Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-12-19

NOW one Ol Lne BTtalebb duUCilOuS luhL
had come to her at time when Affections
seemed to be pouring thick and fast upon
her was leaving the vicinity where Allen
Darrow lived They were not sweetheartsi
they had not seen much of each other. But
IL had been his presence that had made
party seem really festive to her. 1t was the
meeting with him casually on the quiet
streets of Two Rivers that had caused her
heart to leap. 1t was he she thought OF
when she put on n new gown.
She had not said good.by to him when she
left home. She had not the desire to bur
den him with the details Of her misfortune,
How could he understand, who had always
lived an easy, luxurious life, what response
bilities she had been called upon to face?
How could he appreciate the sinking of the
heart which she felt in leaving the refined,
easy life, the books, the lazy hours at the
piano, the charming circle OF friends, for the
work and friendessness that poer girl
must know in ChicagoH '''
She put her dreams bravely behind ler,
therefore, and left without a word Of fare
well. uHa
She was rather glad when she found that
her work in the great dry goods house,
where the influence Of her friends had Sc
cured her position, was to be among the
ribbons.
One day she was putting her patience to
its full test with trying customer, who
could not be suited and who would not 60
away, when young man and woman en9I
tered and took chairs side by side and began
looking at white satin ribbon. fs.-.
"They want it for wedding, III wager"
thought Mile to herself, looking behind
the nodding pumes of the fretful customer
to where the two sat and laughed together,
II suppose they mean it to run up the aisles
of the church. 1 wish this tiresome old
thing would 90 and let me wait on them"
But the tiresome old thing would not go.
She staid on, asking for things she did
not want, and Millie, with politeness,
which continually grew more frigid, contin
ued to supply her demands But meantime
she kept glancing in the direction of the
laughing pair and feasting her eyes on the
gay attire and the happy face of the girl, who
sat partly facing her Golden hair and Biue
eyes, n brilliant golf cape and nonchalant
little turban made up pleasing whole. Mil
lie hoped the young man was as good.look-
ing, and made up her mind that she would
get glimpse Of his face before he left. just
then he turned and looked at her, and she
perceived with a poignant blending of pain
and delight that it was Allen Darrow.
She had no desire then to wait upon the
pretty girl or upon her laughing companion.
Her one thought was to get away. But Al.
len Darrow had recognized her, and, with a
word of apology to the girl by his side, he
hastened to Millie, holding out his hand
for a hearty greeting,
"Will you not let rue Introduce Miss Fer.
gusonY he inquired. Mile gave consent,
and the two girls ehntted together with
every outward appearance of cordiality-a
cordality which was no doubt genuine with
Miss Ferguson.
"You were looking at the white satin rib
bon yentured Mllie, atlength, with sort
Of obstinate pride III her vocation. "Did
you wish to purchase some"
"Yes,' Miss Ferguson replied to Miles
question. owe want some white satin rib
bon for-for wedding. Don't we, Mr..
Darrow"
Indeed, we do" he responded, laughing
ly. "a wedding in which one or the other
OF us is much interested won't say which
one"
81 should hope both of us were interested
in it," cried Miss Ferguson, saucly.
They got the ribbon and went away, and
after they had gone the sense of her pov.
erty and loneliness and need for monotonous
work rushed over Millie and swallowed up
all her cheer and youth for the time being,
as cold storm of the night seems suddenly
to extinguish the summer and to leave only
brown leaves and dead fields behind it. That
night she could not bring herself to dress
for dinner and to indulge in her usual little
dissipation in the way OF conversation with
the young men she met at the boarding
house She got dismal little meal on her
oil stove and went to bed early, to toss TIL
dawn, and so, arising late, was behind
hand at the store. The work had never be-
fore seemed so repulsve.
In the midst OF this deep depression, when
all the store looked gray and confusing and
the words of her fellow workers sounded
strange and foreign to her ear, she heard
some one inquiring her her Ii was an Amer
lean District Telegraph boy with package.
A sudden shaft Of anticipation pierced Mil
lies leaden heart She signed the book with
trembling fingers and broke open the strings
on the box. Within were exposed to view
the most glorious American beauty roses
she had ever seen. They were not like other
roses. They were gloriied flowers, and
In the midst of them was little white note.
my Dear Miss Duncan" It read. ''am
no. TO have the great pleasure Of calling
upon your | confess have not tried to find
where you were because ! was really hurt
and offended that you left Two Rivers
without saying good-by to me, or letting
me know that you were going away. But
now that have seen you can feel no Of
fense. / think l understand the motives
that led you to do as you did do not know
how to be sufficiently thankful that went
with Miss Ferguson to buy those wedding
bands. / am to be best man at her wedding,
which Is to occur next Saturday She is TO
marry one OF my best friends. and / am
fond Of her and glad that yOutwo met, But
how am running on! You see, want so
much to talk with you that cannot stop,
Kindly let me know where and when Imay
call. And | Will be frank and confess that
my call Is not to be one OF ordinary impor-
tancs TO myself 1t will be the most impor-
tant visit ever made to anyone. am filed
at once with anticipation and dread. But
/ viii not let the dread get uppermost. I
Insist that my heart shall sing, insist that
my fate IS to be fortunate, and that after
the visit ! shall be even happier than am
now-and anu happy. for have found you
again. Yours, always,
When Mile looked up from reading the
letter the store was no longer gray. A sort
Of golden glory rested over everything, and
she turned with eagerness to customer.
Burnt orange ribbon. No. 81 Yes,
na'sn- we have q lne niece should Like TO
show you. Chicago Tribune.