Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-08-11


and leaving his breakfast untasted.
! started to the shop. AS he neared it.
he discovered that Marcia was al
ready sweeping her portion OF the
walk. evidently intent on getting it
! done before people were astir gener-
ally. She did not perceive his APP
! prOach until he stood beside her. then
! looking up at him she said demurey:
Good morning. William"
Good morning You are out early
this morning"
so are YOU" she retorted, blushng
a rosy red
AT the point of inquiring If her fire
burned properly. he checked himself
as he thought Of the embarrassment
it would cause. He could think of
nothing else to say. and after staring
| at her stupidity for moment unlock
ed his door and went inside, reappear-
ing broom in hand.
| milk wagon drove by the occu-
pant of which was known to them
both With Good morning. friends"
he pulled up his horse.
| "Celebratin'. | see" he observed, and
| a grin Overspread his face as he point
ed up to the front of the building
Both looked in the direction indi
Gated
The change the night had brought
was marvellous indeed Entwining the
two little signs and joining them low
ingly together were garlands of ever
green's and orange blossoms, while In
the center. suspended between them
| was what remained of Ruth Martins
wedding bell. True. the flowers were
bit faded and the evergreen showed
evidence of hard usage. but the pur-
pose for which they were intended
was still easily observable.
| With scream Marcia darted into
her shop and closed the door. Will
lam paused long enough to bestow a
scathing glance upon the milkman,
then staked into his own establish
ment.
Among Williams early customers
was Judge Bradford. and as one Of
his oldest friends, the Judge felt privi-
legged to speak.
I'm glad you've done it. William.
Nature never intended us to live with
out mates in this world. You ought
to have done it years ago. but you
were always too modest She was a
handsome girl. and by ginger. she's
u gOod-lOoking woman"
The previous days rush of bust
| ini, fail 70
effectually checked when it began
raining heavily early in the day, and
customers were few and far between.
To William the day was lntolerably
long, and altogether a miserable one.
The little shop next door had remain
ed closed since the unfortunate episode
of the morning. and though a number
came. they turned away again. unable
to gain admttance. AS the day wore
on he found himself growing more and
more anxious. Perhaps she was ill.
Once or twice he surreptitiOusly
placed his ear to the partition. but he
could hear nothing.
| He looked out at the old htching
rail. fOrlorn and deserted. and for the
first time the reaizatiOn came to him
how lonely his life had become.
| He thought of the big house on the
hill, Of which he was the only Occu-
pant. Then he fell to wondering if
she was lonely. too. He recalled her
as she stood before him that morning
The Judge was right she was hand
some yet. She was good as she was
beautiful. too: and the village had no
right to poke fun at her. They
wouldn't do it il she had some one to
protect her.
Next he did what for him was a
most unusual thing. Going to the real
Of the shop he gazed long and soberly
into the mirror. He turned sadly
away. 1t was too late now; his op-
portunity had gone.
| Usually he kept the shop open until
8 o'clock. but at Z he decided to close
and go home. AS he closed the shut
ter he looked anxiously at the adjoin-
ing door. He looked up and, raising
his umbrella, started across the green.
| Nearly across. he hesitated. stopped,
then turned and marched resolutely
| back Straight up TO the little. old
fashioned building he went and on the
door over which hung the sign of
Marcia Goodwin. Milliner.' he gave
ii ponderous knock, There was no re-
ply. and he knocked louder and more
| boldly than before.
who Is there" came from the in
side
1T is |. William Underwood Open
the door"
The door opened slightly What
do you want. Wiliam?''
Her voice seemed to tremble. Per-
haps she had been crying. He pushed
the door open and stepped inside
Il want you" he answered. with
the assurance of cavalier.
| When, as the result of an interview
with his father. young Thomas Martin
sided into Williams shop the next
morning and stammered an apology
for the part he had taken in decorat-
| ing the block he was nightly sur
| prised to receive a generous handful
of candy, and to learn that it was Of
no consequence whatever.
1.,t. I,