The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-06-16
HER FIRST LOVE.
Miss Edith and Her Faithful Young
Admirer.

Miss Edith and Her Faithful Young
Admirer.
Miss Edith was going to be married,
and Billy was very miserable. They
had known each other ever since his
father died and he, wee baby, came
along with his mother who was to make
Miss Edith's pretty gowns and brush
her hair and devote herself to her gen.
orally as she grew from wild rom ping
girl of twelve to tall young lady
Edith had for a week been the happy
possessor of setter puppy, thing
long longed for, but now at the idea Of
real live baby" she was wild with
delight and the poor setter puppy was
quite forgotten. Under the good care
OF Edith's mamma he grew from a
small uninteresting morsel of humani-
ty to bright sunny-haired boy, and
from tine time he could run alone he
was Edith's constant companion.
Together they found the first violets
in the spring and the rare mellasons
and gentians in their own time. In the
hazy days of summer they would lie
out under the trees, and to the sound Of
the waves lazily tapping the shore
would tell each other wonderful stories
OF wonderful things known only to
themselves. Then she confidcd to him
how she meant to be an artist and an
authOress and ever so much else be-
sides, all of which Billy firmly believed.
In the glorious autumn we ather
Edith would sketch vigorously and en-
Enthusiastically, producing charming bits
OF color, left to be worked up later on.
Then they would take long walks, con-
tinually discovering new treasures,
Edith raving over the "purples and
rosy browns" and Billy asserting, with
occasional comments as if he knew all
about it. They would stay out, enjoy
ing the very fact of living until the
cold winds drove them in to pop corn or
crack nuts by the fire in the ''school-
room" (for the name still chung to the
long low-studded deep window seated
room where lessons and governesses
used to reign). Then Edith would
leave him, with kiss, to dress for din
ner and he would fly down the long
dark passage to his mothers sitting
ROOM to find his supper of bread and
milk waiting for him, and when that
was over his mother put him in his lit
tie bed to think that one more happy
day was gone, and then to dream of his
dear Miss Edith"
They were very happy these two.
But one day-oh, how we'll Billy re-
membered it--Edith was writing in the
schoolroom. She said it was to be a
book some day, all about the woods
and trees and everything she and Billy
loved. 1t was cold and rainy, and
Edith and her mother had gay open
fire blazing brightly Billy brought in
basket of pine cones to burn in the
twilight, when the fire was glowing
bed of Goals on the hearth Edith
looked from her work.
''Oh Billy, how lovely!'
81 knew you'd like them, Miss Edith,'
and he was gone.
Really, Edith, Billy is nice boy
''Of course
But don't you see, dear, you must
make some distinctions; Susan's boy!
1t was all very well when he was a
pretty baby, but think what he will be
in five years. His boots clatter
dreadfully already. Why, oh why can't
you he like other girls?"
winding wool for antimacassars,
and smiling and flirting and looking
pale and interesting"
"You might have some aim in life be-
You'd tearing over the country in can
vas CATERS and getting brown"
And strong too, and so well!''
Eyes, but other girls"
Have one great aim in life-to get in
as many balls as possible and after
breaking hearts innumerable marry
some stupid man. Most desirable, of
course, and rich, to be sure. Mercy!
prefer Billy"
But Edith, my dear"
''But, mamma, darling;" they both
laughed and mamma thought that
her cause was hopelessly, ire
trievably lost. Billy had heard
it all. He had stopped in the
passage to tie the lacings to the afore-
said boots. He did not quite under
stand, but he felt vaguely troubled, he
hardly knew why.
For awhile things were just the same,
then there came change. Looking
back Billy thought it began when DR..
Browne came so often, and lie was
right. Billy was usually right. He
never liked DR.. Browne. lie thought it
might be because he was an English
man, buA he vas not sure.
They were on the steps of the south
porch one day, Edith on the top step
with her portfolio of sketches. She
took them out one by one. Billy beside
her, his chin resting in his two hands,
looked seriously on. DR.. Browne, on
the step below, looked at each sketch
carefully.
Wont you criticise unsparingly, DR..
Browne?"- -.
May I? Well. You are good in color,
but the drawing is bad. You must hur-
~ fearfully. Then you spread out your
idea until it loses character; there is no
center" He laid down the sketches
and looked up with quiet, comprehen-
sive smile.
''Now, isn't it rather like this: Don't
you see lovely brown field with bit
of woods beyond and blue hills in the
distance and gray sky over all, and in
the midst of this, If you happen to see
behind yeu lovely bit Of purple woods