Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-04-22

anu me. HdQ treasured Lu8I moment
as a bit Of wonderful memory, as a
glimpse Of wonderful promise, but /
had not presumed upon it; had con-
Guided that two months loneliness
had been too much for Jeans reserve,
and that she had done something 1t
hardly would be fair to talk about.
Doubtless Jack, when he found
had missed him, would be back
shortly.
took my wraps off and sat down
beside the stove. The warmth was
very pleasant after the buffeting OF
the snow, and Jean looked very lovely
and tempting in the soft glow Of the
lamp on the table. felt strange
embarrassment growing upon me as
the moments were licked off by the
little alarm clock on the shelf The
embarrassment grew until l felt that
I must break it by speech OF some
kind.
"What are you reading?" ven
tured at last.
Nothing"
Nothing! You have book"
II know, but I'm not reading it."
''Then what are you doingy"
"Just waiting"
waiting? For what?"
Then she looked up at me. and there
was light in her eyes that was
strange and good to see, but it sent my
brain Keeling. For moment she
looked at me thus and started my
heart thump-thumping like a steam
pump. Then her eyes dropped
Don't you know, Frank?" she MUIR
INJURED.
Her face was rudy in the glow Of
the lamp, and the pink skin shone a
color that was not all reflected. Amaz-
ing as was her revelation I could no
longer fail to understand it. I rose
and walked to the table; / took her
hands in mine and lifted her to her
feet.
"You are waiting for me to-kiss
you, JEAN" whispered.
She was trembling, but she spoke
with outward composure. ''There is
something else, first"
Something else-first? / don't un-
derstand"
"You should"
could not follow her thought. II
kissed you once before" I ventured.
MANY times before"
"No, only once. The other times
were when we were children. They
don't count"
do things that happened when we
were children not count-with your
DO they-with your"
ASK me, and see."
1t had come; the moment of which
| had told myself in dreams and
visions; the moment to which / had
looked forward with a strange fear
and great hope. "Jean," whispered.
II love you. Will you be my wife?''
AS write the words they seem very
bare and matter-of- fact. But they were
all that Jean required. She made no
spoken answer, but she turned her face
to mine, and / drew her up in my
strong arms and kissed her In the
breathless passion Of our young
After a time, with one box serving
US both, we talked Of our future. |
limited that circumstances made our
immediate marriage somewhat de-
pendent upon the course that Jack and
Marjorie might elect to follow. took
it for granted that Jack and Marjorie
would marry, but l was very vague In
my idea as to when this would happen.
81 don't think we shall have to wait
on Jack and Marjorie" Jean remarked,
knowingly. 81 rather think they have
been waiting on us"
''Then they need wait no longer" l
said. boldly. 81 am ready at once !;
now"
"We might make it by Christmas"
Jean remarked, more thoughtfully.
1--WE can't afford any special wedding
clothes but we can at least afford a
few weeks anticipation"
'Then Christmas be Il" exclaimed.
"Oh, Merry Christmas!"
was so stirred with strange new
joy that all the future looked rosy and
inviting. But suddenly I felt jeans
arm tighten on my neck and / looked
up in her face just in time to catch
the splash of a warm tear on my
cheek. was Immediately filed with
wonder and misgiving. What could
make Jean cry in moment of such
happiness? pressed the question.
'T'm not sorry" she said at length,
but I'm litt1e-frightened.1 Not for
you; for myself. Oh, my dear Frank,
my dear boy-will you always-wiil
we always-love each other as we do
tonight?"
Manlike, / assured her that OF
course we would. She rested her head
against mine, and for awhile she
seemed to nestle at peace in the soft
luxury of our love. But presently o
shiver ran through her frame, and
drawing back little, she looked me
fairly in the eyes.
You know, Frank" she murmured
sit seems strange to say it, but