Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-09

crying shame. a case of barter, and it
seemed surprising of the Hewisons to
allow it. Yet every one agreed that
Mrs. Clarence Brooke had summed up
the matter we'll when she stated her
opinion at the Troubridge Woman's
club. Il should like you to tell me" said
that eminent lady, what else Adelaide
Hewison could do? She has been so
long in the market, n they are actu-
ally SO Door. that a successful green
lily. AT least they can be assured Of
vegetables for dinner in the future.
He is ten years older. by no means
handsome, and his grammar is faulty;
yet Adelaide might do worse. There
are no eligibles of her own class in
Troubridge. The town is getting as
barren OF men as a mothers meeting"
The "green-grocer,' a commission
merchant with the largest business of
its kind in the town, Hugh Travis by
name, called punctually at the Hewison
mansion every night at half-past eight
and left with equal promptness at
ten.
The wedding was 10 be no mean aft
fair.
The night before Adelaide and her low
er sat alone in the cold majesty of the
Hewison dining room. 1t vas getting
late and there had fallen upon them an
awkward silence.
Il iOSG ~ IdSl, anu. WIN IL lew IltT-
vous sentences Of farewell, made prep
aration to depart.
The girl turned quickly from her
rather l~istless contemplation of the fire.
please come back. There is some
thing l want to say to you"
He sat down and looked at her
steadily.
What I am going to say she con-
tfnued hastily, sis very Unnecessary and
foolish and sentimental, no doubt. but
still l think it is only fair, and WE'LL
honorable. l had a letter last week
from Eustace Willing. Did you ever
hear OF him or his career in Trou-
of my friends told you about him. she
continued.
You forget he said quietly. that
your friends are not NINE"
Her color ~deepened.
Well, then. l must tell you He was
in fathers office for a while. We were
cousins in a way, and later we be-
came-fond of each other. We were
never engaged-like the rest of us, and
1t was impossible. Finally he went to
India and 1 stayed here. and you met
me at the club n night, and you
know the rest"
She paused.
Yes" he said slowly. II know the
rest, u this letter. What was in the
letter.
The color died from her face. She
dropped her head. 1T says-he is to
be married, a rich wife-and he wishes
me happiness"
If the letter had been different-if
he had asked. If he-don't you UNDER
stand?"
She covered her eyes with her hands,.
and he saw his diamond flash in the
soft light.
Dor .H;13s ~ r. --:1 B.. 49,. l-..-.
rough voice, lis it as bad as that"
She shivered as he spoke. please
go away. l will marry O as / prom
Used tomorrow. only now, please go. /
will be all right tomorrow. l will never
intrlde this thing again. We can be
good friends. Few marriages amount
TO more anyway"
II viii go in a few minutes he said.
and his voice made her lift her head
With II sudden fear.
His ann had changed. He seemed
possessed of some new dignity. and
his voice was very gentle.
Let me tell you a story also. Have
you never wondered why l was SO will
Ing to take the little you offered me
in the way cf-affection? Did You
-aink I was blind TO our half-hearted-
aess and deaf to ali the nonsense the
w folks have been talking these last
'iE months? OF course. l knew you
HNiN pow, uIIQ lllIllSS were III Il DAD
.vay: still until tonight thought ii was
ust pride you We're suffering from.
{ clint know you loved nothc man"
She made n frightened gesture of
dissent. but he went on steadily:
Il neve! had much to do with wom-
N. so know little about them: but
he-e was n girl that l was going
o tel! You of. She wasn't of your
lass. She lived up in the country
Where / came from. and we were child
ZEN together. Both OF us were poor,
md had had hard times. but she the
hardest.
"At last left the place and came
Town here. had a tough fight. There
was many a day / had never a decent
meal and many a night when Jump
ing iii the river seemed the only thing
left To do: but 1 did pull through, and
made money finally. and now. AS you
say. I've he biggest business in the
town.
Il had never forgotten the gili. and
she. poor thing. used TO write me every
week to cheer me up and keep me GO
ing while she vas dying by inches. l
didn't know it YOU see.
AT last. when the worst was over
for me. 1 went up there, but it was too
late: nothing could save her. Hard
work and Door food. and the long, cold
winters had crushed out her life.
Il stayed with her until she died.
and did what l could. You see, she had
always cared for me. and it used to
please her in those days to lie and fam
cy the future, and dream n plan for
me.
One day, by chance. l showed her
some local papers that had pictures in
them. Something about a dance.
think. Among. them was u photo
graph.
She picked out the prettiest of them
all. and grew mighty fond OF it. It's
the face of the woman you must mar
ry," she would say, good, and sweet.
and lovely
"At last sha diod and I o~. 49,