River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-07-09

Z liit-- " az uau MIN by llc arm anu was
/ dragging him inside in a second. Then
she let 60 Of him in a hurry and ran in
/ quicker than she came out. If she
hadn't she'd have been kissed right
there on the front pOr ch in plain sight
of everybody.
We knew they'd show ~ in the big
bay window sooner o. later. And sure
enough, just after dinner, they came in
sight. She was clinging to his arm and
/ lust dancing on her toes, she was so
/ happy. Aud Just as she was right in
I the middle Of telling him how fine it
was she discovered Us at the windows
+ We could almost see her blush clear
across the street. and her young hus-
band Strengthened up and looked
daggers. But John Berry rose 10 the
occasion nobly. lie had his overcoat
and hat on-he was just going out and
~ took off his hat and made bow, re-
spectful and friendly-like, as much as
to say: Were glad 10 see you, sir. ="
And we women clapped our hands and
/ smiled, as much as 10 say: Were glad
he's come at last" And then Over-the-
E WAY and her husband saw it was all
right and they smiled and bowed.
Over-the-Way patted him on the arm,
as much a. % say; Here he is; ism
he NICE" And the young husband put
his arm around Over-the-Way and gave
her little hug right before our eyes,
as much as t. say: Its all right
now; I'll make - for lost time. "
And then we came away from the win
dOws-
- NJ. o. - W. 49,, fy,,,,, a
out afterward that in public life he was
travelling salesman for a big drug
firm-staid three days Then he went
away. And Over-the-Way went up
into her bay window and bravely
kissed her hand To him till he turned
the corner. Then she dropped down
into her big armchair and turned its
broad back To rs.
He was gone two weeks. and they
were long weeks for Over-the-Way.
But everything human has an end and
he came back at last Well. il was the
same thing over again; only he staid
but one day. Then he was gone ten
DAYS. Next time it was a week, and
after that it was every Sunday when
we sat down to breakfast we found
Z AAAttAA Att-~fAAAEA IA NtAN bA@ JOY ffAAtNDff-
But SUNDAYS are invariably followed
/ by Mondays, and poor Over-the-Way
had hard work enough to lay in happi-
ness enough in one day to last her six.
still. from Monday morning to Wednes-
day night she lived on remembrance.
and from Thursday morning to Satur-
day night on anticipation; SO she got
along pretty well
But one day. after six or seven
months of this alternate sunshine and
shadow, the clouds settled down in
earnest over the little cottage. He
came home in the middle of the week
and Over-the- Way met him at the door
with a scared face. The next morning
ne left with Zig trunk. He had his
hat down over his eyes and never
looked back at the bay window. He
knew Over-the-Way wasn't there to
kiss her hand to him. We didn't see
her at all that day. for by and by Aunt
Amanda came and pulled down the
shades.
He had beer ordered off on three
months trir to South America, and
John Berry said reciprocity" or some
such thing was the cause of it. know
we women all hated it, whatever il
was.
Over-the-Way came back TO her
boudoir after awhile. but she didn't
seem TO bee quite the sane old over-the-
Way. She got letters, but they didn't
come every day now. Sometimes we
fairly hated the postman-just as if ii
was his fault, But when she did get
one-why, we could tell block off
when the postman had letter by the
way he walked.
by and 10y Over-the-Way had broad,
comfortable lounge put in her windo W
and deserted her armchair for il. There
she would lie for hours reading or look
ing idlv out of the window. And Jim
GRAY said one day that he hoped Over
the Way wasn't going to grieve herself
into a decline. If she didn't chirk up
pretty soon he believed he'd get her
husbands address and write to him 10
throw up his Job and come home. And
Harry Roberts said that maybe Over
the-Way wasn't SO much better than
every other woman after all and liked
TO lie around in a loose gown and read
novels Just like the rest of them. No
body said a word and the next day
Harry Roberts told Mrs Smith that he
guessed he'd leave at the end of the
week. and he did.
Iiut Jim Gray didn't write, for Over
the-Way did chirl1 up right away She
got an Industrious streak all of sud
den and sat in her big armchair and
cut and basted and sewed until Jim said
he was afraid she was getting vain and
thinking too much of her clothing for
such sensible young woman. Then
he suggested that most likely she was
getting ready to Join her husband in
south America We women all began
TO talk about spring bonnets and Mrs.
smith left the room. She suddenly re-
membered that she had left something
in the oven
Jim grew reconciled to the sewing.
but he found other things TO worry him.
He elected himself a bulletin commit
tee Of one and made frequent reports.
When there were no facts he gave Us
the benefit of his speculations. One
day he announced that he guessed Over
the-Way would begin To pack mp before
long; she had pretty much finished her
sewing.
a lew mornings AFTER tldI tutft " a.
news We women all knew it long be-
fore breakfast time and John Berry
and the other men were told 10y Mrs
smith when they came down. The
bulletin committee was a little late
and we were all at breakfast when he
appeared The moment he entered the
room he said he was sure that Over-the-
Way was i'll; when he got home every
thing was ahlaze with light and there
was a doctors phaetan in front of the
house. We could see for ourselves that
the bay window shades were down.
"Umph,' said Mrs. Smith. rs that
all You have To tell us2"
"Why. what's happened?"
''Over-thc-Nay has visitor"
80 he's back at last. is he? Well
its time"
i wish her husband was here; its a
dear little girl"
Good Lord," said jim
/ Nobody laughed right then. but a
minute later. when Miss Elliott made
one of her vivacious remarks, every
body roared-except Jim. Even John
Berry and Elizabeth Hawkins, who
were looking powerfully glum. had 10
laugh. Things get out 50 in boarding
house We all knew that he had pro
posed and she had said no.
just As we were getting through