The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-12-30

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But, secretly. she did want to see his
house. She had in the back. of her
head a notion that strong, indie
pendent man with house of his own
might not be bad to marry. She had
no idea of wasting her youth in a de-
partment store she intended to
marry.
And as for Gene; he had become
fond of the girl He was, at times.
sure he was in love with her. But he
was by nature deliberate-he never
hurrying a thing. She would get &C.
Quainted with his mother. It even
entered his head that, If she should
care for him and would marry him,
Aunt Molly could have her little
house moved to a corner Of his lot,
and he and his girl wife could have
their ''old folks" under their eyes.
He was a born son.
He noticed that Ebe Fisher was be-
coming more and more frequent,
more and more serious in his atten-
tons to the girl. 1t wakened his sense
of rivalry. And, though he hardly
He wanted her to have a chance to
be quiet at home, to dress her hair
like a real woman. instead Of hair
dresser's dummy, to stop chewing
gum. and talking pert nonsense at
every turn in her path. He wanted
to protect her-even from herself.
He finally decided to ask her to mar
ry him, and to see if she loved him.
His mind dwelt on her bright eye, her
little, wishful smile. She was so
sweet and young-he was sure her
f1ippancy was mere matter OF work
Ing in a store. He did not like the
flippancy. but he thought Il would
vanish when real owe came to her.
These thoughts were subconscious.
One warm evening late in May he
wandered over to her little house. II
the coast was clear he would tell her
all his heart, and, bordering these
things, he entered the small green
yard with It's old-tashioned flowers,
and went upon the little porch. He
knocked, but no one answered. He
could hear Susanna talking in the
kitchen, her voice raised as in argu-
ment, but he did not hear the words.
He knocked again more loudly, with
no response. Then he carelessly
enough sank down in the old rocker
and waited on the porch. Probably
she would come out in minute and
find him and he would tell her.
Then, without warning, he heard
door fly open, and a stream of
words come thick and fast. He did
not mean to listen, but he was SO
stunned that he forgot he was doing
so until it was all over. The girls
voice was sharp and angry.
NO." she said, Il won't ask Gene
to fix it; and can tell you right
now that you can keep out of the
way when he comes! Do you think
he comes to see you? What's eatin'
on you, anyhow, Aunt Mollie? Well,
If / do marry him-and l shall If
he asks me, and he will-you can
bet you needn't think you'll live with
us. Nor his mother. either! I'm no
such fool as that, If l do look easy.
"AdI w yOu Idhc LILO III l 6Adu
keep any old ladies' home, and if
he's countin' on that he's got another
guess comm to him. I'm payin' you
board, but l don't need any chaperon
He's asked me over to see his
mother. I'll go, but bet If we're
ever married she can come over
here and live with you That will be
close enough for mother-in-law,
an"
Without a word Gene rose, went
down the path, and out at the gate,
and straight home.
He did not go near her aagin. One
day she asked him If he was mad"
He said that he was not and asked
what made her think of such a
thing? But his manner was a final
thing. That next day she told him
she was engaged to Ebe Fsher-she
met Gene on the street, and stopped
him with her news. her head very
high.
"Oh," he said. Il shall have to
| wish Joy to you-and the lucky man."
But in his heart, Gene knew that he
himself was the lucky man.