The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-02-15
Four Years Seemed
an Eternity
By JANE OSBORN

1t was an old saying that the best
blood in Nicholson was close. The
parvenues who had found homes for
themselves as mere upstart commu-
tiers from New York might splurge and
spend; the really blue-blooded Nichol-
stOnites, whose ancestors had settled
there when Nicholson and New York
were villages of comparable size in
the Dutch colony-these old residents
did not forget the lesson of thrift
handed down to them.
Katherine Ten Brock at twenty
four was teaching in the Nicholson
high school. She had taught since her
graduation from college two years be-
fore, and every year her salary be-
came larger. Nicholas Van Name was
gaining an enviable reputation for
himself in New York law firm, and
it had been Nicholas desire and inten-
ton ever since Katherine first started
off to college to make her his wife.
She was an orphan with very little
property, and it had been looked upon
as entirely proper and cOmmendable
that she begin teaching as soon as she
received her degree instead of accept
ing any of the offers Of well-to-do rel
atives to make their home her own.
Hasty and impetuous courtships had
never been looked upon favorably in
Nicholson. For generations the men
of the town had chosen their wives
from among the girls born and bred
in the town and had gone about the
matter with elaboration and good
judgment. 1t was generally under
stood among Nicholas relatives and
katherine's, too, that there would be
a marriage sometime, but for six years
Nicholas had found it difficult to ask
the question preliminary to an en-
gagement. They had known each 9TH
err so well and so long, and Katherine
always steered the conversation along
practical subjects.
Once, at the outset of Katherine's
second year of teaching Nicholas got
very near the important question.
katherine showed no surprise. But
she hastily and abruptly began to talk
about the scheme of salaries in the
Nicholson high school.
II am getting hundred dollar raise
this year." she said, land another year
l shall have a hundred and fifty dol
lar raise. l can live very nicely with
in the original salary so that the ad-
ditional salary goes right into the
bank. In four years I shall have
quite a decent bank account"
-Four years." exclaimed Nicholas.
"If you cared for me you wouldn't
look on four years so lightly"
81 don't know what you mean,
Nick" Katherine began, and then as
Nicholas would have explained Kath-
crime held him off, II don't want you
to wait for me if you do not want to.
But it does seem selfish and improvi-
dent, somehow, the sort Of thing that
the Ten Brooks and Van Names never
would have done, to give up the chance
Of having that little nest egg"
ut isn't up to you to think about
nest eggs and things" Nicholas in
sisted. 81 want you to marry me-and
you ought to have faith enough in me
to know that / can provide for you."
But that bank account would go
quite way with a little house. No,
Nicholas, if ever marry it will not be
for at least four years. 1 wouldn't
feel as if I'd been true to Ten Brock
traditions if l didn't keep on teaching
until I've saved something"
Nicholas was deeply disappointed
and somehow vexed, with Katherine,
and yet there was enough of the same
thrift running in his blood to under
stand Katherine's point Of view and to
realize, as another, might not have
been able to do, that Katherine's de-
termination to go on teaching for four
years might not be an indication that
she cared less for Nicholas.
He subscribed to magazines dealing
with house planning and gardening
and even consulted an architect friend
of his in New York concerning the
practicability of certain plans that
especially appealed to him. Nicholas
said nothing about his own thrift to
Katherine, but not a small proportion
Of his earnings went into the bank to
be saved zealously against the day of
building.
One Saturday katherine had spent
the morning shopping in the city and
then had Joined. Nicholas to take an
early afternoon train home Nicholas
had told her that he had something inn
portant to tell her and that he would
explain 1t on the trip home. So it
was on the commuters train that
Nicholas showed Katherine the deed
for quarter acre Of ground in the
new residential section of Nicholson
! that he had bought as the site for his
future home.
Il had an exceptional chance to
buy" he said, 80 put the deal
through. There'll be room for fruit
trees and bit of vegetable garden
and at the upper end there's an ideal
place for your rock garden"
Katherine blushed. "Are you sure
it will be my rock garden?" she asked
and then: but Nick, quarter Of an
acre must have been very expensive
didn't know you-you could afford
it. Won't it take forever to pay for
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