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About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1896)
THE HESPERIAN J, i gavo a concert. Perhaps you have hoard mo speak of that boforo. I appoarod in a couple of numbers with my violin the tiddlo that I used to play tho "sfuc-saw-hkr-ii aw tunes" on when you and Carter woro trying to study Analytics. Winnie was accompanyiBt to almost evory number, and tho concort was a howling succoss. After it wns over I rode homo with tho accom panyist. MiiBic alwayB has the effect of making mo fool blue. Woll, not oxactly bluo, but sad and mohmcholy. Visions of tho past you know, and what not? So on this occasion 1 was unusually silent and unsociable. Really, I was thinking of peoplo and places in Bouth-oast Nebraska. Winnie was very quiet also, but I did not notice it then. Only when thinking it over afterwards, I was astonished that 1 hadn't remarked it at tho time. . Wo wont along slowly and silently, she busied with hor own thoughts, I with mine; until wo were more than half-way to the "Bar-Gross-U," hor father's ranche. Wo had left tho main trail and wore now follow ing a path over trailing juniper vines, beneath thick cedars whore tho darkness waB intonBO. Suddenly she roinod hor pony in very close to mino and said softly so low that I had to lean over to hear: "Jack," (it is tho custom hore to speak to evanjbody with their christian names) "Jack, this is leap yoar, isn't it?" "Yea," I answered, absently, "I guess it uiuBt be." "Well Jack," and her voice, though nearly in a whisper, trembled; "Do you do you care anything for mo?" i roincd ray pony to his haunches with a jork, and ho commenced to dance. I felt as if I had fallen oil my horso while asleep. I was dazed scarcely know whoro I was. Then in an inBtant there Hashed through my mind "ii proposal, a rofusal, tears, heart aches, rogrots, and a foarful jumble of .other disagreeable things." I know then how a girl must f6ol who is proposed to by some fellow whom she hardly knows. I whoolod my pony, dug tho spurs into his Hanks, and flew along undor tho codars so fast that tho lower branches cut and scraped my faco like knivos and whip lashoB. I Hod liko a voritablo coward, not knowing why not knowing anything much until 1 camo to a cloarod opon in tho cedars. I was half-way across it whon I hoard a whiz and folt a ropo sottlo down ami burn liko a hot snake around my shoul ders. As tho nooso tightened, and as I folt tho sudden strain on tho ropo, I brought my poor littlo pony to a stand with a cruel jerk that nearly dragged him backward; and stopped in time to keep from being dragged from my Baddle. The strain on tho ropo slackened, and 1 throw off tho noose; but Winnie was alongsido. Planting hor pony across the trail, she said anxiously, "Oh Jack, aro you hurt? I did it beforo I thought. But, Jack, wont you hoar mo, please? I'd do as much for you." What could I do? I got off the pony and sat down on a log. She sat bosido me and told mo that sho loved me, Ted. Told mo what it cost her to ask mo what she did, told me that sho had beon waiting to lovo some one with hor whole hoart over since sho was a little girl, and that someone waB vie; and I had been blind and would have left hor not knowing of hor lovo. Sho told mo of hor prospects and of mino, told mo that sho would be happy with mo miserable and forlorn without mo. Sho told me thut sweet story I had so ofton read about, but nevor heard boforo; and as sho spoko in low sweet tones, "surely," I thought, "no sweotor story was over told." And whon sho put her soft arm about my neck and pressed her warm cheek against my cheek what could I do, Theodore? Whon wo reached hor father's ranche, thero wore two pink roses on hor cheeks ; and hor eyes glowed, and I I walked, no flonted on air. 'Tis a strange, strange world, Toddy. Ted, when this reaches you, 1 shall bo a married' man. AyWJEDEKSHEN, JaoK. , ,J. M. JR. (by permission)., (per Ted.)