Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-19

earlier friendship between them, and the
girl had evidently forgotten II entirely,
for she had more than once spoken OF
her last summer in Virginia az the Warm
Springs, where he had first known her.
One bright, crisp evening toward the
end of the month, when the air was
filed with a touch of frost and all the
world seemed flooded with tiie bright,
golden sunshine, HarsngteIrs mail
brought him letter from Chapman hint
ing that ne would ike 20 have his part
ner's well-known ability to tie up slip
perry witnesses, 70 fail back upon, IN an
important case. which was 10 come up
the next day.
Sitting on the beach, watching fhe soft
undulations of the wa es tapping the
shore, the shrill laughter of party OF
children building sandhouses coming
family to their ears, Harrington told the
girl of his intended departure the next
morning, and then silence mad fallen
upon them, which both seemed loath TO
break
Unconsciously a quick, startled look
had crossed her noble face as she lis
tened, and then she had turned her eyes
away, gazing quietly out at the dark,
eyer-restless waves Her crimsom-lned
hood had fallen unnotieed upon her
shoulders. and the rich. red-gold hair was
shining gloriously in the sunlight. as <
broke in loose, rebellious curls above the
low. white brow.
Presently Harrington broke the ST
lence, asking, trihe abruptly, When
did You change your name to Violet?
That isn't your real name. know
No" she answered, slowly turning
her eyes from the water and not seem
ing to look at him or think his question
| surprising. 1t was just fancy of nay
mothers; she never liked the name
Gladys, although it was her own name,
and she finally began calling NE Violet,
partly, | imagine, because she was so
passionately fond OF those flowers"
Harrington thought 10 himself that the
sweet purity of the girls nature and the
expression of the dark, violet eyes had
probably influenced the choice of names,
| as well as natural preference on her
mothers part for the understanding flow
ers. but aloud he only said. question:
ingly: DO you remember my asking
you that first night where had met you
| before?'
She nodded without replying.
well. / know now"
The girl looked puzzled as she shook
her head.
Il don't remember il. I must have
been quite small at the time, was
not ~
Harrington did not answer immediate
~, but drawing out his watch. opened it
at the back and held it toward her. DO
you remember now?'
AS Violet's eyes fell upon the picture
within. she uttered a little cry of sur
prise. Where did You get it%' she
asked. looking at him with wide-open
ewes of establishment. My mother al
ways had one like it, as a brooch, which
she wore until her death.
Look at the back of it, Harrington
answered briefly. His face was pale
| and set and his hand treInhled as he.
slipped the little picture out and handed
| it to her.
Turning it over. she read aloud, slowly,
rs if puzzling over the uncertain. child.
ish writing:
From your little red-headed sweet.
heart. Gladys ingalls,, Warm Springs,
Va"
For moment she hesitated. as if try.
ing to recall to her memory the past and
the incident which had caused the little
offering. Then her face cleared and she
exclaimed. with a quick smile, Now |
remember it all, that summer when !
gave you this; somebody, a boy. called
me red headed. and when cried you
thrashed him and | gave you this picture
when we left the springs. How clearly
it all comes back to me now!o
She was still holding the picture in her
hand and gazing at the childish face,
so like her own, but presently, gl1ncing
up at Harrington, she asked curiously,
And so you have known all this time
and You never mentioned it. Why didn't
you tell me before?''
She was looking straight at him as she
spoke, but only for moment. The ex-
preston in his eyes caused her own to
fall quickly, and the soft, ever-ready
flush to mount clear to the roots of her
hair Violet" Harrington said. softly,
| taking in his the hand still holding the
| picture, years ago, when little child,
you promised me you would be my little
| sweetheart always. VIII yon keep that
promise nowg'
And the soft tapping of the waves upon
the shore broke into deep, glad song as
:Ae dark. violet eyes We're raised 70 his
and the sweet voice gave again the prom
Use of .'apld lang syne. New York
! Times