Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-04-21

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| BILLY WARDS EASTER.
! As Billy Ward turned into the street
/ where his sister lived an organ on the
! corner began droning out, "Oh, Don [
! You Remember Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt"'
That's the first song | remember
| hearing father sing" thought Billy. And
! n vision Of his fathers face, with the
| steadfast grayeyes and CHEEKY, whimsical
smile, suddenly rose before him. And
! then across the mirror of his memory
! drifted another picture-that OF lonely
| grave in far away country churchyard.
He saw the laurel tree at its head, the
| roses Dodding ut the foot.
! Billy sighed and his honest face ciond-
! ed. He missed the companionship, the
/ advice of that dear comrade who had
/ vanished. II it We're not for Alice
| Billy found himself softly whistling
| the sweet, old hackeneyed air as he
| pushed the electric button under his Sis
| tcr's name.
| The door clicked. She was Mt home.
| then. As he went up the stairs he heard
| his sisters glorious voice ring out in the
| jubilant strains of an Easter anthem:
| Christ, the Lord, is risen today, sons of men
and angels say;
/ Raise your voice ana triumph cry, sing, ye
heavens, and earth, reply.
/ Billy listened enraptured. He was as
! proud of her voice as he was Of her beau
/ ~. He always went to the fashionable
| Fifth Avenue church where she sang on
! Sunday mornings, simply to hear her.
/ And when she stood and turned her love
! ~ face toward the lofty, fretted roof,
and her rich voice rolled down through
| the aisleS, Billy always got lump in
! his throat.
| She was rchcarsing now the solo she
! was to sing at Easter service next morn
! ing. Billy had heard it before, with its
wonderful fourishes and runs and stac-
cato notes, and his heart had swelled
| with happy pride. n
Tiiat Alice would learn sUsiie of ftlose
old familiar ballads that brought back
| memories of their childhood and their
i dear old home.
Billy had not been In New York long.
and tonight he was homesick. The nos
tagia of spring was upon him. The
soft air. the daffodils in the windows
yes the very sound of the street organ
| grinding out the old song his father had
! loved filled him with unspeakablc long
! ing.
lie hoped he might find Alice alone
! for once. There were so many things
| he wanted 10 talk over with her. but
some way she was never alone now, She
| had SO many engagements, ana was con
Stantly going here and there Sometimes
it frightened Billy. He f"lt rs il she
were So far above him, so immcaSurably
his superior
Alice came forward to meet him
tail, attractive Young woman, with n
wealth of brown hair and large, melting
| blue eyes.
She was dressed to go out. all in black
She was still in mourning FOX their IA
'hor-and with IL tiny butterfly shaped
bonnet of jet on her sleek, satinlikc
hair
She gave little embarrassed laugh,
Why, Billy, | was not expecting YOU.
lirIc is The general"
Billy bowed gravey to the man who
was lCunging ly The window, with an al
Of icing very much al home
The general arose and held ont n soft.
fat white hand. Billy took il careless
we were just going out to dinner, -
went on his sister.
Yes. won't you Join u.s." asked the
general.
No" said Billy, shortly. Don't let
me dctain you. I'll sit here while ant
smoke. Sis, and read the papers"
Very we'll, replied his sister with ar
air Of relief. Then, after a few min
ut,S' indifferent chat She drew ON hel
gloves and departed with the general.
Billy smoked his cigar thoughtfully.
Through the open window came tn,
plantive refrain OF the music
They have fitted slab Of granite so gray
And sweet Alice lies under the stone.
II must get Alice TO learn that an,
sing il to me when we are alone,
thought Billy.
Who was this man. this general. VIII
was always with her? Billy thought q
the tlahhy, livid face. the bold heavil.
lddcd eyes. the fulsome manner, like nj
mholy cnresS. Il don't like that man.
said Billy, aloud. Il wish she wouldu'
40 out with him | must caution her
shes too handsome to be living alone
The night wind blew stronger through
the half open window of Alice'S bed
room, Billy rose To shut H. Far 81
down the street came the strains O
, "Ben Bolt. dying away in the distance
Ia the old churchyard in the valley, BE
Bolt.
, Once more the vision Of lonely gray
, away in country churchyard rose b,
: fore him his fathers grave.
IN his sisters bed lay pile Of tiuCry
~ like fainting lady-her Easter gown
BILLY looked ut the mass of snowy sill
and chiffon, the foamy lc.r and futtei
INK Unu0nS. with curiosity and som
: awe. Country Gau hat he was. a fem
mixing OF its value rose in his mint
/ SHE always was an CNtraVaganC miuN
= She could never learn the value Of mon
y Cy, hope she Is not running into debt.
\ bill was pinned TO the corsage. Bill
u picked it up. looked at it and swor,
We'll, III be damned" he said. "Ou
j. hundred and twenty-five dollars for this
timSy stuff by George. I'll have {
talk 10 Alice. She can't afford such Ia,
uricS."
= The dressing table stood before hin
u He looked at the Silver-backed hruShc-
the cutglaSS bottles, the cushion briStlil.
y with jcwelcd pins the thousand and on
{ dainty triiics suggesting the coQuetry e
J, a charming woman.
q 4 lace-cdced handkerchief had bee
% / carelessly dropped upon some objcc
- Billy lifted il 10 inhale the delicate Pc
% fumc that was waited from IT, II
J, paused with the handkerchief held mis-
: way in air.
Th, object thar the lace bordercd trif