The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-02-04
CHAPTER II.
In love Successful.

"But, my dear-but Laura, you don't
stop to think" exclaimed certain
young man to a certain young woman.
at a. somewhat interesting and impor-
tant moment of their lives. you Ger
tainly do not mean to say-to tell me
to tell me! Why"
He ceased. gasp in his throat at
the unbelievable effrontery OF the
woman who faced him in this situa-
ton. All he had asked OF her was 10
marry him. And she had hesitated.
1t was thing incredible!
It was Mr.. Rawn, our hero. It could
have been almost no one else who
could have sustained precisely this at
titude at precisely such 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 nondescrlpt,
her garb non-committal. Not a person
of ancient lineage, you would have
said, or of much education in the
worlds ways, or Of much worldly
soods-these things do not always
come to a saleswoman Of twenty-five,
whose salary is six dollars a week.
Yet her face had in it now very
sweet sort Of woman1iness, her mouth
a tender droop to it.
He leaned again toward her. 1nsls-
tent, frewning, 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. 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 trife 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 a
little smile that ought to have wrung
his heart, 'sWell, 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
~He 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 a
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 a
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
,of 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
so Rawn. He had something akin to
a feeling OF certainty.
Differing thus-yet who shall say
they were not partaers. after all, since
ali these things we're trae regarding
them2-they at last emerged from the
woodshed IN Kelly Bow. after many
long weeks. They carried tnto the
front rooa OF the Rawn house in ReF
Iy Row q smaII machine, wnin pres
emily was 10 DO large things. THIS
novel and rT,yefossiN,na Nt41o machine