Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1893-08-17
wen, no-not exactly. Hes 50 busv


wen, no-not exactly. He's so busy
at this time Of day, You know That's
one reason why he sent the dress and
things He sud IN MS letter that ne had
shown them TO a lady friend OF his
She's to meet me At the ferry and take
charge of me till he comes
oh And how long did You say Won
have known R-a-Jack"
The girl hung her head again. II saw
him tirst about six weeks ago, he came
down on one of the yachts He came
down twice on Sunday after that and
| he's written ever so often"
Mrs. Johnnie laid her hand tenderly
upon the young girls arm, And do
you really think. my dear Daisy, that
you know him well enough to marry
him? Wouldn't il be wiser to wait bit
and take your sister into your conf
dence. Why not ask Jack to wait a
year for you and then see how matters
standG He'll wait for you gladly enough
If he's really in earnest"
why should | keep him waitingy
she answered He loves me Isn't
that enought | love him and trust him
entirely, and he does the same by me,
Isn't that enoughr
Mrs. Johnnie did not answer for n
moment Her lips We're pressed tightly
together. for, TO tell the truth. Mrs
johnnie was making up her mind ia
adopt desperate measure This car
half full OF men, was certainly no place
for scene And Mrs. Johnnie began 10
realize that II she proceeded to do her
duty by this little girl scene was bound
to come The train was Just slowing IN
for moment at little wayside station.
well, my dear, hope sincerely that
you will find it is enough" she said
Then, sprlnging up suddenly. she grasped
the carpetbag and her own belongings.
Hurry up, my childI" she exclaimed
giving the girl u little push. Heres
where we change cars, you know. Come
slongr
But | thought this train"-
Now, my dear, that's Just what you
mustn't do Don't think. but follow my
instructions
Before tue girl nad realized what she
was doing Mrs Johnnie had bundled
her out on to the station platform. The
train moved slowly out Mrs. johnnie
watched It disappear with sigh OF re-
lief. and then she turned to the bewil
dered girl and spoke to her very gently
Let us walk over to the little hotel
Daisy We shall have to wait there half
an hour. Perhaps we can secure a room
there. for ! want to have little talk
with You"
In speaking Of It afterward Mrs. John
ME always declared that to her the walk
from the station to the hotel was by far
the saddest part of all that days ordeal
1t was then that the magnitude Of the
work she had to do dawned upon her for
the first time Before they two should
be standing on that platform again,
Jack, the young girls idol, must be shat.
tered and thrown from its pedestal To
Mrs. Johnnie fell the task of displaying
him in his true colors, and though it was
a task which she shrank instinctiyely
from in perspective, when the time came
Mrs Johnnie was not found wanting
She never told any one-not even Tom
the particulars of what occurred In that
little room, but when the train from
New York came rushing along half an
hour later the semaphore was hosted as
signal to stop and the two women
stepped silently on board.
Both OF them had tear stained faces,
but there was no rouge on the young
girls face now her hair hung simply
down her back, and she wore her pretty
pink dress That night. when Mrs
johnnie reached her own home, after
quite long combat with sister Sophie,
Tom was told Just as many Of the par.
ticulars as Mrs Johnnie thought fl.
When she had finished he was silent
for a moment or two, while he exhaust
ed his stock OF anathemas upon Jack
Then. turning his attention to the won.
an in the case, he exclaimed. well, OF |
all the little fools"-
But Mrs. Johnnie interrupted him sud.
denly
Don't call her that, dear" she added,
as she kissed him. Just thank God |
that took the 1910. Acton Davies in
New York Evening Sun.