The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-07-08

ed, "and tried to make me believe he
had fallen In love with me, but 1T won't
do any good. 1 am sure his managing
! mamma will marry him to some thin
girl with a fat purse"
| $50 that is the way the wind blows,
my sweet sister, is It? And yet my
possible future law partner has been
humminG Ben Bolt nearly every day
/ for the past two months, You must
have smiled on him very sweetly when
he was here"
Please do not say any more about
him, Bert" she answered with a little
pain In her voice. "He Is all right, but
am too poor and too proud to satisfy
his mother, so that is all there Is to it,
, Then she added in self protection,
Tell me about the island girl 1 heard
you fell~in love with on the yachting
trip and for whom you deserted the
crowd" Albert looked confused "It
Is true, Bertie,' she said quickly. az
can see 1t in your face. That explains
| your short letters. l shall feel more
desolate now than.ever"
Alice, my sweet little sister," be re-
Piled, resolutely drawing his chair near
and taking her hand. at is true, and
intended to tell YOU all about it, only
1 hated to do 1t at first. and SO put it
Off. She is more than pretty, she Is
beautiful, and the most UNAFFECTED and
tender hearted girl-I ever met. But
You need not worry. She is so devoted
to the two old people who have brought
her up as their own that she will not
leave them for me as long as they
live"
Then he frankly told Alice the entire
story Of his waif Of the sea and how
she had refused to yield to. his plead
ing. =,
"And now, sweet sister," he sal
last, Il have n plan to unfold, AZ
want you. to consider 1t well. I am
now earning enough to maintain
home, and | am tired Of boarding
house life. 1t is not likely I shall mar
ry the girl love for many years to
come, and tLere is no need for lis to he
separately fn this way. 1 think 1t ia
best that I've close the house or rent II
for the .rieSent, and you and Aunt su-
sap come % Bost6n. na,, h.---t-- -. : Z
ty fiat, and we can take down such of
the furniture as we need and store the
ooh, shall be so glad Of the change,
! fBertie! 1t is so desolnte here, and
tdread the long winter. But what can
IL do in Boston? Il cannot be idle"
"WiIl not housekeeping for me be
Occupation enoughr" he answered,
smiling, 'or you might give music
slessons and study shorthand. need
4 typewriter even now."s
But what will Aunt SdHn think OF
ethe change? And it wnfD9 sdeh n
change for herr rSA
2 "she. will get used ID it," he an
swered.
Then. as Alice began to realize what
tlmeant to bid gooQby to the scenes Of,
10 childhood. tie old home, the great
hes i'm front, the broad meadows, the
fook that rlppled through them, the
bttle church where every one greeted
fher with II smile, and the grand old
hills that surrounded Sandgate's
peaceful valley, her heart began to
sink. Then she thought of the pleas
ant woods where she had so often
gone nutting I'm autumn, the old mill
pond where every summer since baby
hood she had gathered lilies, and even
those barefooted school children Of
hers.
II shall dislike to go, after ALL" she
said at last, but perhaps 1t is best.
shall be homesick for q spell, but
then | shall have YOU" Then she
rose and like big baby crept into
her. brothers lap, and, tucking her
sunny head under his chin, whispered:
"Oh, if you were never going to be
married, BERTHE, | would leave 1t all
| and try to be contented. could come
up here every summer, could | not 2"
Then she added disconsolltely: But
you will get married soon Yor.' Beau
tiful island girl will not keep. you
waiting so long,"
! "No sweetheart and no wife shall
ever lessen my love for you. Alice
who have been my playmate, nay com
panion and my confidant all my life"
| When they had discussed the pro-
posed step in all its bearings for half
hour Albert said: "Come, now SIS
Sing little for me. / am hungry to
hear you once more"
She complied willingly, and, as the
piquant voice. Of Alice Page trilled
the list from lilly Dale" to "Suwanee
River" and back to "Bonny Eloise"
and "Patter Of the RAIN" Albert lazi-
ly puffed his Ppe and lived over his
boyhood days.
When the cdqcert was ended he ex-
claimed: II WI look around before
Christmas and see what kind of q
dat can be ,fouf, and then when your
| school closes III must come down
and visit me al see how you like
Boston"
"Oh, that wi be just delightful,
only you must fomise not to tell the
Nasons that / ai coming"