The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-02

what I stumbled upon-1 wedding ring
for a hand l have held ever since It
was a baby's. My sister ms a hus-
band. and am not v SIRE Of his
| name"'
"Waity. Waity, don't take it 50 to
heart" and Patty flung herself on her
knees beside Waitstilr's chair. mot till
you hear everything. When ! tell you
all you will dry your eyes and smile
and be happy about me. and you will
know that in the whole world there is
no one else In my love or my life but
you and my-my husband!"
"Who Is the husband?" asked Wait.
still dryly as h wiped her eyes and
leaned her elbow OF the table.
"Who could it be but Mark? Has
there ever been any one but Mark?"
II should have said that there were
several in these past few months"
WaitstilPs tone showed clearly that
she was still grieved and hurt beyofd
her power to conceal.
II have never thought of marrying
any n but Mark. and not even of
marrying him till a little while ago.
said Patty. Now do not draw away
from me and look out Of the window
as if we were not sisters or you will
break my heart.
Turn your eyes to mine and believe
in me. Waity, while l tell you every
thing. as I have so longed to do all
these nights and days. Mark and l
have loved each other for a long, long
time. 1t was only play at first. but we
were young and foolish and did not I'M
derstand what was really happening
between u.s."
"You are both of you only a few
months older than when you were
young and foolish" objected Wait
still.
Eyes, we are-years and years! Five
weeks ago 1 promised Mark that l
would marry him. But how was l
ever to keep my word publicly? You
have noticed how insultingly father
treats him of late, passing him by
without a word when he meets him in
the street? You remember, too. that
he has never gone to Lawyer Wilson
for advice or put any business in his
hands since spring."
The Wilson's are among fathers
aversions. that is all you can say. 1t
is no use to try and explain them or
rebel against them," Waitstill answer
ed YEARLY.
"That is all very we'll and might be
borne like many another cross, but l
wanted to marry this particular aver
sion.'' argued Patty. Would you
have helped me to marry Mark secret
ly if had confided in you?"
"Never in the world-never!'
II knew it," exclaimed Patty tri-
u%mphantly. "We both said so! And
what was Mark to do? He was more
than willing to come up here and ask
for me like a man. but he knew that
he would be ordered off the premises
as if he were a thief. That would have
angered Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson and made
matters worse. We talked and talked
until we were hoarse; we thought and
thought until we nearly had brain fe-
yer from thinking, but there seemed to
be no way but to take the bull by the
horns"
"You are both so young you could
well have bided awhile"
I'VE could have bided until we were
gray. Nothing would have changed
father, and just lately l couldn't make
Mark bide." confessed Patty ingenu
ously.
"He has been in a rage about ia
Tiers treatment of you and me. H.
knows we haven't the right food IT,
eat, nothing tit 10 wear, and not al
hour Of pelce or freedom. He has
even heard the men at the store sa,
that u very lives might be in dan
ger If we crossed fathers will or an.
gered him beyond Il certain point.
"You can't blame Il man who loves Il
girl. if he wants to take her away from
such a wretched life. His love would
be good for nothing if he did not long
to rescue her."
e" would never have left you be
hind to bear your slavery alone. while
! Slipped away to happiness and com
fort not 70" any man alive would |
have done it," This speech. so unlike
Waitstill in it's ~ungenerous reproach.
was repentCd of as sOOn us it LIFT her
tongue. 'Oh, | did not mean that, my
dar,ingv she cried. Il would have
welcomed any change for you and
thanked Coo for it, if onk. 4 could
have como Nnnorahlv and a~hovcboard.''
But, don't you see, Waity, how m,
marriage helps everything? That is
what makes Inc happiest: that now l
shall have u home and it can be yours.
Father has plenty of money and can
get a ho%usekeeper. He is only sixty
five, and as hale and hearty as a man
can be. You have served our time,
and surely you need not be his drudge
for the rest of your life. Mark and |
thought you would spend half the year
with u.s."
Waitstill waived this point as too i'm
possible for discussion. when and
where were you married. Patty:' she