The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-02-20
: BY ID. c. Murray

costume Of a faint yellowish tone. witt
certain bright deEices of flowers abou
IL everywhere. and she wore a peasant
hat of straw, twisted into a very coQuet
fish shape. and bound about with ricl
silk handkerchief. in which was set I
silver brooch.
/ O'Rourke absorbed the charming vision
as whole He leaped to the broad
grass-gr top Of the low wall ant
raised his hat with a smile. His wavy
reddish hair and his beautiful beard and
mustache shone in the sun like gold. and
his handsome face was as gay as a boy
II Is not improbable that he looked as
charming to the pretty widow as the
pretty widow looked to him. She came
tripping and blushing and smiling over
the stones of the river-bed. and OsRourke
ran down the slope with so excessive an
alacrity that he failed to notice that il
broke suddenly away at the foot. Mrs.
Spry screamed family, but O'Rourke.
who was too late to stay himself. made
the necessary leap in safety-it was but
nine or ten feet deep, and he had soft
turf to alight on--and advanced smiling.
with his crisp hair shining and his right
Good morning." be said, this iz a
delightful encounter-for me-"
Mrs. Spry had a bouquet of wild flow
ers in her right hand and book in her
left, but she set the flowers in the hol-
low OF her arm and accepted O'Rourke's
profered hand He held hers longer than
the absolute necessities of a morning sa-
lutte demanded and Mrs Spry blushed
and dropped her eyes before his ardent
gaEe-
You have been gathering fowers?"
he said, mastering himself by an effort.
but even then hardly knswing what he
said Quite charming little nosegay."
She held it toward him and their hands
met again The small bouquet was not
tied. and lest the flowers should fall he
put both hands to II. taking her right in
his left whilst he gathered the blossoms
together. She felt that his hands were
trembling q little. and be bungled with
the flowers just then their eyes met.
the little widows expressive orbs looked
almost frightened. and O'Rourke was as
white as If he were about to faint or to
be hanged. or to lead forIorn hope. He
dropped the flowers and took the hand
which held the book. The little widow
let the volume fall beside the fallen bios
sons She dropped her head, and the
bosom Of the pretty morning dress iut-
tered visibly- O'Rourke said not a word.
but be gave a great slow sigh and drew
her toward him by the hands. Then he
simply put both arms around her and
stopped and kissed her hot cheek Still
be said not a word, but his heart beat
Ike a hammer, and he pressed her to
aim as If to stihe it's outrageous riot
"Am / too insolentT' he said at length.
The pretty widow did not seem to think
%. for she stood upon her fallen blossoms
With her cheek upon his breast, and made |
10 effort to escape Il have loved you |
rom the minute I first saw you. Can |
Tou-can you love me a littleY'
His tremor was like the tremor Of a /
over to the little widows mind He |
,layed the part better than be knew.
'Ye-es," said the lady in a whisper,
into herself as she spoke. Then \
here was another lengthy spell Of si-
ence, broken by the near clash Of a Il
orse's bells and the crack of a carriers i
ship At these sounds they started guilt /
y apart, and O'Rourke, falling upon
ne knee, gathered up the dropped posy /
nd the book and they walked side BY /
ide, silently, BY the dry water course
ntil they came upon spot hidden from
be road, where the remaining stump Of a
reat felled beach made a convenient
eat
shall we sit here for a little whileY
1Rourke asked The lady seated herself
silence. and seeing that she had taken
place too near the center to allow room
Or her companion, moved q little, and
rev her dress on one side O'Rourke &C
opted the invitation thus dumbly CON
eyed, and placing one arm around her
aist, drew her nearer toward him.
do you think," he said, not being able
, find anything more original to say
ist then, that you will be able to learn
love me just q littleY
The pretty little woman began to treu-
e, and searching blindly for her hand
srchief, found it at last. and hiding her
zee behind 1t with both hands, began
, cry
I'll knew" she sobbed, "that It was
licked, but I'll loved you when / saw
Do at Boston. I've al-alHays thought
bout you since. and when l came to
u-Europe hoped that 1 should meet
,u."
The ways Of the human heart are
range, but at this confession the fas-
mating patriot experienced a twfnge Of
iame- For one aeeting second be felt a
.nuine hate Of humbug.
81 will love you very dearly,~ he said,
moment later, and he meant IT.
What was to prevent him from loving
ri Nothing, If she could always fat
r his self-loye as well as she had done
st now.
But be had to go back to his pre-
nses- Nature and culture between them
I'd done 80 much for him that he had Z
rgotten how to walk straight. Il
IL haven't much to offer you" be said. |
am poor, and can't give you grand
me"
She was In such futter at the &C
mplishment Of all her hopes, 80 glad
ID so shaken TO think herself this hero's Q
roine, this handsome, eloquent, famous,
voted patriots chosen, that she was
IL hysterical. She dropped her hand
'rchief from her tear-stained eyes, and 4
apped both hands together like child, Q