Delta chief., 1883-08-08
CHILDIE.

shall come back to you. Chlldie
stayed long below; the night was
damp. and she was foolish child. in
deed, to stand, in her thin dress, vast
ing words upon the porch. What
need of IL? Surely il would take but
moment TO deliver my brief message,
and -
Why did he not stride away quickly,
as had expected Twenty minutes
had passed, and still he stayed, and she
for what?
So supposedly. vexedly. was mus
ing when these words floaten up to me.
They turned my thoughts entirely;
caused me simply 10 stare out in honest
wonder whence the voice had come.
Surely one had spoken TO me; one, my
own lover, as on the yesterday, ere this
trouble came between us!
No sight, no sound save the steps dy
ing away on the winding path. They
were sharp reminders. That was only
a fancy, thcn-this only Ralph Hare
walking away from me forever. /
fought, as best / could, the fresh pang
my pride had brought me. Ii grew
apace. as ] had not dreamed; it grew
insupportable: suddenly my fingers
clinched. and the nails pressed ruthless
ly -
"Clare!'
A sweet voice broke the spell.
turned confuscdly TO see Childie gazing
ai me.
IL have something to tell you,
Glare. Guess what have been doing
down on the porch tonight"
Flirting with the roses, making
love To the honeysucklcs. dear?"
We talked this foolish way TO Childic.
Bat the question was mechanical; | was
too absorbed even to note her shamed.
blushing face.
III have been getting engaged:
Clare
Engaged. Childio?"
Yes. | don't wonder YOU are sur
prised; cant quite think how il came
about myself, OF course | hadn't an
idea of IL when | went out there. but.
somehow. all in n minute. | was in-in
his arms. and he was asking me TO mar
ry him. and telling me what dear little
wife would make; and II was -"
"Do you mean to say that you are en-
gagged 10 Ralph Harc?"
"A scornful laugh broke. with the
question, from my lips. Whatever Of
soul lii my face was evidently spared
her, for she only regarded me bit
more shnmedly. while the flush deepen
cd ON her cheek.
you 90 It believe me. and do not
wonder, Glaze. Only to have seen him
twice. nj q I Iin.ss 10 come to such n pass,
/, is dread al. / know. but guess love
comes to girl--don't itp-just when
some man asks her to marry him. !
know am loving him. loving him
il seems n though have been loving
him ,,tN lif.ft,,,n stnna fhaf lttfl.,
minute.
Her blue eyes wandered dreamily
of in the direction he had taken,
while | stared at her. dumb in the
crushing presence of truth-dcfying
disbelief. suddenly she turned back
again.
$50 strange. Glare dear! He is not
n, all the man have dreamed that l
should marry; not handsome, nor
brown-cycd. nor tall But-my prec-
ious flowers are already willing; ! must
OH | forgot, Clarrie: he was sorry
for your headache.
She hurried away. unnohng the cry
with which Mt the first realization of
the roses on her bosom. had started to
my feet The flowers he had brought;
the tale of love; Toto
To give to Childie, to whisper in her
ear! had contained myself till now,
but now
For the moment could only sink back
in my chair bcwildercd from the weight
of pain And then saw things clearly.
He had asked her to marry him-this
girl from boarding whom. until
two days ago. he had never seen. And
out of his very trouble, his very love for
mo, he had done this thing. Truth the
more maddening! What II it were my
faultp What that she was the sole inno-
cent in this little farce of heartsP II
was all naught to me that moment.
did not blame myself, l did not blame
Ralph Hare; my heart swelled only with
sudden hatred towards Childie-little
CHldie had loved so long.
PIE was to me that moment, only the
girl who wore my roses; the girl who,
outwardly at least, had usurped my
right In Ralph Harc's heart. Staying
In the same house with her grew sud-
denly insupportable; I trembled lest she
should come again, and with an impulse
most Of terror, started up and went
down the stairs.
lpaused In tho hall for one OF those
commonplaccs the greatest griefs somo-