She looked so distant and so cold, when she said so, that she froze the passionate words that sprang to my lips. I rose to take my leave, and she just touched her fingers to the hand I extended, and said good-by as calmly as she would have said good night.
Just outside the door, I discovered that I had left my glove. I went back softly. I saw her holding it to her lips.
The next moment I had her in my arms, and I was telling her, in some unstudied words, that I loved her, and that I would never let her go anywhere.
She was very hard to convince. If I had been less in earnest than I was, I should have lost her; but I threw[Pg 56] my whole soul into the work, and by and by she confessed that she did love me; that she had loved me a long time.
After that I did not care for the obstacles she raised. Dear, little, conscientious thing! She thought it would be wicked for her to disgrace me by becoming my wife because her brother had tried to rob a bank.
But I am a very determined man, and I would not let her out of my arms until she promised all I asked of her.
That day month I married her.
People talked about it, but Dora and I were happy enough to be able to afford to let them talk. Probably they felt easier after it.
A SMART BOY.
The power loom was the invention of a farmer’s boy, who had never seen or heard of such a thing. He fashioned one with his penknife, and, when he got it all done, he showed it with great enthusiasm to his father, who at once kicked it all to pieces, saying he would have no boy about him who would spend his time on such foolish things. The boy was sent to a blacksmith to learn a trade, and his master took a lively interest in him.