The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-11-09

allow it. 6ut IN remember you just
the same" she said, "and We'll meet
again, some day" Had she forgotten
her promise?
1t was during my second year at
the academy that she came home. She
had been travelling with her aunt since
she finished school, but the colonel
was, not very we'll and had sent for
her my mother told me. How
dreaded to meet her! l did not 20
near the, stone house when I learned
she had come. My childhood dream
had been very pleasant and feared
rude awakening. What was I, to
hope for Col. Mason's daughter in
marriage? My parents were proud of
me and the position I held, but it
would seem humble to her, an heiress.
My only crime was poverty.
Then pride came to my aid and.
said: "She shall never vent her scorn
upon me; will leave her alone"
How pretty she looked when I met
her riding with her father. She flush
ed and bowed. l wondered why she
flushed. Weeks passed, but / steadi.
ly avoided meeting her. l saw her at
church. I watched her fitting about
on the grounds when I passed her
home. Occasionally she came to see
my mother, but that was always when
was at school
|. One DAY as l walked home from
town L met her strolling, with only her
large English mastiff for company.
She was very near, l could not re-
treat 1 was obliged to meet her and
answer her pleasant Good evening" z"
Il think you have forgotten your old
playmate" she said.
"Oh, no." I answered, Il could not
forget you"
Thank you. l know so few people
here that old friends are valued"
Il have been so very busy" l ex-
planned, that 1 have not had oppor.
tunity to see you since you came.
Were you going somewhere"
Not in particular. Prince and I
are out for our constitutional"
May I come with you, them"
Yes, if you can spare SO much of
your precious time," she answered,
with mocking laugh.
After>that I met her often. Some
times I called in the evening and
sang with her and talked with her
father. And often we went for walk
together. l steeled my heart against
her. 'She is beautiful and sweet and
good" would say to myself, but
she is not for me"
Ny father was growing old and
needed help in his work now and then.
So I often went up with him and
worked among the plants. She will
see me, I thought. She shall not
think l am ashamed of my father and
his humble vocation. But it seemed
to make no difference with Miss Ma
son. She bowed as politely, she spoke
as pleasantly as ever, when she chanc-
ed to sec me there at work.
After time d new caller began
coming to the mansion, a handsome,
wealthy man from the town. He took
Marie riding, he asked her to the
opera, he paid her constant attention.
How despised that man! Once
told my mother l thought he had an
ill-bred air in spite of his wealth, and
she laughed, though she discreetly
said nothing. saw she thought 1 was
jealous, and perhaps l was. It nearly
drove me wild to think she was slip
ping away from me.
I gave up calling on the colonel, no
longer asked Marie to allow me to &C.
company her On her afternoon walks,
and I took to prowling around in the
wood alone. One time I came to the
hollow tree and paused beneath its
shade. A flood of memories came to
my mind, of the happy days of child
hood when Marie and had played to-
gether here, when we were lovers and
had no thought of rivals, of wealth
and of station. l had gathered a
bunch of violets, and some impulse i'm
PEELED me to put them in the hollow
that had so often served as our post
Office long ago, before l. loitered home.
Next time was in the wood went
to the gnarly old maple. The violets,
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