River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-05-12

Seid Arthur Huntley, addressing his
nervous image in the mirror:
You're a wretched coward, man, but
you'll do it this evening! It's now or
never, and it mustn't be the latter. Think
of your foolish, cowardly waiting! Think
of how it would seem to have some
drawer man secure her, and never know
what might have happened il you'd
plucked up courage to ask her first! AS
It is-who knows what she thinks of
your waiting, even if she has caused it?
And if she should say no"
But he utterly refused to consider a
possibility so dire and dreadful. Life
without the Iong-held dream of some day
having Laura Starrett for wife would
be scarcely worth living. He felt that
the question he had for three years
lacked courage to ask in face Of her de-
termined opposition could be postponed
no longer A groundless rumor in re-
gard to her tacit encouragement Of an
other man had filled him with forebOd-
ings. Yes, certainly, he must speak.
Three ties, five collars. much time, and
unlimited effort at last turned him out
sufficiently neat and immaculate to seek
her presence. Once in it, he was shy and
embarrassed as she had never seen him.
Her woman's intuition told her that the
decisive moment SO long postponed was
close upon her With the departure of
her earlier callers her last hope of re-
spite vanished He took her hand as
one who will not be gainsaid.
Dear" he began, using almost the
same words as had used Jim Benson an
hour or two earlier in addressing Alice,
Dear, / must have my answer-and |
won't take no. I've tried for three years
to ask you to marry me. and you've never
allowed it. Now l feel that hearing is
due me. and I-you must say yes, Laura.
| love you passionately, dearest, and
eel-sometimes-tha you-dont dis
like me, although you do keep me at such
a distance. Can't you make up your
mind to be my wife, dear woman, and
let me try to make you half as happy as
you'd make me without any trying at
all?"
Don't answer now" he urged her, as
drawing her hand way, she would have
spoken in unmistakable manner; don't
say anything, dearest, until you've
thought it all over. And don't believe
there's any reason for no. If you like
me. even a little, believe l could teach
you to love me, and believe. moreover,
that we belong to each other, that we
have no business apart.
LAS to your sister," forestalling her
unspoken thought and again using al
most the same words as Jim Benson, Ito
dream of sacrificing our happiness for
her sake would be foolish and unneces-
sary. should be glad to have her share
our home, always, so she would not miss
your companionship. For the rest, she
is fully occupied with her philanthropic
work and charities, she has her own life
to live. She does not really need you,
dearest-and l do"
He, too, went away with murmured
reminder O ''to-morrow-to-m orrow
EVENING"" And the woman left behind
glad that Alice had retired early, so left
her a fine chance to think quitely,
found this not easy to do.
Her mind ran back, uneasily, to the
far days when she and Alice had been
young girls, happy and thoughtless.
Then, suddenly, had come the loss OF
parents. luxuries, everything to which
they had been always accustomed the
necessity of doing battle with the outer
wcrld She had faced this world rather
than Alice, who had been very i'll that
summer and Alice although neither
would have so expressed the situation,
had lost her liberty, her opportunity to
shape life as she would have it. before
ever this opportunity had been placed
within her grasp.
Stately, brilliant, commanding, au-
cl,o hn6 re-