Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-09-22

leaves knew and trembled, as She ala,
with joy; and the stars twinSled
down between them as If they, too,
knew all about it.
The town clock struck ten and Patty
and Ben came in from the reading
club They always fingered little
at the gate, as the manner of lovers
is, you know.
Dolly smiled as the soft murmur of
their voices came to her. She Won
dered if the poor young things would
ever be as happy as she was then!
And then. as they walked slowly
up the path, words began to grow ont
of the soft murmur.
Bob Brent has struck it, they say"
Bob remarked in his elegant way, and
Patty replied mournfully:
.'Ah, yes How sorry am for Dol
liz. Poor faithful, loving Dolly"
''Sorrys Why isn't she in it? l
thought they we're"
why. Ben Patty broke in. with
tears in her little babyish voice, cant
YOU see that Dolly is only faded,
middle-aged woman now, while Rob
ert is in his prime-the handsomest
man in town? And haven't you mo-
ticed how he admires Kitty? 1t was
all well enough when he couldn't
marry; but now"
But the words were indistinet again;
Dolly heard no more.
She had risen from the hammock
and was standing, white and still, in
the glare of the electric light The
stars were mocking her now above the
lower light, and the breezes were
whispering of the twenty years that
had rolled over her, carrying her
freshness away.
Ben saw her there when he came
down to the gate. and bowed with a
CHEEKY, Good night, Miss Dolly, and
went whistling his newest favorite
Gown the street.
Then Dolly crept up to her room.
And l would have let him do il.
never would have thought OF tine
/ change. Oh, the shame. the humilia-
/ ton of it, To think that /. faded
middle-aged woman, would have
held him to the promise made to
fair young girl twenty long years
/ ago! He was too true and noble
I to let me know. too tender to hurt
me. If only had seen! 1t is all so
/ different with women, but l never
thought of it before. 1t would not
matter to me now changed Robert
might be; I'd love him only the more,
if he needed more But he is grandly
handsome and-vand he must have a.
young, pretty wife. 1t is best, see
that-best for Robert and for her and
for me; for l couldn't bear to have
him sorry or-or ashamed"
She Ioosed her dress at the throat
and pressed her hands against hei
temples.
"He mustn't be ashamed Of his
wife, dear, faithful Robert. He must
be happy, now that the world i.
brighter for him. l can bear it-foi
him"
And then she wrote a letter, and
when it was finished, she knelt by hei
bedside; and the stars twinkled il
and the breeze famed her pale, calm
face. Faded? Oh, the beauty Of i
as she knelt there giving up all sht
held dear. What are dimples and al
fresh prettiness compared to beaut,
like that? You only get the SOU
after these are gone.
In the morning before any of tn
household was awake she took tn
letter and carried it out to the mail
. box on the corner; aud then she wen
|, to the hammock under the magnoli
and watched the sun rise down at tn
end of the cross street.
Presently the gate latch clicked
and then pair of strong arms foldet
themselves about her and her hca,
was on Roberts broad shoulder, am
he was telling her how he had longec
for her, and what an age the las
week had been.
"You would have been sorry for me
Dolly he was saying; for in m,
hurry getting off, left your last pho
tograph in the pocket of the coat L,
been wearing, and there was only tn
childish little thing taken twent,
years ago. Forgive me, dear, but IT.
more like your little silly-faced Cousin
Kitty than like you There, don't b,
yeXed-I know you are not very lik
her now; but, between us, / bclieyD
you were in those first days, though i
is hard to think of my beautiful full
blown rose as anything less Lowell,
and sweet than she is now. But yol
will soon be my very own, Dolly, an
| shan't be missing a photograph
when have you"
Dolly drew her breath She was il
the new world again.
do you really want me, Robert?
she asked, a glad light in her dark
blue eyes.
'I'll show you pretty soon. Wan
you? Oh, Dolly" and then he wen
on, laughing happily as he told her o
his plan.
I'm coming to- night with Mr.
Sims, and I'm going to claim my wifi
! and take her away with me What
jolly tour ours shall be! Yes, / kno1
there is always trouble about clOthe
: and things; but we won't let tina
make the waiting longer. Put on thu
I ! little hlua fr,,clr and ccr,a ,,ya,, go; Al