The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-02-22


New York that could tempt me away
from you"
Mr.. Gray squeezed the little hand
she had laid in his broad palm and
looked qulzzically into her blue eyes.
How about anybody in Elmwood,
BessT' he asked
81 don't want to marry anybody
flashed Elizabeth tearfuly. II want
to stay right here all my life"
That evening Norman Ryder drove
over to see Elizabeth Gray, and such
is the contrarinesS OF womankind.
that he who had always found favor in
her eyes. now appeared to be awkward
and provincial In manner and speech.
as compared TO the snowy youths she
had met when visiting her uncle. AL
though he was bigger and broader
and handsomer than any OF the city
bred youths. almost the first words he
uttered seemed to place him in differ
ent class.
$50 you knew | had returned, Nor
MANI" she asked. Withdrawing her
hands from his close grasp
YES. yes!' he had cried delightedly.
and il was that characteristic double
affirmative uttered with slight twang
that drew thin veil of discord be.
tween them. There was something
about the expression that smacked
strongly Of the rustic; that. with the
twang and the equally favored double
negative. mo. MOI" seemed to place
Norman Ryder among the farmers and
dairymen who formed the community
about Emwood
Elizabeth hated herself for shudder-
ing every time Norman spoke with n
twang, hG, sue couldn't help 1t. She
was angry with him for speaking So
her father did not, nor did any OF their
neighbors. 1t was carelessness on
Norman's part and 1t grated on her
sensibilities.
II thought perhaps you'd answer
my letters" he said rather ruefully.
as he drew his chair near the glowing
stove, but l expect you were pretty
busy studying your music. I'm going
to ask you to play some Of your cas-
steal pieces for me by and by"
"Of course l will" said Elizabeth. 81
didn't write to anybody here except
father and mother. and they said
she paused with sudden confusion.
II guess they said came over here
most every night while you were
gone" he grinned happily. "They let
me read your letters-and that was
next best TO getting 'em myself"
Il didn't promise you I'd write,s
protested Elizabeth. rather stifIly.
mo. nor he uttered quickly, ex.
onerating her from blame. "But-but
i kind of thought you might answer
one OF 'em, and so kept on writing"
II was glad to hear from you, and
suppose 1t was mean of me never to
answer any of them. but did mother
give you the messages sentT'
Eyes, yes. And that was somethingw
He looked so happy and so handsome
that Elizabeth had to harden her heart
against the magic Of his dark eyes.
Every time that nasal twang smote on
her ear she WINGED. and after awhile
she grew to counting the times he
said Eyes. yes" and mo, nor II he
would only break himself OF using
those expressions. But of course he
could not know how they sounded.
Everybody In Elmwood used them ex-
cept n few persons like the minister
and the doctor and lawyer and her
own father. Outsiders laughed and
called 1t part of the dialect of Buffum
county.
When Elizabeth asked him II she
should play for him Norman said
"Yes. yesw and when she asked IL
he had had enough music he cried
hastily mo. nor until her nerves
were all a-jangle.
AT last he arose TO go. and there
was a very tender look in his down
bent eyes as he fingered his hat
There was something wanted to
say TO you, Bess. l wonder if l bet |
ter say 1t now? i guess you know
what 1t is" He looked steadily at her.
Elizabeth did not hesitate. She was
angry with him for his rustic WAYS
and provoked at herself because she |
was too narrow minded to overlook |
them.
II don't believe you better say IT,"
she said deliberately. her eyes on the
small shoe that tapped the carpet.
Ills race whitened underneath the |
bronze. and there was a stricken look |
In his eyes. II hardly dared TO hope
much since ] heard you were coming
home. but before you went away
He choked little and asked her a
question. "WilI you tell me why.