The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-17

Ask you to marry him?"
 He told you?" she cried.
 "Yes. Beforehand. Didn't he say I'd gave him leave? No? Well. I s'pose Sent him on. to try his luck. With my blessin'.''
 What do you mean? Did that fool ish boy" Game like a little man guardian. to make a proposal to you.'
 And you told him he could? What business was it of yours, I'd like to know"
 q told him it wasn't any business of mine. That's why let him come. If it was my business. I'd have you shut up in a big place with walls all around it; am kittens an canary birds an all sorts of fluffy things for you to play with. Am no man but me should ever come within a hundred miles of you. Then thered be no danger of your runnin' off an gettin' married to I was the sort of man that ought to be fed in the kitchen an never lowed in the parlor. Oh. 1 know The girl was looking at him with big. inscrutable eyes. as he halted half ashamed of his own words.
 'I think she said slowly. after little pause. "I think you must have inherited a great. great deal of ignor- ance. Caleb. For during the years while you were a baby. you were too young to acquire very much of it. And you couldn't have acquired all your present stock in the thirty short years since that time. Besides. I don't think even Nature can make a man quite foolish unless he helps her a 1ittle.''
 "It sounds fne." admitted Caleb "But what does it mean? What break have made now? If it was foolish to want you all to myself. always
 Tt wasn't" she interrupted. And you ought to know it wasn't. It."
 Then what
 
 once you were the cleverest man he knew. It made me very happy at the time. And I was nice to him all the rest of the afternoon. But I see now he knew. Let's talk about something else"
 '.But-hold on!" begged Caleb. 'Hon- est. Dey, you ought to think twice be- fore turnin' down a chap like young Hawarden. His fam'ly-'' z
 T told you last week never to talk that way again. said Desiree. with stif1ed break in her voice. Why do you try to make me unhappy?"
 ''Me?" gurgled Caleb in an utter be- wilderment of distress. Why, little girl. I'd cut my head off for you. Please don't get sore on me. I'm no sort or a feller to talk to a girl like you. I'm always sayin' the wrong thing with out even knowin' afterward just what it was that hurt you. An then I wish I had a third foot. so's I could kick myself. It's queer that Nature built men so that they couldn't kick them selves or pat themselves on the back Please be friends again. IT wish there was some tea here could drink. just to show YOU how sorry I am!
 The girls mood had changed. She laughed with such heartiness at his penitential attitude that he all at once felt full forgiveness was granted. If there was a forced note in her gaiety, his dulIer senses did not perceive it.
 "Absolve teY' she intoned. "Im a little cat ever to scratch you: and Pm silly to let perfectly harmless things hurt you. I don't know why do it. Some times don't know my own self any more than if I was a Tristan and number ten sabots. It's just be- cause you're so good and sweet and gentle that walk all over you. Be cause you let me do it I take out all my bad. horrid. nasty tempers on you. And then you look so surprised and things to you: or when tell you you make me feel badly and-oh where is my norninative case? Anyway, you're my deer. old splendid chum. And wouldn't be so cranky to you if I didn't care more for your little finger than for any other mans head. And if you'd only hit me or swear at me now and then. I'd be lots nicer. Why don't you?'
 Caleb. agape. yet grinning in feeble delight, tried to understand part of this rapid-fi speech of penance. AL most wholly failing to grasp her mean ing. he nevertheless gathered that he and that she was once more happy. Hence the weight was off his mind and he rejoiced.
 Gro be Coutiuued.a