Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-06-18


l shall be gone such a long time" She
remembered the little break in the
low voice.
Where had she found strength to
smile and shake her head?
Il thought you cared for me, Dolly.
Don't you?"
She had been able to laugh softly
though her heart was breaking for
love of him. He must declare himself
before she let him know. Perhaps
he was only amusing himself. Per-
haps he cared and dared not tell her
so. She was so poor and he was am
bilious. So she laughed again and
said lightly: IF you are going to say
all that to the other girls you ought
to be going else you won't get
around"
The look in his eyes went to her
heart like a knife, but he turned away
with the odd little smile that belonged
to him. 1--we told the others goodby.
If you won't kiss me [ shall not care
to come back any more. Goodby."
And he was gone.
This was the end of Miss Doro-
thy's romance, the last of the one
love story. A thousand times she
had gone over the scene. If only she
had been wiser, more tactful, clear
er of vision. Had he loved her?
Something like a prayer, wild and
Uniformed, rose from her heart to
her dumb, %quivering lips. Then she
rose with the others, a calm, dieni-
fed, beautiful woman with two sol
emerged children clinging to her.
The preacher stood tall and hand
some before the people. His grave,
steadfast eyes swept the sea of up
turned faces and stopped where the
light from a stained glass window
fell upon a woman whose eyes met
his steadily. Miss Dorothy held her
breath. The preachers face paled
to the wilderness of his snowy sur
plice. Ben put up his dimpled hand
and drew Miss Dorothy's head down
that she might hear his repeated
whisper. The spell was broken. The
woman folded her arms about the
child and turned her smiling face to
the pulpit. Ben wondered at the
heavy throbbing of her heart.
People noticed u new quality in the
preachers voice. He had seemed
formal and distant. To-day he was
close to their hearts, a man among
men. The joyful felt a thrill of sym
pathy, the sorrowful were contented.
Miss Dorothy's cool reason gave
way to a heart that sang for joy.
She heard nothing of the sermon.
Then her heart leapt, for a low, deep
voice and extended hand stopped her
at the end of the pew. Il am glad
to see you" was what he said.
And Miss Dorothy, who had in her
superior wisdom pitied the simple
girl she used to be, answered:
"Thank you," and nothing more, as
she drifted with the others down to-
ward the door.
The terrific headache that followed
the church-going shut Miss Dorothy
in her room all day. Bess and Ben
tiptoed in and out and Katy suggest
| ed remedies in vain.
Miss Dorothy went to the office
next day, but she worked listlessly.
When the old man in the next desk
noticed it she laughed at his kind
questioning.
"Ill? No indeed. 1t is a little of
this find crisp air that | need. I'm
going out to the farthest, newest
park and listen to the swish of the
falling leaves and smell the ripened
woods and feel the tingle of the late
evening air. / shall get tired and
hungry and sleepy, and tomorrow
you will find me quite myself again.
The park was still and sweet, like
the real country. A little pavilion
near the tiny station was already
atwinkle with light. A band hidden
away in one of it's orner tuned and
scraped promisingly. Miss Dorothy
had wandered away from all this to
the woods. She found a rustic seat
beside the path where the music of
the woods and the music of the band
met in soft, heart-breaking waves.
A step on the path set her heart
beating wildly. Was she never to
forget? But she looked up with cool,
smiling eyes, for she Was a woman
now! "Why, it is YOU" she said in
fT>snn11u fnchinT hnJ1tnu ont n
steady hand.
He stopped. confused for a mo-
meat, then the old glad light came
into his eyes. Dolly! What are you
doing out here alone?"
1t was the old zone of authority
that used to bring the hot blood to
her cheeks. But tonight she was
strong. Il was tired, and / ran away
1t is odd, isn't it, that we found the
same place."
II don't know. Somehow it seems
very natural" She felt the gladness
that vibrated in his voice. He sat
down beside her just as he used to
do, just as if the place belonged to
him. II came out to see a sick nan
n of the gardeners. When my visit
was ended and | thought to turn my
face cityward. I heard about the ac-
cident that will stop the cars on this
line for two hours. Then + decided
upon the walk that brought me to-
you"
Miss Dorothy thought of a frail
little oma waiting at the rectory;
she thought of the dim old church
San accident! Two hours! And il
must be Z o'clock now" She
pressed her hands together help.
lessly.