The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

and grieved these many years for
the boy in blue who never came back,
and 1 have tried to bury my little ro-
nance under gay outside. Nobody
dreams, not evel Isabel that I keep
that little old daguerreotype OF him
safe and snug In my writing desk.
Wouldn't they smile at the silly old
things romance if they knew
Thankful Delight smiled herself at
the thought and rose to gather her
heliotrope. 81 declare I love it better
than any flower in this whole garden.
I wonder if It's because he used to
like 1t? How ridiculous l am! But
how well I remember that moonlight
night. 1t was out in the front yard
and there was mothers great hello
trope bush. My! how sweet the air
was! I recollect had on that straw
colored lawn dress OF mine-he al
ways admired it-and he put sprlg
Of that deep purple heliotrope IN my
ribbon belt And not ten minutes
after that we quarreled and that was
the end of everything. Forty-three
years ago! Dear! dear!'
Thankful reused herself with lit
tie shake. but what in the name OF
sense do l mean by thinking and
dreaming about the past the way 40
this morning! II Isabel hadn't turned
my thoughts in that direction I would
be upstairs now fixing my heliotrope
instead Of idling away my time down
here"
Ten minutes later the sweet fra
grance Of freshly gathered heliotrope
scented Thanlzful's pretty room. IL
was the finishing touch to No. 80, and
Thankful was satisfied. After she
had peeped into her mirror and put on
her dainty white aprOn-her TUESDAY
apron" she called it-she took up her
crazy work"-all the old ladies' at
the Home were very fond of crazy
work as a pastime-and settled her
self in her rocker by the window.
She knew how it wouA. below IT
had been for the last year in when
she had been an inmate OF the home
the visitors who came on Iuesday
would pause at her open door, look IN
with pleased smiles, perhaps step in
side and look around, politely curious,
and after few commonplace words
depart to the next room. That was
pleasant in q degree, but what woulo
It not have been to have someone
come especially to see her, someone
who really cared.
81 declare 1 don't wonder at Isabel S
feeling sol" she thought, as she heard
across the hall the hearty kiss and
well, mother!'' with which her mar
ried daughter greeted old Mrs. White.
well, lonely old maids must not ex-
pect much" said Thankful to herself
with smile and a sigh.
In the long corridor the matron was
saying: Now, Major, I'm going to
| take you to see our Sunshine, for that
is Just what she is. This Homes been
a different place this last year since
she's been here. Never a gloomy,
fault-fndng word out OF her! AL
ways cheerful and pleasant and ready
to help somebody in some way. She's
a perfect treasure"
The matron laughed softly as she
paused at No 3S and tapped on the
open door. Good morning, Miss
Penrose, heliotrope as usual, | see.
Here is a caller for you-Miss Penrose,
Major Lewis
The matron sat down on the edge of
the snowy bed. Thankful came for
ward as was her wont and gave her
hand cordially to the Major. She
looked into his face as she bade him
welcome and he looked interestedly
into hers. Then he settled himself
comfortably in the chair she offered
him.
'In my early days." began the Ma
ior, "the name of Perrose was quite
familiar one to me- l had friend by
that name, a dear friend Of whom
long ago lost sight. ! often wonder if
IL is among the possibilities that We
may ever meet again. l hope sol
hope so. | may say l was deeply at
tached to her. Perhaps you may be
some connection of the one l refer to-
Her name" he went on, turning po-
lively to the matron, cher Christian
name was singular one. At her
birth her parents were SO delighted
and so thankful that they called her
Thankful Delight"
The matron gave little gasp and
excused herself abruptly. Outside in
the hall she leaned against the wal
quite weakly. well, never! she
whispered to herself, "a romance right
here under our very noses and we
never suspected it.'
In No. 3S the ROSES of long ago were
afi,Esh in Thankful Delights sof
cheeks and she was smiling tremu
lousy. The tears were not far behinC
the pleasant brown eyes,
The Major looked at her through
his gold-rimmed glasses. "The per
fume of this heliotrope reminds me
--" he began, but Thankful coult
wait no longer.
David" she said quietly, dom
you remember me? Don't you re-