Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-07-07
ONE OF THE
EIGHT Bly,.
A1OII / OHIO B.
SENGA
Copyright. 1903, by Ohio b. Senga

| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES >$<~<~~~N~~~~~~~~-f'
Abraham Adams set his square jaws
| together in manner not entirely
| pleasant to behold. He YVES not q
handsome man at the best, and this ex'
preston Of stern determination did not
add to his attractiveness.
This thing has gone far enough" he
| said aloud. "One way or another II
| shall be settled and settled tonight"
| He stretched out his long. lean arms
and looked grimly at the great. bony
| hands Zone of those fellows wears a
ring and plays the piano." he thought.
and a ghost of smile touched the
| firm mouth.
| He walked with long, slow steps to
| the mirror and gazed at the face re-
| fected there. 1t was not unlike the
man for whom he was named. with
the high cheek bones, wide mouth,
| deep set eyes and large nose.
you're not much to look at. Abe"
| he said, shaking his head at the re-
| Fiction, land Bruce is as handsome as
l IL
he added honestly.
Abraham Lincoln Adams had come
| from country home and country
| lawyers office three years before. He
| had passed the examinations with high
| honors and since his admission to the
| bar had been remarkably successful.
| He felt that he was now in position
| to ask the girl of his choice to share
| his life and the honors he was sure the
| future held for him.
He had known the girl since child
hood. He was big boy studying al
zebra when she sat dangling her
plump legs on the front seat devoted
| to the infants. He had taught one
| term in that same school. and she had
! tortured his faithful heart by an alb
| sorbing interest in Il pink checked boy
| in her class and by an utter inability
| to master the mysteries of Y u.
He had left her with no word of love.
He had his way to make, and the let
| tiers between them were few and I'M
satisfactory
A year ago she had come to Boston
to study music, and his honest soul had
| rejoiccd. How happy he would be
in having her so near He could see
her often and take her about good
deal, and it would not be long now be-
| fore he could tell her OF the great love
! that was in his heart, of his hopes for
the future, his plans for her happiness
D,,t 70 Il I.
hedSed about in a most inexplcable
fashion with formalities and conven-
tons hitherto unknown.
Eight young women had rented a
furnished house and with an aunt and
uncle as housekeeper and protector
We're living in little world of theli
own, superior to boarding houses. and
with a fine contempt for "homes" and
institutions. Adams wasn't quite sure
whether the aunt and uncle were rent
ed with the house or If they were real
| iy related to one of these very modern
young women.
He called several times and was cor
daily received, but upon every oc-
casion at least three of the other young
| ladies were present and remained dur
ing his entire stay. Then he tried the
plan Of writing to Title. inviting her
to accompany him to lecture or a
concert The little notes he received
| in reply were sweetly courteous, but
| he felt somehow thrown back upon
himself chilled and repulsed
You must remember that am only
| one of eight" was the tenor of the
sweet little notes. Not one of us ac-
| cepts an invitation for herself alone.
Which one of the girls would you like
| to include in your very pleasant plan
| for Thursday evening or Saturday aft
| ernoon:"
Then he settled down to a regular
| call on Wednesday evening. He met
| all Of the young ladies and really had
| better opportunities for conversing
| with any one of the others than with
| the one he sought. Bright, pretty girls
| they We're, each earnest In her work
with high aims and youthful ambi-
| tons. An artist, schoolteacher, a
| writer, music teacher, violinist, a
| nAliIti -dl bitl aiAli an tnllbI llltut UP
| the list.
Often there were other men there.
| and Adams soon discovered that he
was not the only one who would like
to see Tillie alone. After awhile he be-
| gan TO wonder if the other men were
as completely shut out as he and the
unwelcome thought suggested itself
that Tillie might manage to see him
alone if she really wanted to.
Can it be that Tillie doesn't care to
see me| he asked himself uneasily.
IF it We're so wouldn't she tell me?"
His own nature was so simple and
direct that this would seem the most
kind and true thing to do. He could
not understand the feminine complex
ity that led the girl to enjoy his un-
wayering, unspoken devotion. The pro
tests of the other girls that she was
unfair 10 the man and gm not deserve
/ such homage only increased her deter
| mination to hold him at this disadyan-
tage and to ward off as long as posi-
Bile the declaration she knew she must
hear when once they We're alone.
But now he was resolved. He would
| not be plaything for a girls whim
. She must make known her decision,