Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-09-12
of these happy, foolish young people

hopes, love unutterable, was still mere
mystic, enhancing, delicious remem.
brance.
But there was the ring, glittering,
tangible reality. So what wonder Doro-
thy turned it up and down, and under
and over and kissed it in sheer Joy of
heart ?
Over at Mrs. Evans Miss Abigail sat,
her sunbonnet united and pushed back
on her head, her spectacles placed on
her accommodating rigid nose, deepin
the perusal of the Cyclops Courier.
"Too bad, eh?" queried Mrs. Evans,
briskly Cropping" gooseberries.
Yes" assented Miss Abigail, " after
all his years of saving-eh |! what's
this 2" a5.
"What's what ?" asked Mrs. Evans,
startled at her guests tone. She was
staring straight at the sheet she held,
her eyes very troubled and her mouth
gnmly set.
"Dear, dear, Miss Barnes!" ex-
claimed Mrs. Evans, in her feeble alarm,
"d0 telI!'
But her visitor made no reply, only
reused herself with an effort, tied her
sunbonnet strings with an energetic
jerk, and marched straight out of the
house, the Oyclops Courier in her hand.
Mrs. Evans stared after her moment.
Then shetapped her forehead significant
ly, muttered single word, and went
complacently on topping her gooseber-
ries. Dorothy, still sitting dreamily by
the vine wreathed window, twisting the
bright circlet round and round on her
slim brown finger, started as Miss Abb
gail banged the garden gate behind ler
and hurried up the path.
A heavy tread on the stairs, the door
was flung wide, and she stalked into the
dainty chamber, all pink siIesia and
snowy dotted muslin, like a herald of
war
Dorothy p she said, in quite an aw-
full voice.
Aunt" cried Dorothy, rising.
"Look there! Read T.
She held up the paper and waved her
arm with tragic gesture of command.
Dorothy glanced at the paragraph
pointed out and readas hidden.
And this is what she read: "The So
cial exodus has begun. Among the
names of the pleasure-seekers leaving
this evening on the steamship Asia to
Suu1lAOI On UIlS VIC uOblCC
those of Paul A. Carlisle and wife"
Dorothy looked at the paper blankly.
Then she began and read it over again.
"Well?" questioned Miss Abigail,
sternly.
The girl stood up, white to the very
lips, and trembling little.
"There's some-mistake - she said.
Miss Abigail gave distrustful snort.
If there is" she asserted, "We'Ue
made it I! He's a scamp, my dear"
And then, waxing emphatic, "a
double-distilled scamp !"
"You mustn't speak so !' said Doro.
thy, striving to swallow the great chok-
ing lump In her throat. "It is-some
other-Mr. Carlisle"
"Yes," Knocked Miss Abigail, scorn-
fully, ''Uery likely Do you suppose
there are two men with exactly the same
name-dOWn to the middle initial
whose departure would be considered
worth chronicling in the Cyclops Cour-
ier-do you?p
But Dorothy sprang to the door, and
ran down the stairs, and out into the
shadowy old orchard like a thing pur-
sued. r.r. -.f.
And there she flung herself down on
the smooth, short grass, dry-eyed, white
Tipped, half-mad with soaring, incredu-
lous pain.
And up in the room she had just left
hard-featuIed Miss Abigail sat down in
Dorothy's own particular, beribboned
rocker, and finging her blue apron over
her face cried like baby for very sym
pathy. The day wore on, the gay,
sweet, warm August day. And still
Dorothy lay crushed and faint, and
heart-sick under the big apple tree.
The Courier was dated the 15th-this
was the 18th. City papers were mellow
when they reached the little village.
He had been gone two days but then
he hadn't gone! There was some mis-
take she kept telling herself over and
over, though In her innermost soul she
didn't believe there was.
Within Miss Abigail went around the
house with very stern countenance and
very red eyes.
"I'n make some strawberry puff
balls for supper" she decided gravelY.
6 She was always powerful fond of
puff balls, and maybe they'll
comfort her some !" But then Miss
Abigail had never been in love herself,
and it takes more than strawberry puff
balls to cure some heartaches.
The soft purplish dusk lay over the
farm when Dorothy felt a gentle touch
on her shoulder. ''Come in to supper,
child. You'll catch your death O cold. .
She rose up slowly. iii t
Il am not going into the house," she
said. 81 should smother" s'f
Miss Abigail held forth the tempting
bait within, and shook her head in sor-
rowful foreboding as utterly disregard
full Dorothy walked away. Down at the
gate she paused-the low. wide, green
gate where she had so often stood to
listen for the ringing footstep coming up
the country road. ..L ~,asT
So often, but however again
Despite the pain of remembrance she
found herself recalling every dear word,
and look, and thought of the dear sum-
mer days. She had been something of
a bookworm all her life, and now flashed
to her brain and there burned the rebel