St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-10-26

while 1t is hard to bear-harder even
than ] thought it would be. If you never
marry until you find someone nobler than
yourself, / shall certainly not be obliged
to bear the added burden of jealousy
Yours, etc.
RUSSELL J. MAYNARD"
1T isn't at all satisfactory" said
Russell, as he folded the note and put
it into an envelope, but l could do no
better if l racked my brains for
week.
Nearly three months had passed and
he had not yet summoned courage to
visit Miriam Grant She had spent
part of the time with an old friend in
a neighboring state, and since her re-
turn he had planned several times to
call on her, but never felt himself
quite strong enough to do SO.
Il don't want to make a fool Of my.
SELF he thought 1T has never been
my ambition to marry wife who did
not love me. If she can't. she can't,
and l shall not beg for what is not
given freely; but, oh, Miriam, if
y0u-'
He stopped suddenly and began a
rOnp with Dick.
Il found d lovely lady to-day, uncle,'
said Dick, finally.
Where did you find herr"
She rang the bell, and Mrs. Wilson
was busy, SO opened the door. She
said you must bring NE to see her
some day. and said thank you; uncle
will he pleased to- Did do it right?"
Quite right" answered Russell
laughing. You are learning very
fast"
Il told her perhaps we would come
tonight, and she said she should ex-
pect us; then she went home without
seeing Mrs. Wilson at all
Il don't know about allowing you
to make engagements for me. young
man." answered Russell carelessly, as
he took up the evening paper and set
tied himself comfortably
Cant We go just a few minutes?'
pleaded Die. She was so pretty and
SO good, and l love her just awful"
Mercy On me! Has it come to that
so soon? What is the lady's name,
may l ask"
Miss Grant. She said you knew
where she lived
"Miss-ahem-yes ! know! What
did she say about my-yOur going to
see herr"
Dick repeated the conversation. and
was rewarded by being told that he
might go to call on the pretty lady,
and soon he was seated in a chair very
close 10 her side, busily engaged with
a picture book
How did you happen TO do it,"
asked Miriam Of RUSSELL with a glance
at the boy.
Il don't know, I'm sure" he an
&Wered, with a smile. # had to make
r. fool Of myself in some way, think.
Ny friends tell me that couldn't have
| succeeded better"
You haven't added to your reputa.
| ton as a man of common sense and
good Judgment answered Miriam
with laugh.
Il am kept well posted in that d.
rection: but really suppose you'd
laugh at ME for saying so-but the lit
tie chap makes such things quite easy
TO bear
Russell, why haven't you been TO
see me before? | felt hurt to think
that I should be the last of all your
friends to learn of your new acquisi-
ton"
Il haven't treated you fairly, but
well, to tell the truth, / haven't yet
arrived at the stage where I am will
ling to meet you simply as friend"
L am glad Of it,
What do you mean? Miriam"
Russell hesitated, and his face be-
came shade paler. He did not want
to make a fool of himself a second
time, he thought, and he had been
very sure that Miriam Grant returned
his love.
Il do not mean to propose" answer
ed Miriam, with blushing cheeks and
laughing eyes, but I have no objec-
ton to confessing that"
"Confessing what?" Russell had her
in his arms, and Dick was staring
wide-eyed on such a scene as he had
never before witnessed.
That l was mistaken in you. l
thought you an easy-going individual
without much purpose, one who would
be easily swayed by public opinion,
and such man, though very pleasant
as an acquaintance, was not my ideal
as a husband"
Russell and Miriam have been mar,
ried several years, and Dick still lives
with them. People who predicted all
sorts of trouble now say that they are
the oldest couple that ever lived, and
it iS fortunate that they married each
other, for neither would have been
happy with any one else, or made any
one else happy.