Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-11-05
Loves Reward.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
- HILIP had known her ever so
long, ever since she came here, n
little. rose-lipped child. He drew
her to school on his little cart, he
taught her to ride when older, and
when her favor was no longer to be
won by snowy kittens or sugared
sweetmeats he had laid ut her feet n
mans strong love, n heart that was
brave and loyal and true us steel.
And she-slie thought of the face she
had seen for the first time but one
short month before, the dark. hand
some face that had lighted into look
of involuntary admiration at sight Of
her, the face Of the wealthy city stran-
ger--Edgar Reynolds.
Only one month ago, and already the
lustrOus eyes had learned to watch for
his coming, already the girlish heart
had learned to throb at his voice.
And he? No wonder he was fasci-
mated by that fresh young face. and as
the days went by he smiled to see how
the love OF the woman crept into the
innocence of the child. And SO when
Philip Howard asked her for her love
she had no heart to give him. She told
him SO with womanly tenderness and
pity. and he had left her presence n
very sad, very silent man.
The following day broke fair and
hriuht wi. s,yht IN, hill
tops and June-time mists in the Wiley.
Along the white. winding road lead
ing to the village, in the GOODNESS of
the dewy morning, walked Florence
Thorne.
The birds are singing their mathis in
the tree tops; the brook is laughing as
1t ripples DER its pebbly bed. In the
midst Of all this glorious sylvan beau
ty the elasticity of youth reasserts it.
self. and the girls step grows lighter.
her heart happier. till she almost for
gets her little troubles.
In the village she posts her letters
and turns to retrace her steps. She
meets many laborers on their way to
work, and each man touches his hat
and smiles pleasantly on seeing the
bright. pretty face, for, young as she
is, she has spent many hours helping
with kindly Offices and gentle pity
their wives and little ones.
Coming home. she passes house
that stands In Its own grounds-a
house with snowy curtains. stretching
verandas and well rolled tennis
ground attached. 1t is far more pre-
tentious than her own cosy house. And
well 1t may be, for 1t Is the boarding
house Of this rustic little village 1t is
Allied with fashionables just now who
have fed from the crush and heat of
the city, and. among others. Edgar
Reynolds.
AT the gate sudden thought strikes
her. The housekeeper's little child Is
very ILL., She will go In aud inquire for
her. No one save the servant can be
up yet. She pushes open the gate and
noiselessly tiits up the garden path to
the rear of the house.
She accomplishes her mission and is
returning, when she sees fiuttering on
the path before her sheet of creamy
note paper. She picks 1t up and
glances around. 1t must have blown
from a window left open on retiring.
Yes, there is one directly overhead.
She Is about to take 1t to the house
keeper to return to Its owner, when her
eyes chance to fall on two words writ
ten in firm, bold hand. Florence
!, ia Ia ,,t oh La
the girl, forgetting all honor in the In
tensity of her surprise. reads every
word of 1t almost before she knows
what she has done. 1t runs:
..Dear Will-Expect me back on
Thursday. Am tired of rusticating 1t
would have been an unbearable bore
were It not for an awfully pretty girl.
flirting with whom has helped to pass
the time. She Is the daughter of Allen
Thorne, the millionaire's brother you
know. Made fool Of himself by
marrying school teachers daughter
years ago. Florence Thorne is shy,
wild rose-poor. pretty and proud as n
princess-but l couldn't afford to ruin
my prospects for her, you know. Much
ms could do to keep from losing my
heart in earnest. Had half mind to
throw over Agatha Vere's thousands,
but-pshaw, the bank account carries
the day"
There is little more relating to bust
ness matters, then the letter closes
with the hastily scratched signature,
edgar Reynolds"
The girl stands stiff and rigid in the
bright morning sunlight, great star
tied horror in her eyes. All the pretty,
childish beauty dies In the strained in
!. tensity Of that gaze.
Hark! Is that some one coming?
For n moment she lifts her hand to
her head in confused. helpless way.
Then, crushing the letter into her
bosom, she turns and flies fast us her
leaden weighted feet will bear her
down the path, through the gate, along
the dusty highway-home
Her uncle came to her on receipt of
Philip Towards letter. stating how Ill
she was, his lonely old heart warming
with love toward his br@her's orphan
child. AS for Edgar Reynolds. he had
heard Of her illness with his usual we'll
bred Indifference.
"Poor little thing! Perhaps It's the
best way it could have ended after
ALL" he said, and SO, congratulatlng
himself, he had gone back to town,
while philip Howard far ont nm the