Year: 1877

T OUISA'S father had gone up into
- the woods, sixty miles away, to
make the camp before the winters log
ging should begin. She felt very lonely
as soon as he was out of sight, for more
reasons than one. In the first place
there was nobody at home but little
Tim, who could dig the paths, to be sure,
and look after the cattle; grandmother,
who was companionable enough with
her stories of old times, but q care more
than protector; and Suzette, who
helped about the house, but was only
child. The second reason was that she
had quarreled with Ben and last, but
not least, he and her uncle Simon had
driven off on the OK team with her
father. If there had ever been time
since their quarrel when she had felt
disposed to make it up, it was when the
OK team had disappeared from sight, and
it was impossible to follow.


The fact of the case was that Ben had
been looking upon Louisa as his own
property ever since he could remember.
He had beaued her to and from singing
school he had helped her out with her
hard problems at district school ,and had
carried her home on sled; at quilting,
sewing-circle, or picnic, he had chosen
her for his partner in the dance, had
paid his forfeits to her and had revolved
about her daily. And she had seemed
to relish the whole thing till she went
away to the city one winter to work in
milliner's shop, and so came home
quite out of conceit with country living
and country men, and had rather given
Ben the cold shoulder, refusing his gifts
and attentions, and showing pretty
plainly that she looked higher. But
Ben, with the instincts of a free-born
American, felt himself as good as any,
body, and charged her one day with
having come by hifalutin ideas of her
self and life in the city, which didn't
the least become her, and averred that
she couldn't do better than to marry
him.


"Well, Mr.. Benjamin Thurman, 1
hope you're conceited enough,'' she
answered him. Marry you II won't
say but you're well enough yourself;
but to live in this slow, backwoods
fashion forever would be the death of
me; and not SO much as a lecture or
concert to while away the time; to be
wearing homespun all my days, and
worrying about the crops. Oh, dear,
no, thank you; I've had enough of hard
times. believe I'll wait awhile before
settle down.


Perhaps there's somebody else p"
ventured Ben.


mo, I can't'say that there is; though
don't mind telling you that L didn't
come home single for want of chance.
He had house, too, in the suburbs, and
housekeeper, and he said I never
should bring the water to wash my
hands,


" And why didn't you marry him ?''
asked Ben, frigidly.


Oh, he didn't exactly suit me he'd
lost his front teeth and his hearing.
There's as good fish in the sea as ever
yet were caught" she sang, gaily.
Well," said Ben, rising and looking
blue lightning, "on the whole 1 am
glad that you won't marry me, for
you've got no more heart than an adder. -
And then he could have bitten his
tongue out for saying what wasn't true,
when his heart was almost breaking for
love OF her; and If she had showed that
she was wounded, by word or look, he
was ready to'abase himself beneath her
feet, and take it all back.


Your amazing polite, Mr.. Thurman,
must say, she returned. I'm sorry
you asked for what you didn't want, be-
cause it would have been awkward If I