River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-08-27
, own--so she's going down the hill

II shall call, being your very old
friend" The Maid couldn't have been
anyone's very old friend. 'I-when did
she say yes?"
The Bachelor hesitated. The Maid
was terribly wise for her 81 years.
| "Some girls are too eager" he par
RED "They have yeses all prettily
prepared and tucked away just out of
sight. One has a suspicion"
"Yes," said the Maid, with scorn, zone
Ihas-quite suspicion
ssIt 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 a 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 81 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 a teie-
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 dear,
dear fellow, too; one couldn't help
from wondering if the girl would prove
the right girl.
At the weeks end another telegram.
1t said: Every much Engaged"
The Maid got restless. 1t is, oh,
very serious thing to get restless when
| you are bordering on 2S, and a 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 a 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. It smelled
like smoke, and, with something not
far from sob, she buried her face in
its deeps. Down through the ages
pillow has been a 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
| Alice-in- Wonderland 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 loolS ed 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 go imp" 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 inn
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.
tits beastly dull dcwn here; it's got
YOU nervous, dear. Come away with
me, dear. 1 know just the place for
honeymoon, he pleaded.
Silence.
won't you-my beloved" The Bach
e1or's voice was past recognition.
Silence.
The Bachelors face paled.
''You are-you are" came in
choked voice from the pillow.
| A flash 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.
TT ha-hate you-that is-I-I-
love-you- You dear, -bom-abomi-
nable--thing, you," walled the Maid.
The Bachelor drew her up into his
arms.
sand you have acted abominably!
You know I always meant to say yes
that is-if / was ever asked decently.
| wanted to say yes; I wanted to be
woo-wooed in beau-utiful-old fash
ioned-wa-way. II ha-te-hate-
new ways"
The Bachelor, having wisdom
straight from the gods, held her close
and said nothing