The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-06-06


jolly, weren't they, Nan?" and Jack
Benton leaned against the mantel
smiling down into the girls upturned
face. Yes, indeed, and I'm glad that
l resurrected all these old photographs
and souvenirs, since you enjoy looking
them over again. By the way, that re-
minds me, Jack of letter which came
yesterday; wait till | get it. I'll be
back in a minute" and Nan disap-
peared through the study door.
Handsome Jack Benton stopped over
the table and picked up one of the old
photographs that lay there in a pile.
Our mandolin club" he mdrmured.
Fairly good picture, too. How young
| look in it, thought And what's this?
Another group? Oh, one of those girls
societies; suppose Nan belonged to it.
Let's see if l can recognize any OF
their faces-oh!" The picture was
dropped as IL it had burned him. Ethel
Fanshawe!"
The last words were in a whisper,
as he Involuntary laid his hand on
the table for support. "Oh, pooh! nom
sense! What sentimental idiot am!
he thought, taking a seat that was as
far as possible from the photograph.
Good little Nan! I'm glad she wasn't
here. just now. How astonished she
would have been to see mel"
Jack Benton and Nan Welsh had
= cir
made mud pies together in Mrs.
Welsh's back yard, and had handed
cookies from one chubby hand to an
other through the Stats of the fence
that separated their parental premises.
Many a secret, "cross your heart, GER
tain, true, hope to die If l ever tell"
had passed between them, then, and
through school and college days it had
been the same, but even our best
friends must not know everything
81 told you I'd not be long, Jack"
said Nan, quickly, re-entering the
room, but the letter was mislaid, some
how, and 1 had to rummage through
my desk twice before could find it..
It's from Sadie Allen, one of our old
Kappa Chi girls-what are you look
ing so cross for, Jack?"
"Oh, nothing; a mere trifie. I was
thinking Of the cruelties Of existence"
"You wretched pessimist, and with
my trying so hard to amuse you. I'd
have a great notion not to read the
news in this to you, and wouldn't do
it, either, but you happen to know the
people. Are you going to be good?"
Eyes, indeed" he replied, sitting a
sigh. "I'm as meek as Moses. Please
begin"
VERY we'll, then" said Nan, absent
", drawing her chair closer to the
light.
dearest Nan'-that doesn't concern
you'll met the Penningtons'-no that
isn't it, either. Wait a minute till
find the place-here it is: You will be
surprised Nan, to hear the latest about
one of the girls of go. You know she
had two admirers-Tom Andrews was
one. Well, she engaged herself to Tom
and let the other fellow go. | forget
his name, but he was college boy, one
of the old mandolin club that gave a
concert in Rochester the winter l was
there. Anyway, she was engaged to
Tom Andrews. l met her last month
in Pasadena. We were at the same ho-
tel, and one day had little chat over
our embroidery "Oh, Sadie" said she,
"you don't know what good it does me
to meet one of the old girls again!
And to think that you remember my
! Tom! He's such a noble fellow"-here
she blushed and gave shy, proud lit
tie laugh. 81 think there's nobody like
him. Oh, Sadie Allen, you must come
to the wedding next June. Promise
me that. Yes of course, it's to be at
my home in Memphis. Tom says"-and
so forth, and SO on, Nan, nothing but
that fellows name the whole time!
1.-The next day she came running up
to me on the hotel porch, saying, "Ive
got a telegram. Here it Is: Come
home. Great news. Tom"
"'She was wild with delight, and left
on the next train And. Nan, what do
you suppose was the great news? l
thought that he must have struck "a
gold mine, at the very least. So he