Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-12-25

"Oh, yes"
'"Then you will take my plot if 1
bring it, and work it up?'
'If you will help me-"
"And may bring it soonT
Il wish you would"
"Good-by till then"
'GOOd-by," and she looked merrily
after him as he strobe down the path
and was lost beyond the bushes. Then
the smile faded. She mounted the steps
and rang the bell.
The doors opened into a wide hall,
dark with the antique mahogany carv-
ing. At the opposite end glass doors
led to conservatory, whence came lily
odors mingled with the lighter perfume
Of mignonette
Great drawing-rooms lay on either
side Of the hall rich with ebony and
crimson hangings and filed with the
all-pervading odor of the flowers. The
girl went slowly up the stairs and en-
tered her own room.
He had come back and perhaps the
winter would not be dreary, for they
were old friends She had known him
always. As children they had played to-
gether, and had read and cried over her
first stories. Sad little stories they
were, that never ended happily. He
did not like to cry, and once he said that
when he was grown up he would go
into far-away country and would find
q story to write about that had no tears
in it The girl now vaguely wondered
IL this was the story. She did not care
so very much. Still, it was good to
laugh, and she hardly remembered hav-
Ing done so since e-she rose suddenly
and by force of habit and strength Of
will brought back the smile to her lips.
But a shadow lay in her eyes and an
unheard throb hurt her heart
He came. She was seated In the
great room with the crimson hangings
among the golden beams Of an October
sun, A small tea kettle stood near her
and on a crane water was boiling in a
brass kettle. The logs on the hearth
sent up long lines of light into the wide
chimney, and a hush was over every
thing.
81 am glad you've come" she said,
and her hand was firm and cold.
II wanted to come before, but was
afraid" and the gray eyes looked into
hers.
Afraid" She had seated herself
again, and was watching the figures
which the wind was making with the
sunbeams on the lawn.
II thought perhaps to find you great
author and filed with scorn for mere
ordinary mortals."
She smiled.
'"There are other reasons, too. You
might guess them If you choose
81 am not good at guessing" She
was wondering if she could use his plot:
perhaps, after all, he had forgotten to
bring it. She, rousing herself, pointed
to a low chair by the tea table, 81 wish
you would sit here" she said. 'Tt Is
much more comfortable than the little
chair you have. Try it, and then l will
make you some tea. Do you like tea Y'
''Of course. Why do you ask? Every
man likes tea. What would become of
us If we didn't?"
"Oh, but do you really like it? Other
wise 1 would not make it"
''Oh, please"
mo, 1 don't like to do things people
do not like; would you believe. it? 1
really care a great deal about people.
I have always thought how beautiful
1t would be to have one person all to
myself; just one, whom could please" !"
His eyes glowed. "But you have
every one"
THAT Is just the trouble. I have
every one. 1t is every one who thinks
me cold because 1 am pleasant to all.
Why girls are brought up to be pleas
anti mean, what would happen If we
should snub this one and smile on that
one; If we should tell abroad our likes
and dislikes just as we feel them. We
have to pretend. We"-she broke off,
suddenly. "It is so unfair" she con-
tinued, rising, because we are not cold;
we do have feelings. 1 wish some one
would believe me. 1 wish you would. -
She had forgotten the plot, and was
standing against the mantel, looking
down into the glowing logs. Her gown