St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-13

trimmed the handle, While Sitting in the
boat. How radantly beautiful she seemed
to me that June afternoon as she sat
Ill the stern of the clumsy skill
ana splashed water on me with
this identical fan while I was rowing. II
comes back to me now with Photographic
| distinctness: the jaunty hat, the oval face.
that pretty dress with its neck filed in
with some soft white stuff. the parasol
closed and thrown over one shoulder. and
| oh, those mlttenS, black and without fingers.
L remember that they held a faint oder of
perfume. Can | forget when in her playful
witchery there showed perhaps a bit more
of the dainty ankle than l knew she would
desire, how l debated with myself whether
it were right TO watch it, [ forgot the
mental process by which I justified by con-
duct but know l looked-quite often
and used maybe some little art to prevent
her changing her position. Perhaps would
do so again. even with the added wisdom of
two eventful years.
What an old friend it was-this fan.
The little whispered bits it has reflected to
me in the cars, the church, on the lawn,
the glanceS it has shielded from yeatcbflIt
eyes and made to thrill my susceptible
heart; the romps it has taken with us and
the tears. yes tears it has hidden.
That little bow of blue has its history.
lady partner in tennis match had pinned
it on my breast and made eyes at me when
she did so. Jealous Nell, like q littls
savage. snatched it from me the first mo
ment we were alone and tied it on her fan
1t might have been rivals scalp for th(
triumph she took in its capture.
And the fan lies there. How do I conn
to have it? Oh, remember There wal
an excursion on the river and we were 90
limo
Protective and Benevolent somethinr-or
other They started at 2 in the afternoon
could not leave my desk early enough t..
call for Nell and so she stopped by at thu
Office for me. l was so proud of her cali
Did she ever look so charming before?
sat where l am sitting now: Nell iusl
over there. l recall her answer when
tore the margin from a paper living OF
my desk and wrote on the fragmen
DO you, Nell?" the little emA
phasis she lent the second word of her re,
ply as she hastily scratched: You know
do" And then l had endeavored
sketch her profile, and, not succeeding K
my satisfaction, had run my pencil through
the outline. L see her little disapprovin
look as she snatched the drawing from ms
Then she folded the scrap of paner an
tucked it under the bow of ribbon.
why. there is something in there now
l slip the knot from the handle and dray
out this bit of documentary evidence. Their
is a little OF the printed matter of the shee
from which l tore it. Its character indi
Gates dramatic paper. A dramatic naneI
Let me see. Oh, yes. had a client
the profession and had bought a Mirror "a
get his address. 1t only said he was al
liberty" We went to the excursion. Th}
fan was forgotten and left in the Office.
l can look back to that ride Oh the rive
now more impartially than 1 considered /
on the day that followed. I shall neve
nate that drummer less cordially. but ner
maps Nell was not so entirely to blame. n
be sure demonstrated with her, and twic
she had danced with him when it waf
tacltly agreed the numbers should be mina
out he had been very polite while Ives I
was rude. had stood by the wheel-bons1
of the steamer and told her She wsS
heartless hirt.
Young men at 25 are too hot-headed
is so different at 81. l had said she was
t1irt and had never loved me-
Was it tears or only moonlight o1isten;n,
IN her eyes as she answered so reproachs
fully, "You know do''
''Ah well? we Quarreled."
Two years have gone, two wears onI
on this bit of paper are the words. ..Yol
know l do" AoS
They come back to me at OF with thai,
quiet rebuke. Will / think of them ~ oil
When l am 40 will still turn over noe,,,,
ory's wlthered blossoms that once straysa5
the path OF love long dead?
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