Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-07-27
ENGLISH UNDEFllED
BY HOPE DARLING.

iou Know, she'S a widow woman,
and lives"
"Oh, Jasperi"
Eth! What is it?" Jasper Dunning
asked, looking into the face Of the
girl who shared the road wagon seat
with Him.
Margaret caught her breath. It
might hurt him, but what he had Just
said hurt her. Would It do any good ?
She looked re1ectively along the coun-
try road that stretched away i'm front
of them.
did you ever hear OF a widow who
was not a woman"
What an idea! / don't git YOU"
oh, please do not say git And
the other is such a colloquialism! II
you say a woman is a widow, that's
enough
Jasper drew up on the lines until
his spirited bays reared.
. See here, Margaret. Before you
went away to college talked good
'nough for you.' he blurted.
The girls eyes met his; she was
conscientiously honest, even with her.
self. 1T always annoyed me a little,
but | had heard people talk in that
way all my life. Not until went to
Girton did come to see Just what
such things mean" she said.
Il wish you'd never gone. You see.
didn't so much mind waitin', cause I
planned to fix up the farm so it'd be a
good 'nough home for you. But them
two years spilled you"
The silence endured so long that Jas
per thought the victory was his. With
a superior smile he said: 1T don't
matter"
Why could he not have said
'doesn't?" Margaret's brown eyes
dashed. 1T does matter to me and
TO all who care for really good things"
she declared. And if you cared for
me, Jasper, you'd try to please me,
especially when I'm wholly in the
right. Why l would be ashamed to
have Professor Larned hear you talk
sometimes"
That last word was added almost
desperately when she saw the color
fade from Jasper's face. Before he
could reply, they were at the gate of
the village home where Margaret
boarded. A half dozen young men and
girls who were sitting on the veranda
came trooping down the walk to meet
them, laughing. talking, making plans
for the evening.
Those plans were so we'll carried out
that Jasper had no opportunity for
,urther words with his betrothed.
"'Shamed to have that professor
near me talk" Jasper said to him
self as he rode home under the calm
stars. Il s'pose could do a little bet
.er, but | haint agoin' to stand 1t to
De nagged all the time"
At that same hour Margaret was cry
ng softly, her head on the window sill.
To go through life blushing for hus-
bands mistakes, ashamed to have peo-
pie hear him talk-could she do it?
Could she hold fast to her own ideals
Z she were Jasper's wife?
For three days, she pondered these
questions. Then she did two things
she promised the school board that
she would teach another year and she
wrote a note which ran:
Dear Jasper:
There has been no change in my
feelings. l love you, but | cannot be
happy with a man who disregards the
hines L hold fa1 rHa-.afDrn I
must take back my promise to be your
wife. Sincerely yours,
MARGARET"
Jasper made no reply to the note,
10 effort to see Margaret. A month
vent by. He began to hear rumors
If the many letters she was receiv-
ng from one of the Girton college pro-
lessons. When on overtaking Jane
Harris, plodding along in the rain, JAS
DER took her home, the story was re-
ported to Margaret so many times that
she became convinced that it was
natter of daily occurrence.
The Grange picnic came early in
July. For years Jasper had taken
"Ill not go this time" he decided. (
Everybody would look and smile, !
even If they did not say anything. I'll
work in the harvest field"
He found his task wearisome one. !
Recollections of past joys crowded on
him. Suddenly he strobe of, resolv- /
Ing to go to the farm wood-lot. 1t
was there. in the shadow of grove
Of birches that grew on the bank of
! stream. that he had told Margaret
)f his love.
"She never loved me. though" he
thought, as. entering the dim, cool
woods, he slackened his pace. IF
she'd really loved me, how talked
a made any difference"
Just then he came in sight OF the
birches and Margaret seated on the
ground her dark head leaning against