Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-01-07
CHAPTER Y.

CHAPTER x.
UNICE was about to pass Ollie's
- steady comp'ny with nod, but
i the young man stopped directly
~ in her way, and, holding out his
hand with shy awkwardness, flushed
deeply as he looked at her.
"Ochw exclaimed Ollie. turning in
her chair to welcome him, but not
rising, "but I'm glad you're here oncet!
Pm so tired listenin' to the big words
they're spittin' ut each other here
yes, even Eunice yet! didn't know
Eunice could speak such high Ian
guage! She amt never done 1t around
us still"
"Nor around me. neither-I'd like.
too, to hear her oncet," replied the
young man. his bashful tones only
Just audible and his face and neck
self consciously red as he retained
Eunice's hand so that she could not
pass on and looked at her with an ar
dor in his gaze that appeared quite
irrelevant in view Of the general un-
derstanding that he came to 'set up
with Ollie. won't you stay settin'
on the porch, Eunice?" he nervously
begged the girl.
Eunice looked at him in surprise
To ask her to commit breach like
that, to violate the social code that no
third person must be present at Il
Sunday night setting up"-was he
wandering in his wits? She tried to
withdraw her hand. but could not-he
held II tight-with Ollie. DR.. Kinross
and the young ladies all looking on
"This IS the first time | have saw
you-since | begun to come Sundays"
he said with evidently gigantic effort
to conquer his embarrassment at the
Acknowledgement he was making in
Ollies very presence. "Where was
you at Sunday nights still when ]
come Over|
"Where was she at?" spoke up Ollie
boisterously "Out on the back porch
settin'-with our Abe. That's where
she'd be tonight, too. guess, If nom
didn't jaw her SO fur it,
"With Abe.' repeated Ollie's osten
sible friend" in CONSERVATION that
forgot the presence of others. "der
and Abe."
Eunice dragged her fingers from his
clasp and turned away before he could
recover from the evident shock of
Ollie's communication.
The three boarders, realizing that
they were de trop, also rose and went
away. Ollie and the young man were
left in solitary possession Of the field
for the evenings campaign.
How many dupes are there in this
friendshaft. wonder" Kirross sal!
to himself us he strolled out into the
garden, his pulse bounding with n
strange excitement. "The young ladies
think I'm country lout. Ollie thinks
the young man. Hen Mucklehenny.
comes to set up with her when evi-
dently he is fatally smitten with Flu
nice let him lay low IL = lscoycfs
J. .ls for me. In ;e l. .o,, i.','4 Il dupe
about that girl, Eun.cc: is she Il dis
guised college professor or whatever
is her conversation this evening might
suggest? Her diction is certainly nol
the everyday tongue OF the Morning
stars. How the dickens does il hap
pen"
But too many circumstances-the
i.ornngstars' selfish treatment of her,
.Abe's infatuation, her slavish work
these and other things rebutted the
theory that she was anything else than
what she pretended to be. How, then.
account for that astonishing little rev
elation Of herself this evening? He
turned it over In every conceivable
way, but could arrive ut no conclusion
concerning her. He decided that lie
must certainly make an opportunity
for talking with her and investigate
her thoroughly.
Meantime Hen Mucklehenny's hest
tation in taking advantage OF the clear
field left to him and his slowness to
seat himself I'm the rocker at O!lie's
Side were attributed by her to his well
known bashfulness. 1t was thus that
she had interpreted also his lack of
ardor on every Sunday night that he
had been with her. No amount Of en-
couragement on her part had ayailed
to warm him up to the sort OF love
making considered in that locality all
essential preface 10 md;r.mony.
"Hen," began Ollie, when at last they
were rocking monotonously side by
side in their big wooden rockers on
the porch, you amt got no need to
trouble to make SO polite to our Eu-
nice, seein' she amt my right sister
that way. 1t makes Inc no difference
If she likes you or IL she don't. her
bein' only 'dopted and not our own
flesh and blood. 1t wouldn't unplease
me If you didn't make over her any,
But" began Hen uneasily, Il didn't
make polite to her just fur TO please
you, Ollie-not just to say fur that ex-
acty: r. He stopped helplessly, look
ing distraught.
Ollie was slow to grasp new idea.
All she saw just now was that her
bashful lover was more embarrassed
than usual. "Thats all right, Hen"
she reassured him-quite irrelevant
ly the uncomfortable fellow thought.
They rocked in silence for a while.
PENNSYLVANIA Dutch courtships are
wont to be punctuated by long periods
of sepulchral silence. Hens counte-
nance, instead of expressing the &C.
stacies Of q lover in the fair presence
of his lady, looked us If he were Sit
ting in q dentists chair under the or
deal Of an exposed nerve.
"Hen," said Ollie presently In tone
Of heavy import, II want to speak
somepin to YOU"
Hen idgeted and waited to hear 1t.
"If you wasn't keepin comp'ny with
me, Hen, do you know what I'd near
up and do"
"But that needn't hold you back,
Ollie, from nothin'. fur l amt just to
say
Hen 1oundered again and was silent.
I'D take and 60 to town and hire
out fur girl. Pop he holds me so
close ut home to the work and won't