Woodruff County news. [volume] (McCrory, Ark.) 1901-1910, 1907-08-22

like sitting under bushes, or In the
moonlight-he had enough of out-of-
doors on the farm, he said Lizzy was
pairing peaches by the kitchen table
with her mother the morning the mat,
ter was definitely settled.
Mrs. Woods had hoped for this for
long time. John Melvin was as steady
as a rock, and his farm was his own,
and unincumbered. There was a great
weight lifted from her heart about
Lizzy's future.
AS for John, he, too, had been anx-
ious about the matter for years. Eliza
beth was very dear to him; yet he
would never have married her if she
had been a shrew, or wasteful. But
she had no faults that he could dis
cover. He had suddenly come into
full daylight this morning.
People in the country, however, usu-
ally smother emotion under the COM
monplaces nearest at hand.
will you come out and show ne
your wallfowers?"
1t was the stranger from New
York, whom Mrs. Merrill had brought
over for tea, who spoke. Elizabeth
was so used to strangers that she had
not noticed him before. She went be-
fore him now, glad to get away from
them all, down through the dusky gar
den-paths to the wallfiowers.
A queer-looking little man, Lizzy
90 OF inn Ch
ly; with bilious-yellow complexion,
dead black eyes, and lank hair put be-
hind his ears, dressed in coarse
brown suit of city cut, the gaping
pockets stuffed with letters and
cigars.
The stranger was very friendly. He
told her he was a newspaper man.
Lizzy was dumb. Nobody who had
not lived in a country village, and
known the awe-approaching dread ex-
cited by a man who has written for
the press" can comprehend her emo
ton. They sat there until dark
came I'VE must go in, or we
will have your knight down to reck-
on with me. You ought not to put
the yoke about your neck, by-the-bye,
until you had seen more of the world,
Miss Lizzy. If you were a boy, how
! should like you for compagnon out
yonder exploring the west!'
Lizzy did not answer. If John came
down, he undoubtedly had the right to
break up this delicious dream which
the last hour had brought. Why did
she give him the right? The yoke"
CALLED her. If there had been any ap-
proach to Irritation in Hanlon's man
ner, her purity would have taken the
alarm. But this intellectual sympathy
this wish that she were a boy and
his compagnon; there was a greeting
here of soul to soul, which she had
never received from John Melvin, and
IN which was no disloyalty to him.
Must you go now?'' she said
Yes. I have an engagement with,
with These stupid duties are the
chain wherewith we're darkly bound,
after all, think" He held her hand,
pressed it slightly, and hurried away.
The truth was, it was Mrs. Merrilrs
supper hour, and he had a keen re-
membrance of her fried chicken and
waff1es.
AS for Lizzy, she sat still, to think.
She had learned from her favorite his
tories that in every heroic life comes
the crisis, the imminent moment when
Fate must be met and grappIed with.
She thought it had come now; John
Melvin, she acknowledged, was one of
the noblest of men, generous, honor
able to a fault, and loved her dearly.
OF Hanlon she knew nothing. He was
the acquaintance Of a day. He might
be weak, cruel, a gambler, or a roue
but he pleased her passion or her
within. To be sure, Hanlon did not
love her, there was no chance that he
ever would.
Night gathered around Lizzy as she
sat alone. Her blood grew chilled, her
head panied her The cutlery and per
secution would be terrible if she broke
her betrothal; she was not strong
girl, and she began to cry. But
cannot marry him with the feelings
that l have!" she sobbed. Il will go to
John and tell him all" she cried, get
ting up.
Perhaps if she had had time to reach
the house, the story might never have
been told. But hand was laid on
her shoulder as she spoke.
What's the all you have to tell me
Elizabeth"
"Oh, John!" (There was no need to
tell all; half would do Il meant to
say to you" pale and desperate, that
it must all stop. l cannot be your
wife, John"
why not, Lizzy?" He laughed
wild, discordant laugh, she thought
I'VE are not alike. There is not that
kindred instinct, that sympathy be
tween those born under one STAR
trying to talk the dialect of all young
women in her situation.
What do you mean, Elizabeth" he
said.
The man was canah1e of Daccion