The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-10
OSINA-ANNE.
(By L. Parry Truscott-)

Now, 1 wonder - said Robina-Anne;
and again. Il wonder,
7 should so like TO know. she said.
beginning quite afresh. IF you really love
me. Charlie, or only think YOU dor
Why. Robina-Anne. what 4 question!
Haven't We been engaged a whole six
months?"
oh, yes said Robina-Anne. looking
down Il am taking it for granted that
you thought you loved me six months
ago
4 loved you" he corrected her.
TN grant you that she said. Il was
only wondering about the present, You
see. Charlie
And I wonder what gives you such
/ strange thoughts. Robina-Anne?
Having nothing better 10 think about.
perhaps. Charlie
But you have girl, You have, dear.
/ Aren't we going 10 be married in month
6rom now? When we've been married
Six years or-or sixty-when we've been
I through all the-the trials and things they
! warn US about, you know-wili be time
i enough to start wondering il my love has
stood the-the strain and all that; but
now"
Robina-Anne however, seemed to un-
/ derstand him.
Il know. Charlie" she said: II quite
know. But in sixty years of married life
We should become so very used to each
other, everything would be so inevitable,
as it were, that to begin, really begin.
analyzing our feelings then would seem
a little unnecessary; it couldn't make
many years difference, anyhow. could
it? And so, if ever we got as far as sixty
} years together, my advice, uttered now
/ for the benefit of the pair of old sliiies
we should have become, would be. leave
J ~ ole iDl- Of hptf
/ of course. But l think the present
might be worth deciding about"
I'VE decided it, the lad said, stoutly,
/ six months ago.
I'VE decided six months ago for-for
( six months ago." said Robina-Anne. I'VE
/ thought a great deal about it, and OH
and we certainly talked a great deal about
/ it, and l believe we were both quite hon
! est. Charlie She broke eff to say in
/ a tone that was an odd misfit with the
/ evenness of the rest of her speech
/ Charlie. you meant every word you said
( then, didn't you, dear?"
Every blessed word of it,
Yes she went on, we decided quite
comfortably for then. But one changes
one grows-oh. Charlie Charlie,
''What?" the lad cried. roughly Selling
her delicate wrists, trying 10 read her
/ look. What do you mean?'
Il mean / have seen you changing-seen
you grow
a gasp escaped him, a wordless cry. He
let go her wrists.
Take hold of my hands again, Charlie.
Look into my eyes, l have seen it all
and it does not hurt" ended Robina-
Anne.
so, we sha'nt be married in a month.
Charle-or ever said Robina-Anne. She
drew her hands from his, and then, with
out backward look, she left him alone,
as he longed to be, that he might slowly
realize and take unto himself this I'M
expected good-yes, actually, good for
tune that had come to him,
For. Incredible as it seems. this young
man who might have had, in one short
month, Robina-Anne to wife-Robina-
Anne. with thousand tricks, a thous-
and graces: with dimpled chin. and
soft, round eyes that could look-hOw
Innocent, that could look-how sly. with
a laugh that set you laughing you knew
not, cared not, wherefore; with a soft,
sweet wheeling tongue, and tender.
impetuous wOmans heart to guide into
harmless ways her childish trickery-who
might, strange, strange young man. have
kept for his lifelong charming this bun
die of sweet charms, had yet grown in
six short months into believing he loved
better a young woman as dull and heavy
as himself, She had, it is true, some
money of her own, but what is a trfiing
sum of money'to compare with so much?
He was a prudent young man and well
meaning but sadly devoid of taste.
Robina-AnIe had rosy mouth, with
delicate upward curve at either corner
God made it for her TO laugh with, and
she principally used it for that. She
set it bravely to laughter through the
days that followed, and she drilled her
blue eyes into taking their cue from her
laughing mouth. 1t was the first time
in her sunny life that her mirth had
needed coaxing out of her But she had
this much mercy on herself, that, hav
ing started her Charlie on the way to
happiness, she contrived to see as little
as possible of his progress upon that
checkered path.
So that she did not hear how the young
woman with a little money very fatty
and finally refused poor. prudent Charles
outstretched hand and unstable heart.
Perhaps she had previously thought out
prettier investment for her money. As
that may be. Robina-Anne heard nothing
of it, and only reluctantly pictured him
stepped in new joys until she came upon
him very evidently STEPPED. contrariwise,
in fit of deep detection.
oh you poor Charlie.' exclaimed
Robina-Anne. Don't tell me you're tired
of her already and in love with third
girl"
I've done with girls" growled Charlie
Done, Broken it off so soon?'
she wouldn't have me-" he said.
Then the laughter really deserted the
blue eyes of Robina-Anne.
And you want her so much! Poor, dear
old Charlie,"
She climbed the gate-it was every bit
as much her property as his. She put an
arm through his, being c:ose at his side
a warm and most comforting presence.
We'll. l don't want her-now." said
Charlie
Then suddenly a swift blush covered
her face and she would have jumped 10
the ground if he had rot stopped her
with very stronv arm.
let me GO she painted. "Oh. had
forgotten that / had no right to COM
fort you any longer
Il dor I want comfort.ng-any longer,
said Charlie. ii you'll only stop where
you are.
Didn't you love her. them" said Rob
ina-Anne. startled into staying.
NO" said Charlie. 1T seems I didn't;
that I only thought I did.
And when did YOU find it oUt?'
4 think-on my way to ask her TO
marry me.
'sThat."- Robina-Anne shot a sideways
glance at him Now. what made you
find il out then. Charlie?
The thought q a girl called Robina-
Anne" said Charlie, mournfully. and
and ali I'd lost in her
But you went on? Why did you g
on?"