Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-01-06


ton Guy had fallen considerably In
her estimation since the day before.
IL Guys inglorlous exit from the
lane must be witnessed, why must 1t
have been by George?
Della would much rather anyone else
had seen It. George was brave, she
knew, and, in spite of herself, she
could not help thinking that Guy was
n coward. Guy Harris back was lame
indeed, and for several days he kept
within doors. One day, when he felt
well again, he volunteered to carry
lunch to the haymakers. Della handed
him the basket, and he kissed her for
the first time as he took it, In anticlpa-
ton of favorable answer to the all
important question which at length he
had fairly proposed and 10 which he
was to receive an answer that night,
Della directed Guy to take the path
across the great pasture lot to the
meadow, It being nearer way than
by the lane, adding mischlevously:
Molly Is in the five-acre lot, so you
need not fear"
Dinner time came and with 1t the
hungry men. but no Guy. The horn
was blown for supper, and yet he did
not make his appearance.
Mr.. Gould said he was glad Of it and
hoped he had gone for good, but his
daughter fe.t concerned. She had
quite forgotten the little episode of the
COW lane and anxlously puzzled her
little head to fNthom the mystery OF
Guys strange absence Had he been
to the meadow with the lunch?
No. No one there had seen anything
Of him.. AS no one else took any in
terest in the affair, Della considered
1t her duty to go in quest of her stray
lover She walked up the path lead
Ing th"o"gh the pasture. When nearly
through the field she found the basket,
| its contents scattered about on the
grass. All the cattle, including n pair
of huge oxen, were huddled together
under an oak near by.
"Oh, I'm so glad you've come, Della.
Drive them away, darling, so l can
come down."
The voice was surely Guys, and 1t
came from the oak. And there he
was, perched on limb about midway
up the tree.
"Why, Guy, what IN the world are
you doing up there?"
Drive that vicious OK away. He
Is bent on killing me. He made me
run for my life"
| Il oh
when the cattle were at safe dis
lance, Guy crept down from his perch,
1T is shame Della for your father
to keep such animals OH his place The
COW laid me up for week, and now
that brute Of an OK has nearly starved
me to death, besides the shock to my
nerves."
II never knew the OK to offer harm
to anyone. What did he do, GuyY
Della said, almost sternly.
HE tossed his long horns just 9S
that brute of a cow did, andvas RIGHT
round here like fun by the sound,
at my heels, ! the tree: but 1 made
when LIZ getting out of his way"
S Iur " On well believe that" said Della,
nave stayed up there ali uay: So
Il tell you, my dear, they haven't
been a hundred rods from the oolr
since l was fortunate enough to find
refusa in IT. aYcant once and +bon
ventured down, but the brute saw M
and came toward me again threaten
ingly."
HE only wanted to make your ac-
quaintance. He sees you are a stran-
ger" said Della, dryly.
II would make him acquainted with
the butcher, if he belonged to me-"
said Guy, as he hurled a stone at his
bovine enemy, who was quietly graz
ing few rods away. The creature
looked up and shook his massive head
as the missive grazed his back, at
which Guy took refuge behind his
companion.
Della led her faint-hearted lover into
the presence of her parents with any
thing but triumphant air.
Her eyes were open Mt last
She could not wed a coward, and
she told Guy so, as gently as possible
that night, when he asked her for her
answer.
Mr.. Guy Hart left that night for
parts unknown, and ere another fort
night passed George Riley's ring once,
more adorned Della's plump hand. The
night after its replacement Della whis-
pered, as she kissed her mother good
night, you were right, mother; George
Is worth a dozen such gentlemen as
Guy."-New York Weekly.