Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-11-16
Continued

ta-trat he had better go and leave
her. for ID could not end happily, her
own instinct told her so. All day the
sweet. flowerlike face had been
Swallowed with these thoughts, and In
the light. sunshiny afternoon she had
zone To her favOrite nook, the sule IN
the lane. TO sit there and shape her
thoughts into words She had woven
some eloquent arguments against her
self. she had strung together many
sensible thoughts against her love,
and was making herself sentmentally
miserable after the most approved
fashion. when a hand, whose clasp she
knew well. touched hers, and the
voice she loved best, said:
sV-cIante. have been looking
everywhere for you I have come 10
ask You il you meant what you said
last night. and If you are willing 10 be
my wife2"
And before she knew what 10 reply,
ne had raised her from the moss
covered stone on which she sat, and
they were standing under the delicate,
dropping. golden aburnums.
Il meant what I said she replied,
shyIy: but can never be your wife
Then i'm soOd order as she remem-
bered them. she made use Of all those
sensible arguments which made him
so impatient
II am twenty-five years old" ne
said. smiIingIy. Il am my own mas
ter: I an rich and prosperous, and /
love only one woman in the world.
Won tell me / cannot have her for my
wife. II she is to be won by prayers
and by love. she shah be mine VIC
1ante: for life win be an blank to me
without her"
One by one he vanquished all her
arguments. and az last, with her
hands cIasped in his. she had prom
ised to be his wife-tO love him, 10 be
true to him. to care for him, and him
alone. until she died
He made her say the words after
him. and she added. looking up into
his face:
Il promise another thing, Vivian. /
promise. in everything do and say
to study your interests and your hap
piness before my own"
They stood together under the
Iaburuums for another half-hour, and
that was. perhaps. the happiest time
that either was to know. He was fun
Of gratitude: he had to thank her a
thousand times over for her words;
he had To pour out n thousand prOtes-
tatsons OF love and tenderness OF
unaiterabIe faith and COnstancy; and
she Usteued-heart and pulses beating
as they would never beat again Her
meadow. from sunlit valley to deep,
dark ewes wandering from hill 10
broad stream. from tree 10 flower,
wondering If everything around her
looked doubIy bright and fair because
she was so bappy-wOndering If the
sun and the flowers knew, and how
far nature sympathiZed with her.
The wood pigeons near were cooling
with delight the birds were singing,
she herself was happy in the full
realization Of her loves first dream;
vet. despite al. there was a half
cloud overs hadOwing her. a half-de-
fued fear that. although it seemed de-
uehtlul. although they were in the
seventh heaven of delight, il could
not. would not. end well
What viii my father say? cried
the girl, suddenly. He has not the
faIutest idea. Vivian, that you have
sueut these summer weeks in falling
i'm love with me- He never seems TO
live quite in the world around him"
He viii be very pleased, and will
say have spent my time well" was
the smiling reply.
HE viii never believe am old
enough TO be married" she cried. with
a low. delicious laugh, sweet as the
chime If bells. He always speaks TO
me as though I were seven. instead
of seventeen. He win never believe
am anything but a child"
HE lis right" said the happy lover.
You viii always be in some things n
child. and that is one reason why
love you so"
A look OF deep reverence came over
his handsome face. He bowed his
head and his voice sunk to a whis-
per
II have much to thank Heaven for, +"
he said. 1T has given me many great
gifts The most precious Of all is
yourself How I bless the day I came
TO WO0deaves; and how little
thought. when I brought poor Bertie's
message here. that was coming to
meet my fate"
He never forgot her face as she
rassed it TO his wiz an agony OF en-
treaty. her eyes shining with tears,
her lips quivering with emotion.
Vivian" she cried, will il always
be so? Shall you always think the
same; or will the day come when you
viii wish you had never seen Wood .
caves. and had never seen me-"
He cCmforted her as lovers best
know how; and then they walked
home through the glowing sunlight
together.
r.