The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-02-11

~ 'b SURE Wllth otlt tohNN lAiAb ~ tAN
had been TO dinner he said that he had,
but that didn't cut no fgger; he was
mostly alters hungry anyway"
He verified his statement; no hostess
could wish for a more apprcciative
guest.
Twohourslater,a as Alice, bra We in car
dinal tea gown, sat in the rosy glow that
the flames of the gas log were dutifully
trying to throw about her. there came
a vigorous ring at her door. 1t flashed
across her mind that possibly Mr..
Browne was going TO forestall the post
man and know his fate by word of
mouth. This possible impatience ac-
centuated the no that she intended to
bestow upon that gentleman.
Huntington the gas, and giving a
quick glance at the mirror, she opened
wide the door,
1t certainly was not Mr.. Browne who
stood there. Mr.. Browne was short
and rotund, florid also.
This man was tall, of fine proper
tions, with clear-cut features and fair
mustache.
Miss Gray" he said, interroga-
lively.
Yes"
my name is-but perhaps you re-
member my name?" and the tall man
stepped unlimited into the room.
Yes" she said her eyes blazing, "I
remember your name. 1t is the name
of the only man who ever treated me
with disres ect. Go back into the
silence that has covered you for these
fifteen years"
mot yet" he said. 1.-THE morning
mail brought me this letter that you
mailed me so long ago Listen" he
said, impetuously; ''sit down beside
me while l tell you. The postoffice in
the little city to which this was sent
has recently undergone repairs. A
package of letters has been exhumed
by the gas-fitters or plumbers. This is
one of them. l only hope the others
have been forwarded to as happy a des-
tination. And the dear words in the
letter-they are us true now as they
were then, are they not, Alice?"
so, don't know" she said.
"Find out as quick as you can, dear;
the years have been long and hard, but
these eight hours have been-torture. ~
What do you think l have endured?'
she asked
II don't dare to think of it."
Then, as ninety men out of a
hundred would have done, he added:
''We will not talk about it, or even
think of it. We will"
'How did you find me?" interrupted
Alice.
II saw you at the restaurant with
your somewhat striSing-looking guest.
knew you at once there's no woman
in the world like you. A little later 1
caught the boy on the street, and with
some difficulty persuaded him to tell
me your name and where you lived"
"My name?"
eyes; you might have changed it,
and then-I should not be here"
Then Alice told him of her reverses
and successes-a little, only a little,
for she was a wise woman-of her
heartaches and WEAKNESS, and then of
Mr.. Browne.
THAT is all past" he said "espe-
cially Mr.. Browne. You will teach mu-
sic no more. You will let me set you
in the dearest spot on earth, happy
home. You will sing to me after this,
my dear"
''Do you know" she said, "that this
is Valentines day-if we are not too
old to speak the name of that saint of
sentiment"
80 it is" he said; land we are not
too old. No one, no t,cO are old who
are as happy as we this hour" Then
he reached up and took the scrap
pinned above her desk and read:
" This day for all that is good and
fair. 1t is too dear, with all its
hopes and invitations, to waste mo-
ment on the bitter yesterdays. To-
morrow is a new day. We will begin
it well and serenely and with too high
a spirit to be numbered with our old
sorrows and regrets l agree with the
wise man who said that, and we will
both pay our vows at the shrine of the
sweet saint of to-day hereafter. Won't
we dear?"
Then some friends dropped in, and
after little Alice lighted the tiny gas
stove behind the gay screen and soon
there was a singing kettle and dainty
little feast, which the friends pro-
nounced just lovely, but which they
two only knew was the feast of be.
trothal.
Then they asked Alice for a song,
and this is what she sang:
l found it to-day in an unused drawer
This treasured sweet of long ago.
With arrows flying and roses abiow,
Loves fond and fitting empassador.
Twas bonny lad who sent it to me-
Loves fond and fitting ambassador
With symbol and sign and metaphor,
And was as glad as q maid could be.
Now we sit in the twilght's fading glow
Shade and shine in our lives have met
But he loved me then and he loves me yet,
And we say, as we dream of the long ago,
That If once again sweet youth were mine,
And he were as bonny as he was then.
/ should choose him from the world of men,
And he would choose me for his valentine.
A meath later little Joe was dividing
a box - woddiI cake with number
of friends. ''they looked as happy as
kings and queens" he said, "when
they rode away, an l don'to 'spose
'twould ever have happened if it hadn't
I