The Holbrook news., 1911-07-28

Her very gentleness disconnected the young man, and he sat in be- wildered silence.
 q suppose you thought a wife would be less expensive than a house keeper, especially as she would some day bring you a good farm, also?
 "But understand one thing, Fred Rumford, I am not that wifei I can never call a place home where I can not keep a pet or plant a flower or breathe free breath"
 With the utmost coolness she drew from her finger the inexpensive little ring and held 1t out to him.
 You must find some one else for the-position," she said, walking de liberately into the house.
 If the girl felt any sorrow for the shattering of her dreams she con cealed 1t admirably. She tended her flowers, petted the yellow cat ostenta- tiously, and watched to see Fred Rum ford follow her advice.
 But the utmost he did was to give the iron dog a new coat of shiny black paint that caused it to stand forth with increased conspicuousness. Never once in the months that followed did he acknowledge her existence by sign or word.
 One beautiful spring day the cat Chris had failed to come to his din ner. Jennie, peering anxiously about the premises, heard distressed cat voice from the Rumford front yard.
 There, high up on a branch of the huge maple, sat Chris crying dis ma1ly.
 What could be done? She was alone in the house; yet Chris must be res cued at any cost He had recently been lamed in trap, and some dog had evidently driven him up the tree.
 With wildly beating heart, Jennie ventured into the neighboring yard.
 Come down, Kitty! Come down, Chris!" she coaxed cautiously, yet en- ticingly. But Chris, intimidated by his crippled state. glanced at his mistress and then at the fierce iron dog, and remained obdurate.
 'Oh, you foolish creature, it is only an iron dog" she laughed at last, half ready to cry.
 Can I help you?g asked familiar voice so near 1t made her start
 "Oh, do you think you could get him?" questioned the girl, flushing fu- riously, and pressing her hands against the tree for support.
 For answer, he silently procured ladder, mounted to the tree, and gent ly lifted the frightened Chris to his shoulder. Being a cat of wide ex- perience, Chris allowed himself to be returned to his mistress arms with out struggle.
 Thank you very much," murmured Jennie, feeling exceedingly uncomfort- able. "I am so sorry to have made you so much trouble"
 But Rumford laid his hand on the gate detainingly as she would have passed through.
 See here, Jennie, .Pve-rve wanted to talk with you, but I did not quite dare to presume upon calling"
 The girl raised her eyes for a mo- ment to his embarrassed face, and dropped them again, hastily.
 When you gave this back to me-" he went on, taking from an inner pocket the little ring she had once worn, "T meant to do exactly as you told me. I was terribly angry, for what you said was mostly true. Ihad thought much more about getting a housekeeper than I had about having you in particular And I thought it manly for a man to manage his own home. But when it came to having some one else in your place. could not do that, Jennie. I've learned a great deal these long winter months here alone, dear. I've learned"
 He paused as if unable to express what was in his heart.
 better than to let a yellow cat and an iron dog come between me and the dearest girl in the world" he fin ished, with a tender little smile.
 Jennie smiled too, with sudden un- derstanding.
 Do you think you could trust me after the glimpse gave you of what I can be Hke?" he asked, very hum- bly.
 "Oh, oht" she protested, holding out her hands.
 He grasped them eagerly. looking deep into her eyes. Then with an ex- clamat1on Of Joy, he slipped the ring on her finger, and gathered her-Chris and all-into his arms.
 Later in the afternoon, Mrs. Grey passing through her empty house, paused at the sitting room window.
 For the good land!" she calculated in utter astonishment, ''if the iron dog ain't been movedI And if Fred Rum ford ain't spading up a flower bed along the front of the house. with Jennie and Chris sitting on the end of the piazza bossing it.
 'T'd never have believed such meek little thing could have done 1t! But guess I don't need to worry about her, If she does marry Rum ford.
 And I wonder" added the good woman, turning back toward the pan