The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-09-04
THE OLD MANS ROMANCE

Going west. are you. Bob?" asked
the old man quietly, as he added ?
fresh stick to the already glowing fire.
Yes; leave for Texas on the early
train tomorrow, Cousin Tom," the
young man answered firmly. almost
solemnly.
DO YOU find-have YOU heard that
there is Il good opening for physician
out there where you are going?" said
the old man as he lighted his pipe ard
reseated himself in his comfortable
leathern chair.
Il don't care a continental whether
there is IN opening for physician OF
not; | am going west to 60 to work, !"
said Bob quickly. Il may end by be-
ing a cowboy or something worse, per-
haps," he added with laugh that it
was not pleasant to hear.
And how does the little Alice like
the idea of your going?n asked Cousin
Tom carelessly. it seemed, but his
brows were fixed very intently upon
the young fellow as he spoke.
Bob WINGED. 81 have not considered
it necessary to notify Miss Ames of my
Intentions he said stitfiy.
perhaps | may as well tell you"
he continued after moment, that it
will be through no voluntary act Of
mine that she ever hears of me again;
so. if you please. we will leave her out
of the conversation. But come, Cousin
Tom, you have been out west Yourself.
Tell me something about the country"
The old man putfed away slowly at
his pipe. The young fellows indiffer-
ence did not deceive him. There were
a good many thoughts in his mind He
had been sitting long while alone
with only the dim tirelight and his
memories for company. The coming
of his young cousin had hardly dis
PEELED the visions he had been recall
ing, and he waited d long time before
replying.
Yes he said, at length, between
the puffs, Il have seen good deal of
the west, and a very different country
il Is from this, | can assure You. There
is hardly square mile of ground in
the whole state of Texas that | have
not been over; and Mexico and the
territories, and California, too, | know
pretty well. | was considerably
younger man than | am now when |
went to the frontier. / little thought
then of becoming the decrepit old
bookworm that | am now, with hardly
strength enough to light my pipe. 1t
has been a good long time since the
Mexican war though, hasn't it? l was
hardly rs old as you when | enlisted.
/ fol- III I.>
old mar suddenly, '-how | ca ne to 90
to the war;
No" sad Bob, land | have often
been curious to know why you threw
up everything and spent so many years
OF Your life in wandering about"
Well" said the old man, leaning
forward TO empty his pipe upon the
hearth, Il may make pretty long
story of it. and if you get tired you
must let me know. After left school
| settled down in the villaAa to prac-
low. only quick and hot-tempered-
quick and hot-tempered. Aye, there's
where the trouble came" said the old
man muslngly. The freight flckered
upon his bald head and sunken cheeks,
and his eyes were very sad.
Here, boy" he said as he fumbled
in his pocket and produced little,
worn velvet case. that has been with
me everywhere through all that west
ern wild Look at it as talk to you"
why, this is Alice, SIR" SAID Bob
eagerly as he opened the case.
AYE, Alice" said the old man, but
not your Alice My Alice l used to
call her in the old days. She was
Alice Ames' aunt. | can see her now,
boy, as l saw her the day she sat lis
tening TO me as | told my love to her.
She kept her eyes bent down upon the
| talking to her. We had walked down
| the hin to the rustic seat under the old
beech tree. but that. too, is gone now.
| forgot. Her hat had slipped off, ]
remember, and her rough rings of
hair seemed to have caught the rays of
| the sun himself and shone and glinted
round her head. She lifted her sweet
eyes to mine when | had done, and
putting her hand in mine. said:
why. Tom, don't you know have
| loved YOU always?"
And, boy-but why am l telling
| YOU all this? You wanted to know
why | went west. Well. as | told you.
| was hot-headed, quick-tempered
| fool, and. though it seems to me now
that Alice did everything that sensi-
! ble man would have been satisfied
| with. l used then to be very eXacting,
| ami was often vexed with her. She
was bright. and cheerful. and happy,
and used to treat my high and mighty
humors with the lightness they de-
served. Finally one day shall never
forget it had been to see Alice in
the morning. and, with my usual fool
hardness, had been censuring her for
dancing so much the night before with
Henry Wentworth. your banker in
town, you know. 1t seemed TO me she
had taken my structures little more
deiiantly than usual; at all events,
went off feeling very angry.
But. as is always the case with hot
headed fools. l cooled off very quickly.
Alice had always been so ready to for
| give me that it was with no hesitancy
| that l went out that afternoon to take
| her for drive. i found her with her
hat upon her head, standing on the
gallery pulling some roses. They
| were yellow | remember and very