The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-01-24

| SHE HAD NEVER CALLED HIM LUKE BEFORE.
figure to it's utmost and swung along
beside him Importantly. She thought
passersby must look at her with re-
spect.
they traversed before either spoke
again. Then it was the man.
I'D ought to introduce myself, I
guess" he said awkwardly. I'm Luke
Dolliver."
'I'm Faith Petite" was the response.
"Faith. That's nice soundin' name,"
he murmured.
Faith looked shyly.
"I've always thought 1t dreadfully
old fashioned, but l didn't mind be-
caus4 it was grandmother's name"
"rhen you've got folks, Ell? Why.
shouldn't know how that felt"
81 did have. | haven't any now
There aren't any left"
The catch in her low voice seemed to
trouble Luke. He changed the topic.
"What d'you say your last name was,
eh?"
"Pettie-Faith Petite" she answered.
He was looking down kindly into her
small, pale. but rather sweet face.
"H'm! reckon they forgot to put
the II in it."
"What 'rT" Her puzzled innocence
made him laugh in big. healthy way.
Faith laughed. too, involuntarily. They
were passing long row Of tenements
that toed the pavement in dreamy sue
| cession. Faith stopped before one mid
! way in the row.
"This amt your home, is ft?" the big
man asked. eylng the structure with
evident disfavor.
mo: it's where / STOP" Faith an
swered quietly, conscious that she
blushed under his frank gaze. 1t was
a graceless house. and she wished that
her room was in front, so he could see
the pot of red geranlums and the
white curtain which helped out some.
At the front door they both stopped,
and Faith looked up at him shyly.
I'm ever so much obliged, Mr.
Mr.
"Dolliver, Dolliver: but you just say
Luke work down at Weymouth's
factory. Everybody calls me Luke"
He held the umbrella above her care
fully till she mounted the steps and
stood in the slit of doorway. Then
he closed it promptly.
well. l declare If It amt stopped
ralnin'w he cried. "Now, when did
that happen?"
In the spring twilghts which follow
ed, these two workers met, at first as
If by chance and then as If by mutual
attraction. They loitered on their way
home from work. and the girl grew less
lonely, while the man came to count
on throwing aside his troubles for the
short time they walked together. More
over, he became ambitious to make her
smile in return. Tie rare occasions
when he suggested that they pass be-
yond the tenement and sit on the
benches in the promenade and watch
the sunset on the water Faith marked
as red letter days on her calendar.
1t did not occur to honest big Luke
Dolliver that danger lurked In these
quiet moments. The mite of woman
who sat beside him looked happy-he
liked to make her quiet face brighten.
Nor did 1t occur to Faith that she loved
him-she was simply content when he
graduated his great pace to hers or
talked quietly to her on the prom
enade She told him frankly of her
early country life. the death of the
folks and her efforts to earn her live
lihood in the great city, but Luke Dol
liver never spoke Of his past Her life,
Il colorless. was enviable as compared
to his.
Spring crcpt into summer before they
knew it, and they began to watch the
gay boat parties from the promenade.
II never was out on the water In my
life" Faith said idly one evening.
"And never. really 'holidayed.' don't
call days of 'holidaying.' do your
my fix, too" answered Luke. Days
or amt the right kind. We'd ought
to try our hand at the genuine article,
ehT
Faiths face kindled with gentle ex-
element.
There's going to be an excursion