The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-03-26
-rou can do without Waitstill on

"You can do without Waltstill on
this n occasion, better than you can
without me- laughed Mark, pinching
Patty's cheek. "I've given the town
clerk due notice and l have a friend
to meet me ut his office. He is going
to lend Inc his horse for the drive
home, and we shall change back the
next week. That will give us a fresh
horse each way and we'll fly like the
wind, o or no snow. When we
come down Guide Board hill that night.
Patty, we shall be man and wife; isn't
that wonderful"
I'VE shall be man and wife in New
Hampshire, but not in Maine, you
say" Patty reminded him dolefully.
1T does seem dreadful that we cant
be married in u own state and have
to 60 dangling about with this secret
on our minds day and night, but it
can't be helped. You'll try not to even
think of me as your wife till we 60 tG
Portsmouth to live, won't your
you're asking too much when you
say I'm not to think of you as my
wife, for l shall think of nothing else.
but I've given you my solemn prom
ise," said Mark stoutly, land I'll keep
it as sure as l live. Well be legally
married by the laws Of New Hamp-
shire, but we won't think of it as a
marriage till l tell your father and
mine and we drive away once more to-
gether. That time it will be in the
sight of everybody. with u heads in
the air. I've got the little house in
Portsmouth all ready, Patty. It's small,
but it's in a nice part of the town.
Portsmouth is a pretty place, but it'll
be a great deal prettier when it has
Mrs. Mark Wilson living in it.. We
can be married over again in Maine
afterward if your heart is set upon it.
I'm willing to marry you in every
state of the Union so far as I am
concerned"
II think you've been so kind and
good and thoughtful. Mark. dear" said
Patty, more fondly and meltingly than
she had ever spoken to him before.
"and so clever too. I do respect you
for getting that good position in Ports
mouth and being able to set up for
yourself at your age. l shouldn't won
der a bit If you were a judge some
day and then what a proud girl ]
shall be!!'
Patty's praise was bestowed none
too frequently, and it sounded very
sweet in the young mans ears.
II do believe l can get on with you
to help me. Patty" he said. pressing
her arm more closely to his side and
looking down ardently into her radiant
face. you're Il great deal cleverer
than l am, but l have a faculty for the
business Of the law. so my father says,
and a faculty for money making too.
And ven if we have to begin in IA
small way my salary will he a certain
ty, and We'll work up together. l can
see you in Il yellow satin dress stiff
enough to stand alone!'
at must be white satin, if you
please, not yellow! After having used
a hundred and ten yards of shop worn
yellow calico on myself within two
years l never want to wear that color
again! If only l could come to you
better provided" she sighed. with the
suggestion of tears in her voice. IF
I'd been a common servant l could
have saved something from my wages
to be married on. l haven't even got
anything to be married in"
"Ill get you anything you want in
Portland tomorrow"
Certainly not; I'd rather be married
in rags than have you spend your
money upon ME beforehand"
Remember to have a box Of your
belongings packed and slipped under
the shed somewhere. You can't be GER
tain what your father will say or do
when the time comes for telling him.
and l want you to be ready to leave
on a moments notice..
II will; I'll do everything you say.
Mark. But are you sur that we have
thought of every other way? l do SO
hate being underhanded. Everything
uCpCAAo VII LILY ~ ~ CNlCI AAOHI
Waitstill, but she doesn't suspect any
thing yet. She thinks Of me as moth
ing but a child still. Do you suppose
Ellen would go with us just to give me
a little comfort? l shouldn't miss Wait
still so much If l had Ellen, and how
happy l shall be If she approves of
me for a sister and thinks your mother
and father will like me in time
There never was a creature born
into the world that wouldn't love you.
Patty"
Il don't know; look at Aunt Abby
Cole,' said Patty ~pensively. well, it
does not seem as If a marriage that
isn't good in Riverboro was really de-
e n How tiresome of Maine to want
all those days of public notice: people
must so often want to get married in
a minute. If l think about anything
too long l always get out of the no
ton"
81 know you do. That's what Pm
afraid Of" And Marks voice showed
decided nervousness. You won't get
out of the notion of marrying me, will