Walter was working for a wealthy farmer near the home of Grandfather Osterhort. There was a beautiful daughter in the home. Beautiful and lovely, but worldly, Walter had taken her out a few times. There had been no love making between them, but she had before this been too gay to please her parents.
Walter was full of fun, of life and laughter, but since surrendering to God, kept strictly away from worldly amusements, etc. The father, a wealthy farmer, spoke to Walter about marrying his daughter. She was his only child and he offered Walter half interest in the fine farm if he would marry Julia and make his home with them.
Walter was more than a little tempted. It was harvest time. They had been hauling wheat. Retiring for the night, Walter lay thinking. Thinking he could in time likely be owner of this fine farm with all its equipment.
He finally fell to sleep and dreamed. He thought he was out in the wheat field on. a load of wheat. The horses started for the barn. He thought it was night but star light. A lighted candle was just ahead of the horses and they seemed following it. They went to the barn, drove in on the barn floor but did not stop. They went on through. There was the candle and they followed it, going over to the Osterhort fields, through the gap in the fence and up to the garden gate. Now the gate clicked and Rebecca Ann came out. She was dressed in a pink calico frock, pink sunbonnet, and pink bloomers as was the custom of half grown girls. The candle lowered and went out over Rebecca’s head.
Walter woke wide awake. He felt strangely moved. After some time he went to sleep again, only to dream the same thing, and awaken deeply moved as before. He goes gets a 4* water, moves about, tries to think of something else—goes back to bed and sleep—to again dream the same dream and awake so moved.
– ‘w he sits up in bed and prays, “Thou hast spoken, Lord. Thy servant hears. I accept this as Thy voice to me. I dismiss the idea of these fine acres. I put away from rue the tempting Julia. I will win Rebecca for my wife if I can.”
The next evening he calls at the Osterhort farm. He visits with Aunt Agnes and with Grandfather, but he sees Rebecca with different eyes than he ever saw her before.
Next week there is a social gathering at a neighbor’s, not a dance, he goes alone. Rebecca is there, a lovely, well developed girl but only 14 years old.
She stands looking at some pictures on an old fasion bureau. For a few moments every one else happens to be out of the room. Walter walk.s over and stands beside Rebecca and also looks at the pictures—when all at once he puts his arms around her and whispers, “Rebecca, will you be my wife?”
She is startled and jumps and says, “Why of course not. Shut up your mouth. Don’t make fun of me.” And goes out of the room.
She goes home as quickly as she very well can and up in her room cries softly all to herself, for she really liked Walter, but she was deeply hurt for she didn’t take him seriously at all. She thought he was making fun of her.
Well, of course he must have asked her again very soon, and of course he must have made her realize he was serious, but what he said and when and how, she surely regarded as to sacred to tell even to me.