The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-11-12

flesh"
II guess the Lord made the fat
as well as the lean"
"Must have been out of lean when
he made me-" laughed Dave.
When Fanny came back from the
yard her mother threw the shim-
mering silk over her shoulder and
saying that she hadn't tended to her
milk pans yet, left the pair together.
Fanny's blush as she smoothed
the silk quickly faded and left her
pale when Dave said significantly:
"Know what day this is, Fan?
A year ago we said we'd fix up some
thing come your next birthday.
That's now"
The girl made an effort to speak
calmly and succeeded.
whenever you say, Dave, will
suit me-"
you've been thinking of me,
Fan, that husband way? And you're
happy"
ooh, yes" she answered, eff it
will make mother and you happy"
"Humph" said the market gar
dener, thoughtfully. "Mother, eh ?"
Dave looked at the girl keenly as
she turned to 60 about the room,
picking up this and that. At last
he said abruptly:
you're sure you amt been think
ing of some one else?"
Sure" she replied.
GIVE got something to tell you,
Fam" said he, turning aside, "and
it's awful hard to tell. 'Twould
kind help me if you'd own you'd
thought just little of some one
else"
The girl went up to him. There
was new look, an eager look in her
eyes.
"Dave, what is it?" she cried.
"What have you to tell"
The big man stood silent.
81 know" she broke out, "you've
been thinking a little about some
one else yourself"
Dave nodded sheepishly.
"That's it." cried Fanny joyously,
'syou like another girl and want to
marry her. But you were going
right on to marry me just because
we'd always said we'd get married.
Oh, Dave, it wouldn't be right"
Eyes, it would" protested Dave,
"if you felt the way you did when
you was little kid"
"But | DON'T" protested Fanny.
"You want to marry some one
else?"
The girl nodded.
"Ah" said Dave, ''that's how it
is; you've changed, too?"
eyes, yes, yes; and | felt so bad.
l thought that you'd gone on-and
/ couldn't tell you the truth. Now
it's all right. Wen always be
brother and sister and we'll both
be happy
81 don't know" said Dave. "Who
is it, Fan. Is it Ed?"
Fanny nodded eyes"
But he's never said anything. l
wouldn't let him while l was en-
gagged to yos."
eds good boy-smart, too,"
said Dave. ''I'll have to explain to
mother, s'pose."
"Will you, Dave" said Fanny,
''and do it right away? You can tell
her who she is.
The market gardener stared.
"Who who Isl"
''The girl you're going to marry,
silly"
"Oh," said simple Dave, I'D for
got about her. Anyhow l don't know
as she'd say yes. l amt spoke to
her yeti
"Of course she'll say yes" de-
clared Fanny, "any woman would
that you asked to marry you. Isn't
it fine! We're both going to be
happy. I feel like singing and
dancing. Don't you?'
Dave looked down at his cum
brous figure and smiled a singular
smile. He didn't have to answer
the question, for Fanny heard her
mothers step in the pantry.
''There's mother. Pm going up
stairs so you can speak to her now.
VII you, Dave"
He smiled at her eagerness and
said of course he would.
The girl ran up to him murmur-
ing:
Don't you be sorry you told me,
Dave. Pm glad you did. 1t would
have been awful to have gone on,
wouldn't it?"
He bowed his head and she dart
ed toward the stairs just as her
mother was entering. Dave snatched
the roll of silk from the table and
held it out toward her. Said he: