River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-05-07

news OF a prodigal son to a white
haired old LADY, guess she's white
| haired-Gnd I've been telegrar.ed to
stop and deliver it. and drinl cup Of
tea-a quiet cupful of tea, he said.
Have you seen her in this giddy
! throng?"
The curving lips parted in a way that
to Bobby was the dearest way in the
world. With sudden tightening in
an organ he had been trying to dis
pense with, he remembered the major,
and rushed into conversation again
without waiting an answer to his ques-
ton
"How's the major?" he said.
The girl frowned in a puzzled way
there was faint reproach in her an
swer. After an absence of two years
his first thought was of the major
"Where is hep"
abroad" carelessly. She wasn't
thinking of the major, but she had
thought good deal of Bobby Harris
in the two years.
"Whatever made you do it?"
"Do what?" in establishment.
enlist, of course"
The lines of Bobby's face settled into
bitterness. He laughed. eff you were
writer, I'd tell you, and there'd be
another war story on a worn-out
theme"
With quick, curious little intake the
girl caught her breath. 81 didn't know
Forgive me-"
cts just that my viewpoint is
wrong" apologized the man, 'and that
I have the misfortune to love another
mans wife,
The pretty color left the girls face.
'I'm sorry" she said, in a low voice.
"That helps" said Bobby, simply.
Then abruptly; "Why is the major
abroad?"
"StiIl sightseeing" listlessly.
"What has come between you?"
Distance" with a little smile.
"Don't YOU care for him?"
81 adore him." This with an attempt
at gayety.
"Then why"
"Oh, Bobby, you've grown tiresome,
petulantly.
A quick stain flashed the mans brow.
pardon me-" he said, stiffiy.
1t would be metaphorical to say that
the young woman swept Bobby into
quiet little room out of the hubbub of
things, but something like that hap
pened. She stood in front OF him,
straight and tall and severe.
you're an idiot or I am" she de-
clared. you've got to explain your in
terest in the major"
t''In his WIFE" gloomily.
The girls laughter rang through the
room. Bobby stiffened at the sound.
I'll never heard of anything
quite so funny" She went off into
staccatO peal of mirth.
perhaps the majors wife's merri-
ment will hasten my recovery" sug-
gested Bobby, who wasn't enjoying
himself.
The girl, suddenly sobered, came
nearer and looked at him with eyes he
could not fathom.
If man in his blindness went from
You because he was a coward and
thought he saw the end of all things"
said Bobby, developing symptoms of
mental delirium under that long look
and quite forgetting the major, eff
if" Remembering the other man he
set his teeth hard-his words trailed
off into silence, painful silence.
The beautiful face came nearer-her
voice trembled through his brain.
eff he went in his blindness" she
said, "he'd come back for-for the be-
ginning of things"
Good Lord" groaned Bobby, "why
didn't a bullet
Bobby dear" said cholled voice.
Carolyn had turned her back on him,
nobody noticed me at the wedding,
although l looked beautiful, was as gay
as a butterfly and threw rice. Why
weren't you there? I" Bobby didn't
know it was laughter that affected her
voice, and his face was set-'I wanted
you, Bobby. The world turned gray,
and there was dust on my heart" plain
lively.
Silence.
'COuldn't you come to the wedding?"
Whose wedding?" in an agonized
whisper,
"My dear Aunt Caro's to the Major.
whose else, pray?"
Bobby swept her into his hungry
arms
Her taunting, tender, half-smoth-'
cred voice still reached him. 1t said
you're not so many, you dear
stupid. There's lots you don't know.
Why, you're even in the wrong house."
rr.udo xUs,o co,,o SIT