River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-04-18

(From the Womans Home Companion.
Reprinted By special pcrmission)
A LII of the way up College hill the
"A orchards and fields blazed with
goldenrod and cleared with daisies
II had rained during the morning, and
the long grass still lay weighted down
and wildly green; the sun shone
through wells of balmy haze; over TO
the west, where the river mists pur-
pied the distant hills, lay darkening
Taiu-clouds, huddled together like the
sheep on the slopes below The whole
valley lay smiling in its MINDLESS
sleep. 1t seemed to breathe forth
calm from every field and hollow.
Margaret Morris, hurrying up Col
legc hill at her usual seyen-league
stride. felt the serene view about her
only rs an added irritation. She car
ricd her notebooks and umbrella
tightly on one arm. and gripped her
muslin skirts with the other hand as
if helping them along. Needless of
the warm air and the steep hill she
raced on, her lips pressed tightly to-
gether, her eyes set rigidly ahead and
drenched in tears. She did not hear
the plaintiye shout from behind:
Miss Morris! Oh, Miss Morrisl
Wait moment"
Reaching the top Of the hill she
turned, and looking behind her she
saw the Mathematics Man half way
UP the slope. He motioned feebly for
her to stop then toiled on up the hill.
tanning himself with his straw hat
Margaret winked the tears out of her
eyes and wrenched her features into
a swept-and-garnished smile, inward
ly longing for something TO throw at
his handsome gray head.
why this indecent haste?" he
gasped, as he came within speaking
distance. Il saw you pass my study
window and started in pursuit !
called and called, but you steamed on,
and ! pulled after you like a BIAS
phcmous steam-tug, Case Of CON
science?"
NO. | was running away from a
headache and the blues" She con-
fessed. II was not profitable to at
tempt deceit on the Mathematics Man.
You'll live to fight another day
he nodded: that is, unless you
brought the blues along Let's see"
lie reached a paternal hand for the
notebooks. and opened one
Biology Three hours day that
means, nicht wahr? Only three
hours What takes the rest of the
time?s
Margaret colored History and
German I'm reviewing some college
work just for the fun of the thing
His eyes challenged her. And well
If Won must know, Eve been"
Bitten by another gadhy?"
Gladly! It's a man-eating shark
this time and I'm not bitten. I'm en-
quilted, that's all. I'm trying to writ,
short stories"
Tho Mathematics Man sat down nm
der an appletree, and motioned hei
10 follow him. And you're adding
magazine work to history and Ger
man and biology in July?" he asked
yes. it's hard but | find it a res
when find some spare time But
at the same time"
He looked at her, and pulled his ha
farther over his eyes.
You mean you're writing boomer
angs2" he said, gently.
Margaret drew a stealthy breath
How did you know?" she answered
Eyes, they're all prodigals. who com
back by the first mail It's becaus
they come back to me so regularl,
al hat L"
THAT you have the blues to-day ."
THAT keep on writing"
The Mathematics Man began t,
count on his fingers. -Four wear
I've known you" said he. very slowly
and by four several gadtiics have yor
been tormented, poor child. The frs
year YOU had the Hull-Ilouse fever"
Margaret nodded
You went around shedding stats
tics, and looking up undesirable pee
pie, and tried TO do fall college wor
and study kindergartening at tn
same time, and plastered your hal
a Ia ST. Catherine"
You are very observing" she sale
as he paused
Il might have worried about yo
il I hadn't seen the couutcr-irritan
looming up in the distance
And that was
ohio EreeL.-lnt4ar e0ci,t,. 30
joined Precisely. You dropped you
blocks and your weaving an
took sour pen in hand 10 write HON