Bloomington High School, The Gothic, 1913, Page 47

Description:	THE CENTER OF POPULATION--ContinuedAfter dinner they prepared for the visit.Owen went up to his room and wrote a long letter tohis cousin Dolly, who was attending Vassar. Part of itran as follows:And he actually thinks I will marry her. I bet shesa beauty-probably never been out of the county. Formercys sake, Dolly, dont tell Clonie or Hazel or any of thegirls about it-Then he dressed for the visit, but he looked as if hewere going to a masquerade ball rather than a wooing.When left alone together, Owen and Imogene sat verydemurely in opposite corners of the room. Their opinionof each other can be conjectured. When the two old farm-ers went into the parlor they found Imogene deeply inter-ested (?) in a farm journal, and Owen reading the Bible.* * * * * *Great was the excitement of the next few days over thecenter of population. Both Paites and Deering were eager,almost anxious for the honor. So when at last, a few dayslater, the exact spot was thought to be on Paites farm thefriendly feeling between the two was greatly diminished.Whether this was caused by Paites boasting was notknown; nevertheless the break was complete when, twodays later, Prof. Cogshall changed his mind, and declaredthe center to be on Deerings farm. The two men actuallyquarreled.Farmer Paites was in a great rage. He forbade hisdaughter to even look at Owen Deering. And the latterreceived similar instructions from his father. Were thechildren glad?A few days later, as Imogene was driving home fromBloomington, a wheel came off her buggy and she wasthrown to the ground. She found she could walk only withpain. She saw a buggy coming down the road, and when itwas nearer she observed a stylish looking young man in it.Miss Paites! he exclaimed. Can it be possible-isthis-I thought-Mr. Deering! she interrupted. I hardly recognizedyou. Sunday you looked so- she broke off, confusedly,blushing.But lets see whats the matter here. A wreck, eh?Are you hurt? Let me take you home in my buggy.He carried her to his carriage and set her down tenderly.The drive home was exceedingly pleasant and exasperating-ly short. The sudden mutual affection generated was aston-ishing! They talked of their college life, their parents,-and of themselves. When they reached her home Mr.Paites rushed out to the buggy, and learning the trouble,lifted Imogene out. He looked savagely at Owen and for-bade him to leave the buggy.But father, protested Imogene, Mr. Deering-But the irascible old man carried her away as fast ashe could. As they went through the gate, Imogene lookedback and dropped her handkerchief. Owen jumped out, gotit, and drove off. They met twice in the following two days.Once was at the home of a mutual friend in Bloomington. Thenext day, Sunday, they were with a crowd of young peoplewho walked out to Arbutus Hill. The mutual affectionfast ripened into.One morning a week later, Imogene was so late comingfrom her room that Mr. Paites became anxious; so hehobbled up stairs to see if she were ill. Entering her cham-Page Forty-seven
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloom/id/1464
Collection:	Bloomington High School

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