Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-01-18


Give me your flower, lady" said .
saucy young voice.
She looked up into pair Of laughing
eyes. The owner of the orbs put his
head out of the window, and she saw
Ntnat il was crowned with q wreath OF
.9ses. He held bouquet in his hand.
( NO." she said; II will save it for
some poor fellow who hasn't any"
/ a voice sounded close in her ears as
though in answer 10 her remark.
They say that the boys in the cars
at the rear are complaining that they
don't get any attention." it said.
She pushed her way through the
crowd, still scanning the faces at the
windows. The large white petals of the
magnolia had begun to drocp.
The time of the stop at Sacramento
had almost expired when she reached
the last car. nere the crowd had
thinned and several officers stood on
the depot platform, talking to little
knots of people. One was standing
with his back to her. She stopped with
shortened breath and grew suddenly
white.
In a moment the crowd, the cheers,
the music and the flags had faded from
her senses. She stood in suburban
garden of an eastern city, with the
spicy scent of pinks in her nostrils and
the breath Of the evening breeze on her
hot cheeks. A man stood looking down
at her with grave, dark eyes.
"Will you send me away without
chance of eXplanation?" he said.
There is no explanation possible"
she replied, hotly. IL Inever want to see
you again"
Then she turned and fed: but be-
hind the mock-orange hedge she
watched him as he went sadly away,
and all her pride could not keep the
tears from brimming over in her eyes.
II had been a foolish lovers quarrel;
but she had married and gone away,
and they had not heard from each other
for more than three years.
Then the young officer turned, as
though in answer to her fixed gaze. He
started forward. and held out his hand.
"Gertrude!" he cried.
She looked at him, bewidered; and
her eyes dropped beneath the unguard-
ed ardor of his. Both were oblivious OF
the people and the noise about them.
Both had forgotten the years that had
separated them. They knew only that
they were together again.
Have you no word for me2" ne said.
And again his eyes were grave and sad,
as on the day he left her in the gar
den.
81 have brought you this" she re-
piled, holding out to him the dropping
magnolia.
How did you know would be here?"
he asked.
81 did not know" she answered. sim
ply; but ] must have felt it, for ]
would give II to no one else"
He took il from her hand and looked
into her eyes with n searching. passion
ate gaze. Then he remembered. He
stepped back, his face suddenly veiled
in mask.
"How is Jack?" he asked. duly.
"Jack?" she repeated, wonderingly.
Don't you know? Jack has been dead
for two years"
\ flame of color flashed in his white
face. The scream of the whistle rose
over the roar of voices and the soldiers
on the platform scrambled hastily on
the train. The crowd pressed closer to
the cars and the girls with autograph
albums began TO say good-by. But he
had moved nearer to her and had taken
her hand.
"Trudie!" he said, softly.
Tears sprang 10 her eyes at the word.
She had not heard the pet name for
years.
Gerald" she said SIT was my fault" :"
He knew to what she referred, and
he had no time 10 waste words.
at was mine as WE'LL" he replied. ct
should have written you the eXplana-
tion when you would not listen. Shall
I tell you now?"
She shack her head The moment Of
time that was left them was too pre-
cious 10 lose.
"You need never explain" she said;
81 know that | was wrong. Tell me
what you have done since / saw you
last"
Il went to Philadelphia to practice
iaW' ne IePiieu. NY uncie naoe me
his partner"
He came closer to her and spoke in
vehement tones.
81 am going away" he said.
"Yes," she assented, you are going
to Manila" Her voice broke and q
mist blurred her vision. She knew what I
it meant to him; hardship, danger
and broken career; and she knew
also what it would henceforth mean
to her.
"Will you marry me il come back ?"
he asked.
The train had begun to move and he
turned toward il instinctively. But he
looked back for her reply. Their eyes
met in flashing glance.
"Yes," she whispered.
He wrung her hand: then sprang on
the steps of the rear platform of tn.
last car. A fellow officer slapped him
/ nn tba hanE md launched