Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-10-18

ful as a fairy, who first convinced Syl-
vester ,McCracken of the fact that
there were other women in this world
beside his mother. He loved Louise
Selwin, and to his great, strong ma
ture, love was serious thing.
How lovely she looked one summer
evening as she lounged in saucy ease
by the vine-wreathed window, gazing
out into the night, while he stood out
side, unseen by her, gazing In at what
seemed to him the golden day of his
whole existence. A meteor unusually
bright, shot across the sky, and clap
ping her hands with delight, she
sprang from her seat quite upon the
window sill, when she perceived Mac.
''Oh, did you see that? 1t was a
real star, for / was looking at 1t burn
ing steadily up there, when all at once
1t started from its place and was lost
in the distance. oh, / am sure now
there are lost stars, and | believe that
I must have witnessed the fight OF
one of them. Say, Mac, did you see
it,"
NO; / saw none of the stars out
side; / was looking at a brighter,
purer star within, which l hope will
never, never be lost Do you know,
little one" said he, vaulting over the
window ledge. what a tumult you
have created in my heart? ! have
learned to love you SO, that II all the
stars Of yonder heaven were blotted
out, 1t would not be darker than my
perplexed face was turned stead
lily away from him His avowal had
come so very suddenly, that, taken by
surprise she was casting about for a
way to gain little time for the
expected reply. She had, long ago,
learned to love this magnificent man.
and was now inwardly wondering what
he found in her to deem fitting ex-
change for the grandeur she saw in
him.
Speak to me, Louise" he went on,
land tell me If you can consent to
shine for me alone; to be my dear lit
tie wife?"
Half provoked at his persistence.
half frightened at being thus sudden
ay brought face to face with so seri-
Gus a question, half bashful, too, and
altogether thoughtless, a sudden in
SEPARATION of mischief prompting her
with an idea. she burst into merry
peal of laughter
What have you found so amusing
in my proposition, Louise? ] regard
the matter under consideration as far
too weighty for such unusual mirth.
ooh! OH oh! was just thinking,
you know, that then, when l grew old
I-oh! oh! oh-should be-Moth ar
MeCracken, you know
You'd better be that than Mother
Goose" he burst forth, stung to the
quick By this irreverent allusion to his
honqred mother, by one, too whom
Ahad regarded as little lower than
tie angels. Then without another
word he strobe from the ROOM from
the house, out into the darkness
starless night.
Realizing what she had done, Louise
threw herself prone upon the sofs
In an agony of tears.
"Oh! why did / say that? And his
mother must be such grand woman
too. to have such a son. If / hat
only known her personally never
could have said such thing, know
He adores her, too! Will he ever for
give me?" then the natural hopeful
ness of her nature asserted itself
Yes, l know he will He is too CRANE
to stoop to mean spitefulness. He viii
be back tomorrow"
And wiping her eyes. she fell into |
pleasing reverie over the scene tina
would be then and there enacted.
But he did not come back to.mor
row, nor the next day. nor the next
He had received a pressing offer o
. very advantageous business connec
ton in distant city. which was tn
real cause of precipitating his pro
posal.
A terrible plague was visiting tn
City of M where Mac had mad
his new home.
Louise, who had mourned her foil
after she had heard of his removal, s
far beyond any hope of regaining hin
till she had finally accepted the fac
with all the philosophy she could sun
mon heard this news with alarm. He
nature, far from being frivolous. wa
one of unusual strength.
81 will go to M" she exclaime
to herself They need never kno'
till 1t is over, but / must be With
call il he should be sick. For oh,
drove him there! l drove him there!
And to M she went, KNOWN
full well that the way would close b.
hind her back and prevent her retur
from the plague-stricken city. Sh
soon ascertained the respective nun
bers OF his residence and place {
business, and every day disguised a
a STOPPING old woman. was hoyerin
near when he passed from one /
the other. and II by chance she misse
him would make immediate inauir
till satisfied of his welfare.