The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-08-16

ly! Poor faithful, loving Dolly!'
Sorry? Why isn't she in it?
thought they were-''
"Why, Ben" Patty broke in, with
tears in her little babyish voice, 'scan'i
you see that Dolly is only a faded,
middle-aged woman now, while Rob
ert is in his prime-the handsomest
man in town? And haven't you no
ticed how he admires Kitty? It was
all well enough when he couldn't
marry; but now
But the words were indistinct again
Dolly heard no more. ~ Il
! She had risen from the hammock
and was standing, white and still, IN
the glare of the electric light. The
stars were hooking her now above the
lower light and the breezes were
whispering of the twenty years that
had rolled over her, carrying hel
freshness away.
Ben saw her there when he came
down to the gate, and bowed. with
CHEEKY, Good night, Miss Dolly" and
went whistltng his newest favorita
oown the street.
Then Dolly crept up to her room.
"And I would have let him do it!
never would have thought Of the
change. Oh, the shame, the humilia-
ton Of it! To think that 1, a faded
middle-aged woman, would have
held him to the promise made ia
a fair young girl twenty long years
ago! He was too true and noble
TO let me know, too tender to hurt
me. If only had seen! It Is all 50
different with women, but I never
thought of it before. It would not
matter to me how changed Robert
might be; I'd love him only the more,
If he needed more. But he is grandly
handsome and-and he must have a.
young, pretty wife. 1t is BEST see
that-best for Robert and for her and
for me; for I couldn't bear to have
him sorry Or-Or ashamed"
She loosed her dress at the throat
and pressed her hands against he1
temples.
''He mustn't be ashamed of his.
wife, dear, faithful Robert. He must
be happy, now that the world is
brighter for him. I can bear it-for
him.
And then she wrote letter, and,
when it was finished, she knelt by her
bedside; and the stars twinkled in
and the breeze famed her pale, calm
face. Faded? Oh, the beauty of it
as she knelt there giving up all she
held dear. What are dimples and all
fresh prettiness compared to beauty
like that? You only get the soul
after these are gone.
In the morning before any of the
household was awake she took the
letter and carried it out to the mail
boz en- the corner; and then she went
to the hammock under the magnolia
and watched the sun rise down at the
end Of the cross street.
Presently the gate latch clicked,
and then a pair of strong arms folded
themselves about her and her head
was on Roberts broad shoulder, and
he was telling her how he had longed
for her, and what an age the last
week had been.
!; "You would have been sorry for me,
Dolly" he was saying; 'sfor in my
hurry getting off, left your last pho
tograph in the pocket of the coat I'd
been wearing, and there was only the
childish little thing taken twenty
years ago. Forgive me, dear, but it's
more like your little silly-faced Cousin
Kitty than like you. There, don't be
vexed-I know you are not very like
her now; but, between us, I believe
you were in those first days, though il
is hard to think of my beautiful full
blown rose as anything less lovely
and sweet than she is now. But 70,
will soon be my very own, Dolly, and
l shan't be missing a photograph
when I have you"
Dolly drew her breath. She was il
the new world again.
do you really want me, Roberto
she asked, glad light in her dark
blue eyes. ~.
CPL show you pretty soon. Wan
you? Oh, Dolly!' and then he wen
on, laughing happily as he told her o
his plan. ~.i -.t I.
''I'm coming tonight with Mr.
Sims, and I'm going to claim my wifi
n and take her away with me. What ;
: j.. tour ours shall be! Yes, I know
); there is always trouble about clothe
Y and things; but we won't let tina
4 make the waiting longer. Put on tn,
S little blue frock and come away witt
me. 1 want you, and I've waitet
d twenty years; and now I must hurr,
!, to mother and Amy and the small
S army Of young people I'll come 70
my wife at 9, Dolly. Will she b
It ready?"
e What could she say but yes.
# And then how her happy eyes fo1
d lowed him as long as his broa
: shoulders were in sight!
She stood by the gate until the pos
y man came to take up the mail, an
,, then she flew out to him and begge
d for the letter she had dropped throug
II the slot an hour ago.
= It's against the rules, Miss Dolly,
0, he said; but she held out her han
IL and lifted her pleading eyes to hin
and he laid the letter across her pain
~ a., +Io 1,o1l ~,