Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-27

which Will 1uOuC0 poOQlo " COAIlAoS
they do to the moving picture show.
white neck, turning her cheeks deep
er pink. and dyeing even the little
coral ears.
well, Mason? she asked.
ri was only thinking" replied.
that you are inexpressibly lovely and
that-well, am glad that asked you
Yesterday, FOR I should never dare to
do 1t now"
oh" said Nancy. very softly, and
bent with sudden industry over her
work.
"You know" I said at length. trying
to speak evenly, that you said you
would tell me today"
Nancy's silk got into an unexpected
snarl, and she set intently about right.
ing it. was not sure that she had
heard me. A little breeze whispered
over the blossoms; sapsucker hutter-
ed from nearby tree,to the one over
our heads, running in dizzy spirals
about a big branch, and stopping to
peer at us with his yellow striped head
held hesitant.
.What have you decided" I re-
peated. Can you find it in your heart
to marry me, Nancy?"
To my surprise Nancy smiled at me.
what do you think" she asked.
,'T think" I said, that want you
more than heaven, that can give you
such love as only a starved man can
give. that somehow, In some way, with
Gods help, can make you happy. But
I think too that am asking too much
Of YOU. am bound by your uncle's
terms. which it may or may not be
right for me to break to stay here out
of the way OF the world. have moth
Ing to offer you, nothing at ALL To
marry me would be perhaps to bury
yourself here with mo, to lose touch
with things, to cramp your life in many
ways, to exile yourself from all the
laughter and little gaieties OF the
world, the myriad precious trivialities
that make life for q woman worth
while. You have seen so little OF the
Joy Of things, the sweetness OF things,
and the happy, careless fun OF Things.
that you are too innocent Of life itself
to change them for the nothing I have
to offer. But oh, Nancy, can't help
loving you, loving you and wanting
you"
She got slowly to her feet and stood
straightly proud before me.
is that all?" she asked.
"All?" I repeated vaguely.
ayes" said Nancy, because, II 1t 10.
want you to listen. You do not know
very much about women. Mason; moth.
ing at all about me- Bury me here,
you say? Take me away from the
light and joyous and pretty things that
women love? Offer me nothing IN re-
turn? Do you think, can you truly
think, that to be here with you would
be that? oh. I know what have
missed In life. little kindness, little
friendships, little loves; but take them
all together and what are they worm
These things do not spell lie 70 a
woman, Mason. It Is the great frlend
and the great love that she wants.
Home and man, whose world she 49,
love and understanding, the laughter
and tears Of real everyday life, with
the great life of every day, the secure
tranquility OF night time, hand to
touch in the dark and true eyes to look
into in the light, these are the things
that make her horizon. Nothing to
offer, Mason? No man can give a
woman any more.
She threw out her hands with a
little gesture as she finished and
caught them in both my own, till she
swayed to me- hiding her misty eyes
against my breast.
Nancy I whispered, and again
breathlessly, Nancy" and STOPPING, l
gathered her up in my arms. All un-
afraid her lips met mine at last.
When we had been sitting for a
long time under the tree together,
and when we had planned our lives to
very eternity itself, and had been
scolded and berated and forgiven for
nv blindness and stupidity, and the
bird had flown away and come back
to us again, sudden and practlcai
question occurred to me.
"What? said Nancy, taking her
hand abruptly from my shoulder and
pushing herself of at arms length. /.
But l was not to be twice chlded
with cowardice.
II can't see any gain" I said. In
waiting. II you are to marry me at
all. why shouldn't you marry me right
away"
"Well" said Nancy, we'll"
..well what ~ asked. "1f you have
any good reason, you'd better tell me-"
A little smile stirred at the corners
of Nancy's mouth.
mo girl living" she said. would
consent to being married out OF hand
like that. II you want to marry me,
Mason. you must wait for me-"
"wait?" repeated blankly.
Yes" said Nancy, until tomorrow.
and settled back again into the place
she had left.
CHAPTER VIII.
Unjust go. I felt, that very afternoon
for our marriage license. Now that