Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-09-24

anyone's very old friend. "I-when did
she say yes"
The Bachelor hesitated. The Maid
was terribly wise for her ~ years.
"Some girls are too eager" he par
ried. "They have yeses all prettily
prepared and tucked away just out OF
sight. One has a suspicion"
eyes," said the Maid, with scorn, zone
has-quite suspicion"
ut isn't true" The Bachelor had de-
parted, and the Maid stood, one foot
on the fender, her strong, young eyes
on the Goals. "It isn't true, but it will
be-some day. Perhaps-no," sternly.
as if to an invisible culprit; you'd
be Gagged bird-you'd be the starting
that wanted to get QUITO get out.
And" dimpling, hell still drink your
tea"
The first of May found the Bachelor
Maid in the country. She swayed in
a hammock and gazed at an orchard
that was white and perfumed mantle
flung on the hillside's shoulder. Mar
riage was not for her. If she had been
meant for marriage she wouldn't have
stayed content through ~ years. She
found it good to be young, strong:
beautiful, and as free as the air she
breathed.
At the end of the first week tele'
gram came from the Bachelor. 1t
read: "Too busy to come down"
Much of the Maids second week at
the farm was spent in the hammock.
She didn't sway it, though. She was
thinking hard, and she wanted it still.
One couldn't keep from thinking when
ones very best man friend was going
to get himself married-such a dear,
dear fellow, too; one couldn't help
from wondering if the girl would prove
the right girl.
AT the weeks end another telegram.
It said: every much Engaged"
The Maid got restless. 1t is, oh, .
very serious thing to get restless when
you are bordering on rs, and woman
She deserted the hammock and took
to tramping the country over-long,
lonely walks.
The Bachelor came the last week in
May. He was as cordially glad to see
the Maid as man very full of him
self, his own plans and his coming hap
piness, of which he talked at tiresome
length, could be. The Maid rose to
the occasion with exaggerated cheer
fulness. They discussed houses and
their furnishings, floors and their fill
,ings, servants and their failings.
The moons round wavered on the
hill when the Bachelor said good-by
He whistled as he went down the lane
and past the fragrant orchard.
The Maid couldn't deceive herself
she wanted a pillow. There was one
in the deserted hammock. 1t smelled
like smoke. and, with something not
far from q sob, she buried her face in
its deeps. Down through the ages
pillow has been woman's Geth.
semane.
The Maid sat up to find the moon.
mans grin an evil thing; the shadows
were creepy, and, by some mysterious
observation-disclosures process, the glow.
ing, sumptuous Bachelor Maids all over
the land had shrunk and shriveled.
From the little corners that didn't be-
long to them they looked out-pale,
patient, hungry-eyed. The Maid shiv-
cred. She was having bad half-hour.
And suddenly the Bachelor stood be.
side her. He said his train was late;
the Maid said nothing.
"shall we 60 in?" his voice was So
licitous. He extended his hand; no
woman can get out of hammock alone
with any show of grace, and said: "The
dew is falling. Isn't it just little i'm
prudent-young people have rheuma-
tism earlier than they once did,"
The Maid buried her face in the
friendly hammock and laughed hys-
terically. The Bachelor fell to his
knees.
ITS beastly dull dcwn here; it's got
you nervous, dear. Come away with
me, dear. know just the place for a
honeymoon" he pleaded.
Silence.
"Won't you-my beloved" The Bach
elor's voice was past recognition.
Silence.
The Bachelors face paled.
"You are-you are" came in q
choked voice from the pillow.
A fash of triumph was in the Bache
lor's eyes. AT it again, as usual" he
said, in very humble tones. "Say yes,
dearest; and I'll quit it."
The Maid sat up.
isn't there anybody" she asked,
angrily.
"There's you, and you again-just
you in the whole wide world" more
humbly.
IL ha-hate you-that is-I-I-
love-you- You dear, a-bom-abomi
nable-thing, you" walled the Maid.
The Bachelor drew her up into his
arms.
"And you have acted abominably!
You know always meant to say yes
that is-if was ever asked decently
I wanted to say yes; wanted to be
woo-wooed in a beau-utiful-old fash.
ioned-wa-way. III ha-te-hate-