The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-01-09

y
OF course you are warn"
I did not tell her that IL had taken
three-quarters of an hour to ''run" 4
quarter of mile. a.
After awhile she found she needed Z
button Chat John had told her lay in his
room on top Of his desk.
Just run up and get it for me, there's
. dear! It will be right on top, for John
never forgets. y - . ss.s5.s
50 up went, slowly, step by step,
feeling as though were walking on my
head. hated to go near his room, and
yet longed to soc it. What if he
should come home and find me in it!
The thought lent wings to my feet, and
In a moment stood before the desk.
On its smooth, polished top lay the but
ton. and laid my fingers on it. The
desk was open and a number of papers
and thick books lay scattered about on
1t, and as my eyes fell downward came
as near fainting as have ever done in
my life. Percy, Percy, Percy" scrib-
bled all over visiting card and John
entirely scratched out! snatched the
button and few down stairs. did not
hear word dear old Mrs. Brownlow
said aftcr that. All could think of
was the card that lay on DR.. Johns desk
and OF large sheet of paper that lay at
home in my bureau drawer with ''Dr.
John Brownlow," and-and sometimes a
very feminine substitute for doctor
written all over it in my own irregular
chirography. There seemed to be pins
and needles in the chair in which sat,
and l never knew how got out of the
house. only came to after had care
fully torn up and burned, bit by bit, the
paper had treasured for so long.
DR.. John came over the next day, and
We went of together for walk. He
gave me great deal Of highly instruct
i've information about some flowers had
picked, calling them by all sorts Of in
comprehensive Latin names, and l said
yes and no like an ignorant school girl,
and was evidently expecting to find
something in the road. We were coming
back, and suddenly he stopped talking.
There was dreadful pause. Like a min
ny. could think Of nothing to say, and
at the same moment exactly stopped to
the right side of the road and pulled a
reed, and he stopped to the left side of
the road and pulled reed, and then we
both laughed little and blush.d great
deal and walked on.
''Percy." The name sounded verv
sweet and my heart beat madly, after
stopping for moment. "What is the
use of all this? You know mother told
me she sent you up for that button yes
terday, and you must have seen.
Little girl you saw the card that lay
THEREOF
He paused for an answer, but we kept
on walking. could not have stopped
for the world. eyes"
'Percy, sweetheart, you were not
angry?"
He took my hand in simple fashion
and tried to see my eyes. turned my
head away. "No."
He put his arm around me-his great
strong armand drew me gently to him.
II love you. Little girl, will you tell
me that, too?''
I lost my head completely. With a
wild cry broke from him and rushed
down the road, never stopping until I
reached the back stoop of our house. He
was not far behind me and waited un-
til he came up.
'Good-bye, Percy" He only said that
after we had stood side by side for lors
time. His tone was just as always, only
there was ring of sadness in it that
went straight to my heart and sent the
hot tears to my eyes. l knew he had
not understood me at all, and, indeed,
it would have been a difficult matter for
any one to have done that. I was not
responsible for any thing might do to-
day. l loved him, and he had said II
love you" and was foolishly ashamed
and gloriously happy. just threw my
arms around his neck and looked into
his loving eyes and kissed the dear lips,
and then slammed the door in his face
and flew to take refuge with my old
blue-satin friend.
The next evening there was = ball 1T
Mayor Wentworth's. Tom Woods was
going to take me. He was an old friend
of mine, the only one of all the many
men with whom I had tried to "be
friends" who had not made love to me.
liked him heartily, and we had grown
intimately friendly. DR.. John would not
be able to come until late in the even
ing; but, though he did not dance, had
promised, long time ago, to save a
dance and sit it out with him. At last
he came and smiled in a happy and con-
tented way, when l showed him the
dance that had saved; it came just
of n~
was one Of those splendid. but violent
dancers who always manage to get some
thing about them unhitched or dis
ordered. We had not gone round the
room twice, when I startled him with a
burst of uncontrolla BILE laughter.
20, Tom, for pity sake, come outside
Your cravat is skating round on your
collar, to inspect the back of your head. -
20, bother, never mind though, that's
all right. Well just finish this dance,
if you please, and then you can fix it for
me. mean, you must, because my coats
so tight can't raise my arm two inches.
Vanitas vanitatum, ia "a ia, whatever it
isl
The dance was over, and we looked
about for some place where we would be
unseen. Tom knew of little balcony
outside one of the windows, and we
quickly made our way there, passing by
DR.. John as we did so.
Give me a pin. Now put your head
way over on the other side. Look here,
keep your hands to yourself! Now. Tom,
no cheating" The pin bent and had
to get another. The band struck up the
next dance. / put up both hands, and
had almost put the pin securely through
the stiff, starched linen, and we were
laughing softly. when figure darkened
the window and DR.. John stepped out.
For an instant his eyes met mine, and
then the handsome face was distorted
by an expression of the bitterest scorn.
In the semi-darkness he could see that
my arms were appraised to Toms neck
and that our heads were very near.
II beg pardon. 1t was not my inten-
ton to intrude or interrupt. merely