The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-02-04
CHAPTER u.
IN Love Successful.

y
at a somewhat interesting and 1mpor'
tant moment of their lives. you Ger
tainly do not mean to say-to tell me
to tell me! Why"
He ceased. a gasp in his throat at
the unbelievable efrontery of the
woman who faced him in this situa-
ton. All he had asked Of her was to
marry him. And she had hesltated.
1t was a thing incredible!
It was Mr.. Rawn, our hero. 1t could
have been almost no one else who
could have sustained precisely this at
titude at precisely such a time.
AS to the young woman herself, who
now turned a somewhat pale face to
one side as she left her hand in his,
she might have been any one Of many
thousand others in that city. Her hair
was brown, her features regular
enough, her complexion. nondescript,
her garb non-committal. Not person
of ancient lineage, you would have
said. or Of much education in the
worlds ways, or Of much worldly
goods-these things do not always
come to a saleswoman of twenty-five,
whose salary is six dollars week.
Yet her face had in it now a very
sweet sort of womanliness, her mouth
tender droop to it.
He leaned again toward her. insis-
tent, frowning, imperious. This was
as she had planned. What, then.
lacked? If she had sought for some
strong man to sweep her from her
calm, why was she now SO calm?
"You surely do not stop to consid-
err" he renewed. why, look at mel"
Laura Johnson did stop to consider.
She wanted to be. a wife, loved,
cherished, supported, comforted and.
protected. And certainly she could
choose only among the opportunities
offered her. This was her first oppor-
tunity. It might be her last.
She sighed a trifle as she laid aside
the garment Of her girlhood. which
had kept her sweet and clean for i've
and twenty years She folded both
her worn and rather bony hands, put
them both in his, and said, with
little smile that ought to have wrung
his heart, 'eWell, John, Tiff it must
bel"
John Rawn, then, married Laura
Johnson, and they lived unhappily
ever after. That is to say, she did.
AS for her lord, he did not notice his
wife to any great extent after once
they had settled down together, but
came to regard her as one Of those in
cidents of life which classify with
food, clothing, the need of sleep.
He was a solemn man in his home,
or at least for the most part silent
eHe ate all the beefsteak there was on
the table when there was but enough
for one, which latter often was the
case. for his wife had need to be fru--
gal. At times he would purchase
solitary ticket to, the theater and go
alone. Yet he was generous, and al
ways after his return home he would
with fine feeling tell his wife what he
had seen.
After the birth Of Grace Rawn, their
daughter, which occurred within the
first year Of. their welded life, Laura
Rawn had something. to interest her
for the remainder of their days. Her
horizon widened now immeasurably;
indeed to the extent Of giving her
world OF her own wherein she could
dwell apart quite comfortably; one
in which her husband had no part
Simple and just in her way' Of thought,
she accepted the truth that without
married life, without her husband.
hundred dollars was as important es
young .Haisey's original idea; which
latter Mr.. Rawn had also appropri-
ated.
So now these two brought very
considerable bundles Of copper wire
and other things, and made several
machines Of this and the other shape,
and tried divers experiments. In all
this work young Halsey's manual skill
and technical training continually was
in quest, John Rawn for the most part
standing by and frowning heavily,
watching Jacob labor for the earning
sof Rachel. for Halsey knew this sur
render Of his idea was the price of
Grace. Halsey had little hope Of ulti-
mate success in his appliances. Not
80 Rawn. He had something akin to
a feeling OF certainty.
Differing thus-yet who shall say
they were not partners. after all, since
all these things we're true regarding
them?-they at last emerged from the
woodsaed In Kelly Bow. after many
long weeks. They carried tato the
front rooR OF the Rawn house in AeF
Iy Row smayI machine, wnfca pres
entity was TO 20 large things. This
novel and mysterious little machine |
with glass jar underneath. many
coils and wheels within, and an odd. |
soothed crest of little upreaching (
metal fingers, had been produced only |