Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-10-26
CHAPTER l.
FIRST LOVE.

FIRST LOVE.
The camp fire had burned low; the
little zone OF light barely outlined the
open tent, the two canoes, bottom up,
under which Levi and Jean were shell
Eered, and the narrow opening in the
forest where Martin Frisbie and his
boyhood friend, DR.. Sol, had camped
for the night. In front of this placid
iakelet reflected the stars, while ali
about was a painless wilderness, SOM
0re and silent. For an hour these two,
who had been village schoolmates, be-
came reminiscent as they lounged be-
side the fire and smoked.
z And so Angie isn't married?" que
ried Martin, reaching forward to poke
the embers together. That's strange.
AS recall her at the close of our school
days, she was a more than usually
pretty girl Of quiet common-sense
sort, one who would naturally become
home-maker. She still lives with
Aunt Comfort, I suppose?"
} "Yes," answered the doctor, land
&eeps the South End school and has
Tor ten years." Then, as If a new
thought had come to him, he added:
Maybe she is waiting for you, Martin.
I remember you used to be sweet on
her in the old days"
+ Martin slowly blew a smoke ring
Aloft, for he, like every youth, had
passed safely through the brief delir-
tum of first love, which the bright eyes
and red lips of Angie Curtis had occa-
Gtoned.
"Yes, must admit / was" he re-
sponded, "and do you know, doctor,
now that you mention my callow spell,
wish could go back to it and be just
as big and happy fool as was then"
The doctor laughed
Better come up and tell her So" he
responded, glancing at Martins up
raised face; ''for all you know, she
might be glad to listen, and as for being
a. fool over again-well, from what
Aear, you can afford it now
I And Martin could, for he had made
good use of the years since he and Dr.
Sol were boys together, and had
reached the goal of moderate wealth
while yet in the prime of manhood.
! I'D like to see Angie" Martin added
nusingly after long pause, land have
. good visit and laugh over our youth
ful Stiffness; but maybe she wouldn't
speak to me now, if we met"
"Oh, pshaw, that's nonsense" re-
turned the doctor, promptly, "and you
know 1t. Angie isn't so silly as to re-
tain grudge against boy admirer so
long. Why do you imagine she would?
Does your conscience smite your"
"No-o-o," came the drawing answer,
"and yet l think l didn't treat her just
right, after leaving Greenvale. was
TOO busy making money"
And that night when the chat had
come to an end, and Martin had crept
into the tent and lay listening to the
crackle of the dying fire, once more he
lived over those fond and foolish days
Of his youth.
And how clear and distinctly they
all came back, now that the pages be-
gan to turn! First the school days,
when Angie, in her little checked ging-
ham pinafore, had chosen him as her
rescuer in game of stand in the
Well" then the first spelling school
and the walk home with her in the
early autumn, when the Mizzy looked
like stream of ripping silver, and
the moon cast notified shadows along
the maple-shaded lane which they fol-
lowed. And what a delight it was to
feel her small. soft hand on his jacket
sleeve, and how scared he was when
Aunt Comforts was reached, and he
felt impelled to kiss Angie. Then the
next winter, and that never-to-be-for-
gotten sleigh-ride to Riverton, and thu
homecoming when the bells jingled SO
merrily, and the sleigh runners creaked
In the frosty snow when the horse
walked. and how his arm nearly froze
holding the robe around Angie! All
the long winter evenings in Aunt Com
forts "best ROOM" with it's haircloth
furniture, open fire, and shiny brass
dre-dogs, came back, with the popping
Of corn, the tin pan of seek-no-furtheI
Rpples, and bowl of cracked walnuts as
side features of minor interest
There were other and equally charming
occasions-moonlit evenings on Aun,
Comforts porch when the lilacs were
In bloom and the fireflies twinkled oveI
the meadow, long walks to bridge
across the Mizzy. where sweet flai
grew, with many stolen kisses fragran
With aagroOt. gathered Is well. ant