The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1902-06-20

well. those old college days were
jolly, weren't they. Nam" and Jaci
Benton leaned against the mantel
smiling down into the girls upturnec
face Eyes, indeed, and I'm glad thai
I resurrected all these old photographs
and souvenirs, since you enjoy looking
them ever 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 pile.
Our mandolin club" he murmured.
| Fairly good picture, too. How young
I look in it, though! And what's this?
Another group? oh, one of those girls
societies; suppose Nan belonged to it.
Let's see if I can recognize any OF
their faces-oh!" The picture was
dropped as if it had burned him. ETHEL
Fanshawe!"
The last words were in a whisper,
as he involuntarily laid his hand on
the table for support ooh, pooh! nom
sense! What a sentimental idiot am!
| supposed that was over, long ago."
ne 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
been comrades ever since they had
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 secrets 'cross your heart, GER
tain, true, hope to die if I ever tell"
had passed between them, then, and
school and college days it had
been the same, but even our best
r1ends must not know everything.
L told you I'd not be long, Jack"
aid Nan. quickly, re-entering the
DOM, but the letter was mislaid, some |
oW, and L had to rummage through !
ny desk twice before 1 could find it. |
is from Sadie Allen, one of our old
lappa Chi girls-what are you look
lg so cross for, Jack?"
'Oh, nothing; mere trife. I was
-A1AihAiAS VI IIAt u uSlll6S OIL existence,
You wretched pessimist and with
" trying so hard to amuse YOU I'd
ave a great notion not to read the
avs in this to you, and wouldn't do
either, but you happen to know the
'ople. Are you going to be good?"
Yes, indeed" he replied, sitting a
sh- I'm as meek as Moses. Please
gin"
Very well, then" said Nan. absent
drawing her chair closer to the
hit.
Dearest Nan-that doesn't concern !
III met the Penningtons'-no. that
IT it, either. Wait a minute till
d the place-here it is: You will be t
'prised, Nan, to hear the latest about +
2 of the girls of '96. You know she il
two admirers-Tom Andrews was \
:. Well. she engaged herself to Tom n
l let the other fellow go. forget \
name, but he was college boy, one o
the old mandolin club that gave a g
cert In Rochester the winter I was :"
re. anyway, she was engaged to tt
n Andrews. | met her last month is
0asadena. We were at the same no. p;
and one day had little chat over in
embroidery. ooh, Sadie" said she, de
u don't know what good it does me I al
meet one of the old girls again, r,
to think that you remember NV ar
L! He's such noble fellow'-bere to
blushed and gave shy, proud lit ar
augh. Il think there's nobody like pr
Oh, Sadie Allen, you must come on
he wedding next June. Promise dr.
that. Yes, of course, it's to be at
nome in Memphis. Tom says''-and Of,
orth, and SO on, Nan, nothing but tdt
fellows name the whole time, q
The next day she came running I'D nc
e on the hotel porch, saying, Eve So
a telegram. Here it Is: Come Of
2. Great news. Tom.''' A,
She was wild with delight, and left o.,
lie next train And, Nan, what do 49,
suppose was the great news? ~,
sht that he must have struck a US US
mine, at the very least. So he a. a.