Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-02
{ The Girl of the [ Orchard -,,,, ns...,.
cepyrieha. lsOa. by charls. ". Hooke

Yes, I'd be. coming home. A nice kind of pModigal. had wasted my heart. The thought went through my head, and grotesQnely was reminded of misreadtng of the Scripture com mitted many years ago by a. fellow scholar in the Sunday school And they killed him for fatted calf' That was what had been. just a calf, and killing would be too good for me. Knowing my fathers. wishes, I had kicked up my heels, jumped the fence and fallen in love with the first female of my species that had come in my way.
 l sat down in 8 quiet corner of my apartments to think the thing over. The situation was somewhat peculiar, and fortunately it seemed to involve no misery to any one except myself. Be yond doubt was hard hit. My head and heart were full of that girl. Yet I had not made love to her, not the least in the world. If had cared less, I should have said more I had often done so, liar that I am in common with other men. In the present instance there was not a word that needed to be recalled, and the realization of that fact came to me like blessed miracle. However, the girl was not blind. She occupied the extreme opposite end of the scale of visual .A,,". could fan. cy her reading my secret in the small est of the flowers that l had sent to CushingAs house, where she lived
 Theoretically was not in love with her. Love, in my way of thinking. de- pends upon intimate acquaintance. I am skeptical about the early blooming variety of this flower. It is usually a weed, and the thing to do is to pull it right up by the roots.
 I knew very little about Miss La noine Gushing had told me that she was an orphan without penny of her own, and that she lived with relatives in some small city in Michigan. I did not catch the name of the place. I have an inquisitive disposition and know 1t and therefore refrain from asking any questions except such as are absolutely necessary. However, usually require considerable informa- tion before taking important action, and falling in love is important.
 As to Miss Lamoine's share in the matter, had no reason to suspect that she cared seriously for me. It lay on my mind that had been making fool of myself in quiet, inoffensive, gen. tlemanlys way and that the lady had found the spectacle amusing. I was faintly suspicious that she liked to be amused in that fashion. Whether that , notion were true or false, there was an easy way of setting all things right
 called upon Miss Lamoine that evening, and we had very frank and friendly talk, as it seemed to me. l confded to her that there was very nice girl whom had not seen in some years, not since her childhood, in fact and she was now 19. She had been charming child, in every way loyable and I had no doubt that the promise of her youth had been in every way fulfilled. Tn that statement it will be observed that I. stuck close to my fatherD word, but 1t sounded cold. needed something more to meet the exigencies of t11e situation and to sus tain my own spirits, which werS get. ling rather low, and so ] dilated 8 bit upon Sibyl's merits, using that gift @f easy, imaginative discourse which some harsh persons have called Ygang Siby1 would not have recognized her self had she been present, but I felt at the moment that she could not have helped being pleased.
 My fathers heart was strongly sci upon the match, said, and it was g great joy to me that my memories of Sibyl should be as they were, alto gether charming and alluring. It was of course, too much to hope that she would care for me. I could not ven ture to predict so fortunate an event If Miss Lamoine would not take il as bid for compliment, would say that regarded myself as a mere joke The best that I could hope for was that SibyI would think she could enjoy laughing at me all her life.
 Make her laugh III you can," said Miss Lamoine, eying me In her peculiar way Don't make her err
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