The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-05-09

sa9r - n ns"'' quite Ny acciuenl'
Mother keeps bundle of letters, and
when she reads them her eyes are always
red afterwards. They are all signed
John, . ,, And, Lance, fathers name was
..The governors, of course. Darling,
do d9 yoaY feel a bit angry with them now
"Of course not, Lane pieced
out the story II just AMI |had q
"You-you darlingy' 4
A repetition of the sounds previously
described ought to have shocked the
ter was impervious to social considera-
ton now. He merely glared straight in
front, with a wonderfully tender smile
Oh his clear-cut, handsome face.
$50 she cared. after ALL" he muttercd
softly. 'And-and kept the letters.
Heaven bless her! And WI y, bless
With an. effort the judge controlled a
powerful inclination to sneeze.
"What an old idiot l ami" he NUT
tered. AT my age, to actually But
to think she cared all those years! Why
bless my soul, it must: be quite
Lance, we must be careful. am
sure l heard something move"
"All right, darling; I'll be monu-
ment of discretion. But what about our
perverse relatives? They're evidently
unfit to look after their own happiness,
so we must do it for them. Sylvia
solemnly-"we must do somethipg:''
"Of course-make them happy!'' .
"Easier said than DONE" rejoined
Lance ruefully.
"We'll have to think out a plan," said
Sylvia confidently. 1T can be done
But, now, we must really go back.
People will notice Oh. Lance, only
ceitful boy, you have had three, when
1 said only
1--WE no particular objection to your
retracting them if you wish it''-mag-
Stupid! Oh, Lance''-inconsequently
1--WE thought of plan! Suppose we
could by some means induce them to
discuss our engagement together some
they would make it up, and live happy
ever afterwards"
Splendid! If only it could be done;
Their voices faded away in the dis
lance, and only the soft splash of the
Thoughts such as came to the Judge
are rare in the life of man. and lend
themselves not at all to deception.
He rose at length, and drew himself
upright. tthe weight of; the disappointed
years rolling away from him like the
memory of bad dream.
Hope, the phoenix, sprang anew in his
heart, and as he pushed the dropping
palms aside, and stood by the fountain,
the mantle of bygone youth enveloped
him once more. Presently he heard q
slight noise in an adjoining arbor-a rus
Ting Of silks; then woman came out
Of the shadow and stood beside him.
her even in the gloom, and the same in
stinct also told him she had been CRYING.
''You--you heard what those silly
young people said?'' ne stammered.
"Yes":-gently- heard. Ny head
ached. so came away here, and they
had begun to talk before could-'' :. !
1T was most unfortunate" continued
the judge lamely. :
Most unfortunate"
"And there's nothing to be done, sun
pose, but take. their ADVICE, and talk It
.Nothingv' ., I'LL
: "And'Ethe Judges confidence sudden.
suppose it is quite true about the let
ters and.and other things?" s#s,
= "Quite'' = i" ;zH
/ "A few moments pause, whilst the
fountain splashed softly. :, -
And nd t "a, photograph, John-was that
.Quite+true. And & III :. ~: Ii = ~.
And when Sylvia and Lance met their
parents half an hour later they were
metaphorically petrifed with wonder.
Nor was their ast0nishment leeaenp,i
when the judge calmly informed thein.
that he and Mrs. Lister, having stalked
matters s. over, had decided to give them