Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-10-12
| X R9NANU A*kI
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strobe off without a word.

strobe off without a word.
The minutes passed, but no wagon
came. After a while the postmistress
came to the door. you amt waiting
she said, "for he said this morning he
wasn't coming down again today
''Thnak you" replied the girl, with
rather vexed laugh. 'tThen 1 must
walk" She picked up her suit case
and started down the long, uusty road
The spirits of our college girl dropped
as she plodded on in the hot summer
| twilight, from time to time shifting
| from one hand to the other her heavy
| dress suit case. She began to think
resentfully Of all she had crammed in
to it at the last moment, particularly
of II different photographs of the same
Yale senior, all of them dated before
that junior prom.
Then there was sharp step behind
her. Looking quickly back she con-
fronted-John Baker.
Ruth" he said angrily, ''they told
me you had started, so I followed.
This is no place for a girl to De
alone" He glanced about at the gath
ering darkness. "Let me carry that
suit case; it's too heavy for you"
Ruth Kenyon suddenly Strengthened
like a ramrod, and her eyes flashed,
but she made no answer John
Bakers wrath blazed higher. miss
Kenyon, must find out what all this
outrageous treatment of me means. I
will not stand it any longer!"
81 will not discuss that matter now,
Mr.. Baker," she broke in. Baker
wiped a perspiring brow and gave up
in despair.
The walk seemed endless, but at last
the Kenyon house appeared at the end
Of long pasture, which was separated
from the road by high stone wall.
Before John Baker noticed what she
was going to do, Ruth had turned,
placed her suit case on top Of the wall,
and climbed UP herself
How it happened, neither OF them
ever clearly knew. Instantly there
was rolling sound, a crash, and
moment later John was over the wall
lifting the girls PROSTATE figure from
the ground. In his excitement he for
got everything except that the girl he
loved lay motionless before him.
Ruth he cried brokenly, "are you
hurt badly? Speak, dear" At hir
words she staggered to her feet. "I'm
not hurt much. That case made me
Slip" she said, but her lips were pale
and trembling THANK you" she
added as he handed her a letter which
lay on the ground where she had fall
len. In the bright moonlight she read
the address written in her own hand
writing, Mr.. John Baker, Jr., Yale
University, New Haven, Conn
john" she cried, suddenly facing
him. Light a match" And a minute
later, John Baker," she sobbed cit
was all my fault. I thought you
weren't a gentleman for not answering
my invitation to the Junior promenade,
when [ never mailed the letter. It|
must have been in the suit case all this
time. Can we ever be friends again
John?"
"No," said he, springing forward
with a cry of joy. eve can't be sim
ply friends. It's got to be something
more than friends this time, Ruth
John Baker paused on his front door
step before going in that night to look
up at a bright light in the house next
door. poor girl, she hurt herself" he
said gently. "And it was all on ac-
count of that p1aguey suit case But
I was desperate, and it gave me a
chance to tell her how I feel about us
two anyway" He laughed softly and
then went in.-Boston Post