A GIRL'S PROMISE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 25 February 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

A GIRL'S PROMISE.

" And you propose to stand'by wh'at-you. say; : sir ?' " ' j "'Exaotiy, George,"' 1 ! I Thenßiienbefell,between the.twomed'for tne'space 6f a'feiv inoniehts. 'lt to the'ijld', Old ; story—the useless petition, of poverty-' stricketi'youth asking of wealthy old'aife we liaridofbeauty. i Gdorge Stanley 'had loved pretty 'Esther ; Daniels from' his'childhood • n^, J and ,had returned his love in full'measure,'.but when' the' decisive" nioment cani^ 1, aiid'' he' alsked'ribh old Farmer John ftfr 1 His r 'dao^hter, [ !then he was told that hp was too" poor to be' aapiriag; ' • ' '"' ; u> ,: ! i George picked up sufficient courage'" to 1 :&Sk ! ! ■■■■•■ , ::1 '- V'" | "And is my poverty''the only objectioii yoii havfi to otoing mo'for a 'son-iniUivJ' •sr?" 1,11 1 ! "That's about the long and short of'it,' my boy,' 1 Was the ptompt response'. *.' 'fl'hiwd' .to mako'a nest before I 1 caiighfc my bird, jj|d I don't quite see' why otfer men sh'6uld 1 not ,d) thesame." 11 •, ,•• '. : '; 1 "Quite-right, sir, "'said the young mah,' b :ightening a little. But may I ask'how' wealthy I mußt be before lean propose' : for' Esther?"- ' , : • | Farmer John stroked his chin with a'epvert . spile playing about his weather-beaten fe'a'. 1 ,tures;' : attd drawing froin' his pocket ah' e'Ave-! o ie 'wliieh -contained a liundred-dbllar' bill,' p irt of the-price offeome land wliidU hiad'b'een sold that day, he displayed tW crisp hoteV'"" " VVlien you can ahow'one huMred'gr'eenb ioks like that; I'll part with my daughter."" 'VAII right, sir. Good-bye.":'" ■" ■ "Where are you going?"' ' "West." • '• ■' God bless yoii ! .Good-bye," ' ' And'so they parted; and so lightly did' the : old • 'man think Of ( his harsh' trMment that, listening to thedrphe bf bees': ii tho'TpSe-trae outside the : 'windowj ; Jie ( ' fell 1 at leep in the sunshine, his arm'resting tojl'bh' tie window-sill,- the envelope containing tlie Inndred-dollar bill in his hadd;' Meanwhile had, hurried 'to the! testing l place, : down at the style : in'the' irieadowj' and had told' Esther his sad'story. 1 ;! When'she heard that he was'going so far ,ayay from her the girl burst into teiit-s,'' t ("Esther, Esther,' darling, 'don't 1 cry,' 1 ' George faltered, : " Can't you be true to'iiie tiil-I come again?" ■ |'! I can, and I will!" ; was the passionate' reply. ■ ! ' l ;' : 1 ("Promise it, dean" {"George; I promise it on my life," |ThP shades of the summer evening' We're closing in is George Stanley stood at the doßr ofl the cottage which'had. been his homej aiid; held'his mother in ; his arms/ . '''' | jSoarcely were the last' farewells spoken.; when the garden gate clanged and'the'c'oiistkble of the village strode up.the path; j" George," the man said, regretfully, I mlißt arrest you," , - ■ - ; * t r'i r •Mrs, Stanley uttered a low cry, but the; man'laugliei''",' V