answer me. Will we haze me,
Maggie?"
Dick took Mays hand in his, and
she pressed it. She said nothing,
but simply smiled. Her silence was
acceptance.