Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-07-26

meeting she was so sweetly serious.
She had told me since that she was
frightened TO death of me because I
knew SO much. Fancy 1t. 1h~4lay she
told me, though, she was bubbling over
with laughter and ! suspect she was
way. Then there was the morning
when we walked together to church
and she tsa.ied 50 quietly of holy
things, and there was that last after
noon in the garden before Fitz came
hcme.
: That day il was the hardest of all to
forget myself and remember Fitz.
Sometimes when the tenderness of any
heart would creep into my words little
spots~of color would come and go in
her girlish face. | scarcely saw her
eyes that day, The white lids drooped
so mistakenly over their blue beauty.
AT last | pulled myself together with
the thought tSlt 10 could do so much
more for her ylan |. even if she could
bring herself to think Of me at all and
made my last earnest speech for him.
She frowned Il little. then she smiled
and looked thoughtful.
Il think | shall have to teach you to
read poetry" she said.
"Will your | asked eagerly.
Begin on The Courtship of Miles
Standish,' them" she answered and
ran. laughing, up the walk.
Il did The best could for you, Fitz."
I toll IA In, -,
ing And | rehearsed the last speech
in full
"What did She say:' he demanded.
'Why-she Didn't say anything to
that. She told me--or hinted-that my
education was deficient because | had
little knowledge of poetry, and she told
me TO begin on The Courtship of Miles
Standish'"
Fitz looked ut me mournfully That's
my finish then. Have you read it,"
Il was just beginning"
Fitz walked heavily from the room,
and took W my new Longfellow.
Short of stature he was, but strongly
built and athletic;
Brown as a nut was his face but his
rEssat beard was already
Flakcd with patches of snow.
Pretty good descrl ton Of myself.
thought. Not exactly patches, but there
were certainly threads of gray. read
on till the speech was finished. the
egotistcal words of Miles Standsh;
then l bowed my head in shame and
anger. had talked steadily of myself
and my work, but she had led me on.
She had no right to call me down so.
Tomorrow | would 20 back to my
cabin and forget, but yet l knew l
should always remember. l was sun
brooding when Fitz came back.
Il don't blame you. old man." he be-
gan. Probably you'll make her hap
pier; but, Lord. look at my money"
l blinked at him rs he settled down.
"Neat way she had Of bringing mat
tiers to focus. he went on, picking
up my book which lay face downward
on the table. why, darned If l be-
lieve you've read it ALL
"Tve read enough | said resentful-
~. Il read what she thinks Of me-"
: One moment that blessed Fitz gazed
Mt me, then in words of one syllable he
gave me the gist of that poem-made
me to understand that my Claudia was
impersonating the Puritan maiden in
her Immortal speech, "Why don't you
speak for yourself. John?'
And to think | ever had deemed
Fitzgerald stupid,
l found my blessed girl in the gar
den, but she did not hear my approach.
She was on tiptoe, trying to reach
rose which swung above her head
Il have come to speak for myself,
Claudia" ! said
The dear hands ceased from their
quest to hide the bushes of her sweet
face. Her cirlish form trembled.
"You think me boldr' she cried ap-
prehensively.
1t was such glorious affair to prove
to her Just what did think Of her, and
It took n long time And then she ex-
planned to me about atfinities.