The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-08-28


t"ri up and lungcd away. whils
Katie, never lifting her dark eye
lashes, demurely folded and arranged
me pieces Of crepe in their boxes.
Siias stern walked rapidly west
ward. aga 'ant the rising wind. in ;hs
Tying snow. 10 his team and cmpt
haN-rack wagon in the stableyarc
near the market place. and began hi,
hriNe over the rough roads 90 his
farm. ~ miles away. Aud as hs
walked in the lighted town or drove
over the pitch-black country roads hs
ever saw pair Of serene. hones -
grey eyes. with look of sNmpath y
~ them. and pair of small, work
worn hands arranging the crepe
band around his hat crown. How
modest She looked in her black wool
cr"ss. and with her brown hair braid.
Ell and tied so carefully. How young
she was. yet how thoughtful and
kind! More than ever. when he
drove up 10 the silent. dark old
farm house. he missed The mother
who had Just died and left him alone,
for he could not remember his father
dead long ago. and had nethe I
brother nor sister
Silas sta bled his horse and went in
to the supper that had been made
ready for him by his hired man :
German wife He choked over the
black. sour bread. the bitter coffee
and half-cookcd ham. but in his hun
CRY loneliness he saw visions aud
dreamed dreams" even such as Young
men have seen and dreamed time out
of mind.
And SO no one need be surprised
nor scandalilcd to hear that as the
winter wore on. a tall. athletic form
was often seen waiiir z. al q O'Clock
in the afternoon. near the door of
the great store where Katie worked.
and that, mutely Watching the girl
ish figure as it moved along the
street, the man sometimes followed
int a respectful distance--nniil il
disa ppeared in crowded street car,
bound for the tenement district
Katie saw silas. and he knew that
she saw him. at such times they did
not occur too often and something
sweet and warm began 10 stir in both
young hea and yet no word was
spoken from the day of The famous
hatband
One April evening SilaS made a call
upon the pastor in the village near
his farm. He asked the minister for
a certificate Of good character. much
10 the worthy clergyman, surprise
for Silas. being an Independent
farmer. could need no recommelida
ton for work
MAKE il as strong as you can. con.
scie ntiously." Silas begged. "ano
please say | have no bad habits. for
you know | havcn't-If's for a .
LADY,"
The great fellow stammered and
the Rev. Jonah Harlow saw great
light. The certificate was made
strong" for Silas was. 10 use the
own language. ''of the sal,
OF the earth And the young man
did not go away from the good mans
door without word of counsel and
adm onition
Armed with the parsons letter. and
further su~ tanned by one he had writ
Ten himself. Silas walked boldly int.
The great store one spring afternoon
ut half past ) o'clock. lie stood
again before little Katie Ilamilton's
station at the counter. The other
girls were busy putting their wares
away for the day and Katie stood I'm
occupied rs silas leaned down t.
speak 10 her
Here are two letters. both direct
ed TO whom IL may corcern.' but
that means you. Please read them
when you are clone and don't be
hard on me, I've tho ght of YOU
ever since ] saw YOU"
H. gave her one look. and notes
The beautiful Pink color in her
,heeks: then he hurrie out Of the
Silas neglected his spring work
little and hung around the village
pos . flee the next two days. for be
had asked the girl III concerned" to
write 10 him. On the morning Of the
bird day Of suspense her letter
anne. and surely no small white
packet ever before gave big. brown
nan such comfort. II did not take
ong now 10 bring the woo'ng Of
sila~ to an end.
One day. with their MARI age II
'cnsc in his pocket. Sila> bought
Katie from he lovcless ,iy to the
iillare par~ onage. ann there the min
ster made the twain one. And ON
he old farm was again a home in
he big house. surrounded by ito
'cres Of apple trees.
There is the best Of authority that |
u Silas and Katie themseh e~-for |
lecla ring that the two were happy |
yer after.