The Pleasantville press., 1912-12-25

sleigh bells, the merry crowd was on
its way home. Tom had proved his
mettle by outstripping every team on
the road, and the two now had clear
track home. There was no need to
hurry, and the mace became slower
and the conversation more animated.
John was using the full tremolo stop
and his voice quivered, but Mary's
was clipper and light as air. At last
with gulp he choked back the lump
thatN was rising in his throat and
plunged into the subject that was de-
vouring him with anxiety.
"Mary, you know very well how
much l care for you, / need not tell
you that you are everything to me;
don't you care some little for me? 2"
"You don't think that would drive
around with you all winter if ] didn't
like you, do you? You have always
been friend to me, and there is no
one I respect any more"
"That is not it, have you no other
feeling but respect for me, don't you
like me more than anyone else?"
John continued.
This time Mary lodged. "John, ]
begin to feel cold, can't you hurry up
Tom a little so we may get home. ?''
"Never mind the cold, will bring
| the blankets around you little closer,
and l am sure you will be warm en-
ough." He was driving with one
hand now.
"John, like my mother better than
| any other person living" she par
ried.
20, that is different. Of course
you love your mother, so do l, but dc
you like me better than any other
young man you know?"
"I have never sat down and figured
just how much / liked each one, that
would be a pretty hard thing to do
and you know | am usually very
busy" she said with mischievous
little curl in her voice.
! But John was now in full earnest
and could not be turned from the sub
ject. He turned his face full toward
her, "Mary, we have known each
other since childhood, you know what
/ am, only a plain man, but there is
no one in the world love half as
| we'll as you, and cannot you make up
your mind to love me just little p
"Why John, love all my friends
a great deal"
"Mary, will you be my wife, and
let me love you all my life, if f"
Just at this point one runner slid
up on the hard crust Of high drift
and the next moment Mary was land
ed, blankets and all, in the snow,
while John struggled with Tom, who
had supposed it to be signal to hur-
ry off home. For the next ten min
utes it was a battle royal between
horse and driver Sometimes up
sometimes down in the snow, John
managed to keep hold of the reins,
while the frail sleigh was lunging
back and forth a mere plaything in
the tussle. Finally Tom was brought
to understand that it was all an acci-
dent, and trembling from head to
Ihoof, was securely tethered to a
strong post, while John hurried back
to find his tantalizing bit of silk and
furs snugly huddled away in huge
bank of snow, with scarcely more
visible than a few ribbons, pair Of
eyes and bit of red cheek. He stood
over her but made no move.
"Why don't you help me up? Why
do you stand there looking at me?'
she said
II am waiting for your answer" he
simply said.
"You are cruel, keeping me here in
the cold," she pleaded.
"It doesn't take long to say Yes
or NO. does it ?" he added.
"Come, John, don't be silly"-this
in the way of a banter.
"Never more earnest in my life"
"How long are you going to let me
stay here?" she queried.
"Until you say either Yes or No"
There was little spell of silence.
She knew she was now on the defen-
sive, then with cute httle quaver in
her voice, she said:
"Well, Yes then, if you must
know" and the next moment she was
in his arms, blankets and all, and on
the way toward the sleigh. She al
ways said he held her much tighter
than was at all necessary, but he
stoutly denied it, but later in life
when they drove by the spot he would
throw his thumb over his shoulder
toward the bend in the road where
the snow drift had been, would laugh
and say nothing.
| One of their grandchildren is still
with US, and of great grandchildren
there are a plenty, but we doubt
whether the story Of the study in
Snow interests any of them great
deal.
E.o~. TIL uIoo,,ax,er Cb1++Ia