Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-09-15

ricture: and something of the outer
color, the change OF the year. touched
her.
7 can't sing your song-any song
and she turned to him suddenly with
lcuSlter in her eyes My throat IS
very painful" she added and laughed
'Zee"-and he drew still nearer, SO
that he could have put out his naad
and touched her.
Please" she begged. grave again,
please forget all about the song-ano
me! I wish you to-very much There
are reasons great many reasons
why you must forget all about the song
you liked, and everything that l may
suggest to you. Won't you believe me
-please?"
There can't be any reasons that
make any difference"
You can be kind If you WILL" she
said, and merciful"
There is a reason; there is myself
I'm not fit to call your name or to
stand near you. 1 have little to offer;
but love you, Zee"-and the sincerity
of his plea touched her. so that SIZE did
not speak for a moment. but stood
staring at the rain beaten pane with
eyes that saw nothing.
You could spare me-if you would
she said.
i would give my life for you" he
answered, steadily, unyieldingly. But
I can't let you put me aside-for any
idle fears or doubts. You must tell me
what troubles you; you have not told
me that you did not care. L shall not
go until you tell me what 1t is that
-
one or the other"
She looked at him suddenly; 1t would
be easy to say that she did not care;
but her eyes filled at the thought, and
she turned to the window again. The
beat Of hoofs upon the hard street
struck her with a sense of the worlds
vastness and the wind in the cedars
sang like a mournful prophet of the
! coming winter She could not tell him
that he meant nothing to her. when he
meant so nearly all; but if she should
set up a barrier. it might be enough
and he would go.
You know we have had trouble
that my father has met with losses
and he needs me. My duty is here:
that must be a sufficient reason"
NO" he said, instantly, that is not
reason at all, Zee. You re doing for
your father all that you could be asked
to do-and I should not ask you to do
less"
.I must do all I can" she said.
There must be no question of loyalty.
And now'-she turned to him smil-
| ing-''it's very disagreeable outside;
let US be cheerful indoors"
| Zee" he began, gravely, I'm not so
easily dismissed as that There's somc-
| thing that I want to say. that I
! shouldn't dare say to you, If 1 did not
| love you. l knew months so that you
were showing a cheerful face to the
world while you suffered"
Please, oh, pleased" and she lifted
her hands to her face. 1T is not kind.
| You must not!"
You made light of things that you
knew were good; you said things often
that you did not mean; but you were
| brave and strong and fine. l under
| stood it, Zee. But now that is all out
| of the way. There is no use in think
Ing about it any more"
mo; but you must know that talk
ed to you as I did because-oh, because
1 hated goodness! l tried to hate 1t.
It was because-fa ther-but / mustn't
| speak of it,"
I understand all about that. Zee"
! But l am very old"-she went on
| pityingly; I am very old, and my girl
Eood-it all went away from me last
year-and every day l had to act a
part and I did sc many foolish things
| -yCu must have thought
That | loved you. Zee" he dec'a res
refusing to meet her On the ground she
sought
The sweetest thing in the world,
sho said, must be-not to know-oi
evil; not to know" and there was the
T~nt-up heartache of year in the sigh
that broke from her.
Yes; 1t was all too bad. Zee: but
Wen find better things ahead-Tu
sure of It."
She was not ready to look into the
future. Her mind was still busy with
the year that had just ended.
I said so many tkinss that I die
not mean, sometimes, and 1 was hard
on you, when you meant to be so kind;
but I'm sorry now
You were a little hard on me now
and then, but think liked It Some
day 1 shall laugh about it"
cessful man." she said. slowly. AM
now let us be good friends"
She turned as though to sit dowr
d be quit of disagreeable topic for.
ever, but he drew a step nearer ana
took her hands.
'Zee"-and the smile was all gone
from his eyes-"there isn't any suct
easy escape for you. Your reasons art
| a oil IA
there is to say, haven't you? But you
haven't said that you do not love me
If you will say that l shall so away
and If that is so 1 must know it now
She struggled to free her hands, bu
he held them tight She drew ava.
from him. her face very white.
Suddenly she raised her eyes an
looked at him.
You must let me so. I can't tell yo
why; but there can be nothing betweei
you and me-"
Il love you, Zee" he said. steadily
any trouble-if your father has me
with some new difficulty"
"Oh, you don't understand 1t ism
father-alone-I mean. I can't tell 70
Il can't speak of tit was my moth
|
story; but there is a fate in thes
: things! It's not that I don't believe
you: it's because I have grown afrai
} of happiness, And it is all so strang'
: that you and 1 should meet here an
: that I should have hurt you last sum
| mer-maybe-as my mother hurt you
l father, And that was before I knee
' their story"
Il love you, Zee" he said, simpl
: and sincerely. as a man speaks VIII
D does not use words lightly. He put hi
T arms about her and drew her close
him. The tears sprang into his eyes Il
he saw how wholly she yielded he
\ girls's heart to him and how little the1
i remained to win. He felt her breat
broken with happy little sobs, again'
his face.
We have our own life to live, Zee
there is nc fate that is stronger tina
! love-" he said.
?