Year: 1873

was careful not to give too muth atten-
ton to Sophie while was still unde-
cided.


But one evening I had about made
up my mind. Fixing a watch for MIR.
Bennett set me to thinking on Sophie
Bennett and all her amiable ways and
herhne scholarship. Thought would
go to the Church sociable that very
evening and go home with Sophie, per-
haps I would do more. That, watch
would look we'll on her. But did not
get Mr.. Bennett's watch done as soon
as had expected, on account of being
interrupted by customers buying pres
ents for the holidays. 1 had promised
that the watch should be ready in the
morning, for Mr.. Bennett was to start
to Chicago on the half-past o'clock
train to buy goods. At last I finished
the job, locked all my valuables in the
safe as quickly as possible, put out the
kerosene lamp--it was before the gas
was introduced into the village-and
hastened to the sociable, hoping to ar
rive in time to 60 home with Sophie
Bennett. 1 must have pretty much
made up my mind before starting, for
l remember now--and I blush when
remember it-that did not lock the
watch i'll the safe that evening. thrust
it, chain and all, into an inside pocket
ofmy vest. I cannot. tell why did it.
L certainly had no very distinct purpose
of offering it to Sophie Bennett that
evening, and yet I doubtless thought it
best to have it handy. It made my
heart beat faster to feel it there as I
walked briskly toward the house where
the sociable was, for I had missed the
car. The street cars had just been in
troduccd at,that time, and the only line
running was from the depot to the Fe-
male College, and it would have car
ried me past the door, but that I had
missed the car, and there was no other
one at that time in the evening for
half an hour, SO l was obliged to walk
through the rain. But I had brought
u large umbrella. 1t is always we'll to
have large umbrella when you mean
to share it with lady.


I soon found that was too late for
the sociable. The people were already
going home. 1t was very dark and
raining. I noticed two young ladies
pass and stop within six feet of me,
standing under an umbrella together.
l could not tell who they were, it was
so dark, and they evidently did not see
Inc at ALL stood sheltered by the box
which protected one of those feeble
naples that we prairie people plant
along the sidewalks and call shade
trees. I thought from their relative
statue and figure that they must be
Sophie Bennett and Louise Jones. And
the watch in my pocket made my heart
palpitate as stood there waiting to
recognize their voices and then make
myself known to them. But by the
time l had made sure who they were l
was so much interested in what they
were saying that I was guilty, for the
first time i'll my life, of eaves-dropping.
I shouldn't have listened if it had not
been for the watch in my inside vest
pocket. I was never very impulsive
man, and I confess that in this affair of
the heart I acted deliberately. Iwant-
ed woman full-jewcled, and it be-
hooved me not to be in hurry, and
not to be dazzled by any fnery on the
outside.


"It is real shame, Louise, that you
should do so much for your family. 1
wouldn't at your age. You ought to
expend every cent you earn in dress
ing" 1t was Sophie speaking in her
good-natured musical voice.


But" answered the young school
teacher, 81 am poor and my father is
poor; if wore good clothes it would
be Il sort of lie"


go dear" said Sophie-she had a
most charming way of saying o dear
and now it smote my heart little"
dear, how honest you are! Why come
home every day and dress up, and take
my school books and so calling. like
people to think that my nice clothes
are my school clothes"


Here the car going down came along
and they got in, but I walked back, not
liking to ride with them. And 1 put
.ay hand over the waa... several times
to be sure that it was there. And was