Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER "
1t was only when the exit of the young
ladies had been fairly accomplished that
Selkirk saw the humor of the situation into
which he had walked so innoeently. and
laughed at all. And even then there was
much worry in his laughter After the
stair door had closed safely behind them,
Aunt Betsey, red faced and still breathing
hard as the result of her convulsive merr1-
nent, said, turning to Selkirk:
We'll, Jack, you catched us, didn't you?
Now you can turn round
Selkirk turned. He was nervous. He was
blick red of face and he smiled uncer-
tainly.
Betsey wiped her eyes
GU must a-felt like drowndin' sailor
sihklh down amongst the mermaids when
they had their scales off, She glanced at
cooper VINO was only now climbing to his
ieet supporting his big frame with one
hand on the floor and wiping his streaming
eyes with a red bandanna handkerchief
heId in the other, and added: And Nep-
tune 100, Jest when he'd sent his seaWeed
10 the wash, Awful funny wasn't it?
wen. guess there amt no harm done. |
told Mercy that if you and her was a-eoin'
10 glt-out you amt asked her vet have
you! Wen. when she was afraid that you'd
come IN and-and ketch her that way-I
tod her that If you ever did ask her. that
IL wouldn't make no difference after that
Miss Betsey,' said the very much con-
FUSED young man. "you-you don't SUM-
pose, 40 you, that Miss Mercy will blame
me Tor what has happened?''
on, no." said she, composedly ..IU elf
all the blame for this. And L reckon that
Ia ought to. But she'll likely be a little
shy with you for a few minutes She'll be
tJinkln OF her neck and arms you know"
Miss Betsey worked, and Selkirk watch
ed her flying fingers silently. 1t was Aunt
Betsey Bobbins nature to be dependable
She invited condolences, silently: that she
was trustworthy was told upon her face as
plainly as if she had worn a Iettered sign
which stuck above her head, like a sand
witch man.
Aunt Betsey said he. at last. anc
somewhat haltingIy II wish youd-ten me
what you think of me-"
She looked a him in some surprise.
oh, think well of YOU" she said.
But she reflected when he made his next
remark that perhaps she had no reason to-
He seemed to have parted from his usual
rather high intelligence.
On, know you-like me well enough"
he said. But would it-please you or dis
please you, If l were-near and-dear to
your
Betsey glanced at him In great surprise.
She dropped a spool of thread and in other
ways gave evidence of acute establishment
You near and dear to mer' she said
She tried to smooth the laughing wrinkles
from her face. ''You-you wasn't thinking
of-of askin' me to be your wife, was you,
Jack?"
When she wished to. Betsey Bobbin could
crack Jokes with face as solemn as a
broken tombstone.
"Why-why no. Aunt Betsey," he said
hurriedly. Il was not thinking of it."
We'll, I'm glad of that" she answered.
because II you had been I'm afraid I'd
h&d TO answer mo- I'd been real sorry to
refuse you anythin but my young affec-
tons is engaged elsewhere"
Really? said he. surprised. 1t was an
astonishing thing that none OF their friends
had. up to this time even suspected that
closer sentiment than the plain good
fellowship which had existed for years was
possible between Caleb Cooper and Betscy
Bobbin.
Jest as sure as the Lord made little
apples said Miss Bobbin with decision
Then you know how l feel" said Jack
1t must be remembered that as far as
sentimental matters went Jack Selkirk was
very young indeed. He had never had
love affair before He had been very
busy and ambitious youth in college, and
since he left il had had no time to seek
such matters. His love for Mercy had
thrust itself upon him, and he had no idea
what to do with It.
Aunt Betsey was a humorist in her soul
Since she had found out that she loved
Caleb Cooper it had been that which had
kept her from being miserable She was
quite certain that Cooper's sentiment for
her would never change from the placid
and serene affection which he had shown
for twenty years-a feeling wholly differ
emit from the surging throbs of real heart
love which she had begun to feel for him
every time he looked in her direction and
often when he didn't. Being certain of
this. she would have been unhappy If she
had been unable to regard herself-not her
love alone. but Betsy Bobbin complete-as
an interesting joke. 1t had been thus that
she compromised with her affection when
she had found that her efforts to wholly
stop the progress of the passion were quite
nj N oh helipyel-Sha yEa "a
not certain-thatN she had conquered far
enough so that she would not reveal her
true state of mind and make herself ridic-
ulous But Selkirks abject equalization to
Mercy Coopers loneliness excited her with
a subtle sympathy. Upon the moment g
spur she decided that as long as he had
placed his confidence in her-no less an
honor because his state of mind had been
quite plain for a long time; he did not
know that--she would also place her con-
fidence in him. She would not do il senti-
mentally, she reflected. but she would ac-
tually do IL, and IL he chose to take her
seriously he could. And If he did-with
him she would not feel ashamed. She had
held him on her lap when he was child
in pinafores. Her confidence would be
quite safe. (She did not realize how thor
oughly his own affair had swept him off
his feet, and how bereft of common sense
men floating on such waves can be. She
felt that Ii might ease her mind to tell
him.
She made her confession in characteristic
words-that was an essential to her plan
of looking at herself as a huge pleasantly.
Then you know how i feel" repeated
Selkirk. after she had paused for what
seemed to him a reasonable time without
any comment whatsoever. II can't even
hear her footsteps as she comes In from
picking flowers without feeling like q
fool"
II know said she. IT know Jest how
you feel" She grinned whimsicaliy. TITS
Jest the same with me when / hear Caleb
q troopin' In from dom chores. My heart
yearns out to him-and then give him
hurdy Surdy for markin' up clean floors. =