Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-08-05
A BASHFUL MANS
LOVE STORY
How He Came to Win the
Girl of His Choice.

| hehTu TIC WOrub dCTObb the Bhruou
wall. / am Henry Teale. The speak
or was Kate Harker, who was talking
with her cousin, Marion browne.
But he knows things" replied Mar
ION.
what matters 1t II he does He Is
too bashful and reserved to tell what
he knows. There isn't a girl In the
place who doesn't dread to be left
alone with him."
Don't you think some of them
might overcome their aversion IL he
should suddenly become wealthyT
81 don't think could stand him II
he were worth
was lying In a hammock In the
back yard reading. 1 got up and went
Into the house, but as this scrap of
conversation occupied but few mo
ments / could not very well avoid
hearing 1t. To do myself justice, did
not wish to hear myself discussed.
Kate Harker's remarks were intensely
painful to me, 80 painful that 1 re-
solved to leave the place of my birth
and go forth into the great world, hop
, ing to forget them.
did not forget them, but had tho
constituencies knocked out of me very
quickly. made money, made it out
Of nothing, and to do this was oblig-
ed to master my feelings. ITO those
who have shall be given" and by the
death of an aunt 1 inherited for
tune. 1 owned the little tumbledown
house with the acre of ground about
1t In which had lived with my moth
err, and since she was no longer living
resolved to go back and dispose of
II. The day after my arrival rugged
a hammock in the back yard and lay
down In 1t with a cigar and a book.
Pretty soon / heard voices over the
wall.
Have you seen htmr
Eyes; l was peeping through the
blinds when he came"
1 recognized the first voice as that Of
Marion, the second as that of Kate
This was all heard, for the two girls
passed out of hearing.
In the evening called on my neigh
Dor. Kate Harker received me as If
were her oldest and best friend, MAX
Ing no attempt to conceal the favor I
had found In her eyes since she had
pronounced me a gawk. Marion was
very reserved. Indeed, had been as
unsophisticated as when I had heard
her say "But he knows things!"
should have concluded that she had
turned against me. But man can't
make money without gaining a knowl-
edge of human nature. 1 suspected
that Marion now held aloof from
Itx.fr kInA .a. Y l. n
sirable catch" it was not her place to
court me.
"You young ladies must be more
careful as to your words" said. BE
fore went away / overheard scrap
of conversation with regard to me that
gave me great pain"
Both looked at me uneasiiy.
you two were talking In the gar
den.- One said, He's gawky the 9TH
er, But he knows thingsy"
The two girls looked at each other
inquiringly.
Il remember no such conversation"
said Kate. Marion was silent.
"Do you, Marion7" asked.
mo, but candor compels me to say
that at that time the criticisms were
just"
'The first surely was, though 1 am
not 30 certain about the second But
the business of 1t all could have no
effect on boy of nineteen. 1 have for
years felt harshly toward the one who
called me gawk and kindly to her
who said But he knows thingsp"
Then you recognized their voices"
said Kate, paling slightly. "Ten us
who called you gawk."
II may have attributed the remark
to the wrong girl, but to whomsoever
/ toss this pin let her stand accused"
Taking pearl pin from my scarf, I
tossed 1t to Marion.
The distress on Marion's face was
painful to see. Kate blushed, and the
guilty look on her face was equally
distressing. She struggled with her
self to take the blame that she knew
belonged to her, but without success
waited to see IL Marion would place
1t where 1t belonged, but she did not.
She handed my pin back to me.
Keep 1t as token that you are for
given" / said.
But she was resolute, and at last
placed the jewel again in my scarf
I waited week, leaving the girls
free, the one to assume her just bur-
den, the other to place 1t upon her
friend. paid Kate marked attention
and treated Marion with Indifference
had learned selfishness myself, but
admired that sense of honor which \
prevented Marion from throwing the.
blame on Kate. Meanwhile took sat
isfaction In Marion's distress. The
fact of having called me a gawk was
nothing to her discredit. l knew that
1t was the loss of my favor that pain
ed her
Marion" said one day, shave you
repented having called me gawkp
She gave me no reply.
"Well, you had better dismiss the
matter from your mind. In the first
place, was not only gawk, but a
ninny. In the second, 1t was not you
who spoke the word, but Kate. In
the third, love you and want you to |
go back with me as my wife"
SO indignant was she at the pain I |
had given her that she kept me wait
Ing year and then only consented on |
condition that I apologize.